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June 11, 2026

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

Government

2014 Ebola Leader Warns U.S. Is Less Ready Now

By Healthcare Technology News ·

As a new Ebola outbreak spreads with no known cure, one of the leaders of the 2014 U.S. response is sounding an alarm about how much American capacity has eroded. Susan Reichle, who helped coordinate the 2014 effort and last year co-founded the Aid Transition Alliance to support former USAID professionals, told STAT News that the difference between then and now is stark.

In 2014, the U.S. marshaled a large, coordinated mobilization of money, logistics, and experienced personnel through USAID and partner agencies to help contain the West Africa outbreak. That infrastructure has since been hollowed out. The dismantling of USAID and the departure of seasoned aid workers have stripped away the institutional knowledge and on-the-ground networks that made the earlier response possible, Reichle said.

Her new organization exists in part because so many of those professionals are now outside government. The practical worry: when the next emergency hits, the people and systems that once moved fast may no longer be in place to respond.

Sources

More in Government

Government

Judge Strikes Down Trump's $100K H-1B Visa Fee

A federal judge struck down Trump's $100,000 H-1B visa fee as an unlawful tax, a win for hospitals that rely on foreign-trained physicians.

Why it matters: Hospitals depend on H-1B visas to recruit foreign-trained doctors, especially in rural and underserved areas, so the fee could have worsened staffing shortages.

Government

HHS Czar Blames Provider Taxes for Healthcare Costs

HHS affordability czar Casey Mulligan says distorted incentives like provider taxes, not coverage gaps, are the root of high US healthcare costs.

Why it matters: The framing signals federal scrutiny of Medicaid financing tools that hospitals and states depend on, with potential ripple effects for payers and employers.

Government

What Has Changed in Ebola Response Since the Last Big Outbreak

STAT News details how vaccines and treatments have transformed Ebola response since the 2014-2016 outbreak, alongside news on a suppressed alcohol report and wearables data.

Why it matters: Licensed vaccines and therapeutics mean future Ebola outbreaks can be contained faster, reshaping global preparedness and the economics of response.