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October 3, 2026

Takeaways from the most recent news in the technology and policies shaping healthcare.

Government

Kindergarten Vaccination Rates Slip Again as Exemptions Hit Record

By Healthcare Technology News ·

Childhood vaccination coverage among US kindergartners declined again in the 2025-26 school year, according to new CDC data reported by Becker's Hospital Review. Coverage for the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine dropped to 92.4%, down slightly from 92.5% a year earlier and below the 95% threshold public health officials say is needed to prevent community spread.

The share of children claiming exemptions climbed to a record 4.2%, continuing a trend that has eroded coverage since the pandemic. When coverage falls under 95%, herd immunity weakens and the risk of outbreaks for diseases like measles rises, especially in pockets where exemption rates cluster well above the national average.

For hospitals and health systems, sustained declines translate into higher odds of vaccine-preventable outbreaks, added strain on pediatric and emergency capacity, and renewed pressure on public health agencies to rebuild confidence. The data underscores how far coverage has drifted from pre-pandemic norms and how difficult reversing the slide has become.

Sources

More in Government

Government

Ashish Jha Warns AI Is Lowering the Bar for Bioweapons

Ashish Jha warns in STAT News that AI is eroding the barriers that kept biological weapons rare, and defenses will take years the world cannot spare.

Why it matters: If AI makes bioweapons easier to build faster than defenses can be developed, the risk to public health and national security grows sharply.

Government

AMA, AHA Push to Exempt Doctors From $103K H-1B Fee

The AMA and AHA are asking DHS to exempt clinicians from a proposed $103,265 H-1B visa fee they say would gut physician recruiting in underserved areas.

Why it matters: Hospitals depend on foreign-trained physicians to staff rural and underserved communities, and a six-figure visa fee could deepen existing shortages.

Government

DOJ Accuses UCSF Medical School of Racial Discrimination

The DOJ's Civil Rights Division accused UCSF's medical school of race-based discrimination in admissions from 2023 to 2025, the latest in a wave of federal findings against medical schools.

Why it matters: Federal scrutiny of medical school admissions could reshape how the next generation of physicians is selected and the diversity of the clinical workforce.