Flu Surges for Second Peak This Season Across 41 US States with High or Very High Levels

• 미국 심장 협회(American Heart Association)는 2026년 4월 30일 회장 자문 보고서(Presidential Advisory)를 발표하며, 만성 질환으로 인한 비용 상승으로 미국의 의료비 감당 능력이 위기 상황에 도달했다고 선언했습니다. • 의료비 부담으로 인해 미국인들이 치료를 미루거나 기피하게 되면서 건강 상태가 악화되고 의료 부채가 증가하고 있으며, Gallup 설문 조사에 따르면 저렴한 의료 서비스 이용에 대한 우려가 널리 퍼져 있는 것으로 나타났습니다. • McLaughlin & Associates의 여론 조사 결과, 유권자의 51%가 건강 보험을 가장 큰 우려 사항으로 꼽았으며, 병원비(11%)와 약값(10%)이 그 뒤를 이었습니다.

• 대형 보험사 시그나(Cigna)는 장기적 비용 증가로 인해 수백만 명이 오바마케어(Obamacare) 보장을 포기하고 있다는 보고가 잇따르는 가운데, 2027년 의료보호법(Affordable Care Act) 개인 보험 시장에서 철수한다고 발표했으며, 이로 인해 36만 9,000명의 회원이 영향을 받게 됩니다. • 주 정부 관계자들과 업계 분석가들은 급등하는 보험료가 가입 감소를 유도하고 있으며, 이는 남은 피보험자들의 접근성 문제를 악화시키고 있다고 지적했습니다. • 시그나(Cigna)는 철수를 발표하는 과정에서 16억 5,000만 달러의 수익을 기록했다고 보고했으며, 이는 수익성과 시장 지속 가능성 사이의 긴장 관계를 보여줍니다.

• The Trump administration filed an appeal Wednesday evening against a Massachusetts federal judge's March 16 ruling that blocked Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s overhaul of the nation's childhood vaccine schedule. • Judge Brian Murphy had ruled that Kennedy replaced the CDC's vaccine advisory committee "unlawfully" and placed any decisions made by the committee on hold. • The appeal signals the administration's intention to proceed with restructuring the vaccine advisory process despite legal challenges to its authority.

• The Department of Justice announced last week it loosened legal restrictions on medical marijuana, aiming to expand research and treatment options across the US. • This policy shift is expected to facilitate more clinical studies and access for patients in states with medical programs. • The change addresses longstanding barriers to federally approved marijuana research, potentially accelerating therapeutic developments.

• South Carolina health officials ended the nation's largest measles outbreak after six months, with 997 infections and 21 hospitalizations but no deaths. • The outbreak concluded Sunday following over a month without new cases. • This marks a significant public health milestone amid rising national vaccination concerns.

• Investigators from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital analyzed over 3.9 million hospitalizations to estimate sepsis in 1.3% of pediatric cases, equating to more than 18,000 U.S. occurrences yearly. • Sepsis carries a 10% mortality rate, resulting in over 1,800 child deaths annually, with no significant change in incidence or mortality from 2016 to 2022. • 72% of cases began before hospitalization, highlighting risks to otherwise healthy children and the urgent need for better prevention strategies.

• Backers introduced over three dozen bills in statehouses to expand raw milk access, despite public health warnings and at least five outbreaks in the past year. • Current E. coli outbreak linked to raw milk cheddar cheese from California-based Raw Farm has sickened nine people, half children under 5, with one developing lifelong kidney complications. • Public health officials warn unpasteurized milk harbors risky germs, alarming experts as more states legalize sales.

• Nearly two-thirds (64%) of U.S. adults worry about affording health care costs, with 30% very worried, topping affordability concerns over gas prices. • Health care affordability remains the public's primary worry despite other economic pressures. • Poll highlights ongoing financial strain on households amid rising medical expenses.

• Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed HB 5044 into law on April 28, 2026, expanding the state health commissioner's authority to issue vaccine recommendations independent of federal guidance. • The bill includes provisions clarifying the state's Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), which had sparked significant controversy during legislative debates. • The law also prevents insurance companies from penalizing clinicians who treat patients declining vaccines, protecting physician practice autonomy.

• A new report from Harris County Public Health reveals Houston has the highest tuberculosis rates in Texas, highlighting urban transmission risks. • The data shows elevated cases linked to dense populations and socioeconomic factors in the Houston area. • Rising TB incidence demands targeted screening and treatment expansions to curb spread in high-risk communities.

• Medicare underpayments to hospitals totaled more than $100 billion in 2024, according to testimony provided to the House Ways and Means Committee by the American Hospital Association. • Hospitals are managing significant cost pressures while treating a sicker, more medically complex, and aging patient population, with persistent misalignments between care provision and reimbursement rates. • The financial strain reflects broader healthcare system challenges as providers struggle with inadequate government reimbursement alongside rising operational costs.

• A new suicide prevention strategy shifts focus from crisis intervention to upstream policies designed to give people reasons to live and address root causes of suicide risk. • The approach has demonstrated effectiveness in helping individuals in acute distress, including a farmer profiled by CBS News who benefited from this comprehensive intervention model. • This prevention philosophy represents an evolving understanding of mental health intervention that emphasizes long-term resilience and life satisfaction over immediate crisis management.