Health

(WASHINGTON) — The Trump administration has begun mailing out $500 Affordable Care Act (ACA) checks to enrollees who were allegedly overcharged for coverage.

The Treasury Department is issuing the checks to 950,000 Americans in 30 states due to marketplace “user fee” overcharges, according to the administration.

In a video posted on X last month announcing the initiative, President Donald Trump claimed without evidence that the Biden administration sat on a pool of unused surplus money.

Here’s what to know about who is eligible, where the checks are being sent and when they may arrive.

Who is eligible?

An administration official told ABC News on Thursday that the primary recipients of the checks will be people with incomes “above” 400% of the federal poverty level. The federal poverty level is $15,960 a year for an individual in the contiguous 48 states and Washington, D.C.

However, some recipients are those who earn between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level who did not receive subsidies, the official said.

Residents in the following states will receive checks: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

The administration official told ABC News that residents in these 30 states “do not operate their own ACA insurance plan exchanges and instead rely on federal exchanges administered by [the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services].”

The official said residents in the 20 remaining states will not receive checks “because their states run their exchanges, and thus the federal government did not oversee collecting user fees on them.”

Texas and Florida have the highest numbers of individuals who will be receiving refund checks followed by Wisconsin, Arizona and Oregon, respectively, according to data provided by the administration.

Gerard Anderson, a professor of health policy and management at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told ABC News he’s skeptical the checks will be going to the Americans most in need.

The payment “does not target the people most likely to have been harmed by the policy changes made by the administration, including the end of the tax credits,” Anderson said.

The subsidies, or premium tax credits, helped lower or eliminate the out-of-pocket cost of monthly premiums for those who purchase insurance through the health insurance marketplace. They expired at the end of last year and have yet to be renewed.

Anderson added that the check amount is also not tied to a person’s medical condition, which has a large impact on the cost of their premiums.

When will the checks be delivered?

Initially, the administration said checks would be sent to eligible Americans beginning in October 2026, but the administration official said the checks were sent out beginning Wednesday.

It’s unclear how long it will take eligible Americans to receive the checks.

The checks will also come with a letter, according to the administration official.

“For years, the Biden Administration overcharged you to fund the operation of HealthCare.gov,” the letter, viewed by ABC News, reads in part. “That money belongs to hard-working Americans, not the Government, and now, I am returning it to you.”

The checks are separate from a proposal Trump made during the GOP midterm convention in Dallas to offer a $5,000 “dividend” to all adult Americans if Republicans keep control of the House and Senate in the midterm elections.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women, with one in eight developing breast cancer in their lifetime.

It is expected that more than 381,000 new cases of invasive, non-invasive and pre-invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women this year and about 42,000 women will die, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).

Knowing your personal risk of developing breast cancer risk could help you and your doctor choose the right screening schedule and prevention methods.

ABC News is teaming up with the ACS for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The American Cancer Society encourages women to take the ACS CancerRisk360 free assessment to learn more about the factors they can change to improve their health and lower their cancer risk.

The tool is available to use for anyone ages 18 and older. The tool asks questions about things that can raise an individual’s cancer risk, including:

Individual health historyFamily health historyDaily habits and lifestyleCancer screening history

Based on someone’s answers, the tool gives tips on how to lower one’s cancer risk.

Cancer risk can be controlled or modified with several lifestyle changes including diet, physical activity, tobacco use, HPV vaccination and sun/UV protection, according to ACS. Certain risk factors — such as age and family history — cannot be controlled or modified.

The tool does not cover every type of cancer but does offer steps to lower the risk for cancers such as breast, cervical, colorectal, lung and prostate cancer.

“Understanding your cancer risk should make the next step clearer, not more complicated,” Shane Jacobson, CEO of the American Cancer Society, said in a statement. “CancerRisk360 gives people trusted, personalized guidance they can use to start a conversation with their healthcare provider and take practical steps that may help lower their risk.”

ACS says the tool is not a substitute for speaking with and getting medical advice from an individual’s doctor.

“Always talk to a qualified health care provider who knows your situation and personal health needs,” ACS states on its website. “Do not ignore or delay getting professional medical advice because of anything you read in this assessment or in your recommendations.”

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Oct. 1 marks the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, putting a spotlight on the second most common cancer diagnosed among women.

Although the rates of women diagnosed with breast cancer have increased, death rates have been declining and five-year survival rates have risen.

It’s not just women; men are also diagnosed with the disease. Additionally, disparities persist among races and ethnicities.

Here’s what you need to know about breast cancer by the numbers. 

Diagnosis rates

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women in the United States, aside from skin cancer, with more than 320,000 new invasive cases expected each year, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). 

Breast cancer diagnoses have risen with a 1% increase per year in recent years, ACS says.

“Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women, but most women diagnosed with breast cancer do very well and outcomes have improved tremendously over the years,” Hannah Rose Naughton, breast surgical oncologist at Hackensack Meridian Health, told ABC News. 

Breast cancer accounts for roughly one in every three new cancers diagnosed in women each year and is the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the U.S., behind lung cancer, according to the ACS.

“The earlier we find the cancer, the better the outcome for the patient,” Naughton said. 

While breast cancer affects women far more often, the disease can also occur in men. 

“One percent of breast cancer cases occur in men; it’s extremely rare,” Priya Thomas, breast oncologist at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, told ABC News.

Declining death rates

The breast cancer death rate among U.S. women decreased by 44% from 1989 to 2024, preventing an estimated 500,000 to 517,900 deaths, according to ACS.  

“The decrease in breast cancer death rates is probably a combination of our screening advances, as well as advances in the treatments that we have for different subtypes of breast cancer,” Thomas said. “Artificial intelligence is also being investigated and possibly can also increase sensitivity and detection.” 

Improving survival rates

In the late 1970s, the five-year relative survival rate for women with invasive breast cancer — which compares how many patients are alive five years after diagnosis with people of the same age who don’t have cancer — was roughly 75%.

As of 2022, it is above 90%, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The increase reflects major advances in screening and earlier diagnosis.

Where breast cancers are found

Stage at diagnosis remains one of the biggest predictors of outcome. 

Most breast cancers are discovered before they have spread to other parts of the body, according to the NCI. 

About 64% of cases are diagnosed at a localized stage, meaning the cancer has not spread beyond the breast. About 27% have spread to nearby lymph nodes or tissue, and about 6% are diagnosed after the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body. About 2% have an unknown stage. 

“If you feel a lump, if you notice a skin change, if you notice nipple discharge or any change that is different from your normal baseline, that warrants an evaluation by your provider,” Thomas said.

Persisting disparities

The burden of breast cancer is not shared equally. 

“Black women are more likely to develop triple-negative breast cancer, which can be a more aggressive subtype, and unfortunately they do have a higher breast cancer mortality rate,” Naughton said.

As with many other diseases,  the risk of breast cancer increases with age. The average age at breast cancer diagnosis in women is 63, according to the NCI. 

In men, the ACS reports the average age at diagnosis is between 60 and 70. Although for both women and men, the disease can occur at virtually any age, and diagnosis at a younger age is linked to increased mortality.

“I know that recently some of the guidelines, depending on where you’re looking, have changed and may recommend mammograms every one to two years, but I still recommend yearly mammograms starting at age 40 for women at average risk,”  Naughton said. 

Beyond regular screening, experts say being aware of changes in your body is important.

“The most important message is that you shouldn’t ignore a change in your breast,” Naughton said. 

Dr. Tara Howard is a fourth-year dermatology resident and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — As cases of dengue fever continue to rise in Florida, public health specialists are worried the true number of infections may be greater.

For the week ending Sept. 19, at least 190 cases of locally acquired dengue have been confirmed in the state, an increase of 38 cases from the week before, according to data from the Florida Department of Health (DOH).

Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa, is reporting the highest number of cases at 170 followed by Miami-Dade, Orange, Palm Beach, Pasco and Pinellas counties, DOH data shows.

“There’s evidence of local transmission of dengue in several counties in Florida,” Natalie Dean, an associate professor of biostatistics and informatics at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, told ABC News. “Dengue is not endemic to the United States. That means that it doesn’t typically cause local transmission.”

She added, “There can be occasional outbreaks in the U.S. but this one is notable for its size.”

Last week, DOH reported the state’s first death from dengue fever this year but did not provide any details about the patient including name, age, sex or residence.

Three counties — Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas — declared local states of emergency last week. These allow local governments to waive normal procedures, access emergency resources and strengthen efforts to control mosquito populations.

Pinellas County crews have been going door to door and spraying areas with high mosquito presence, according to local ABC News affiliate WFTS.

“I don’t recall a [period] of time when it’s been this high in such a sort of concentrated area before,” Cameron Wolfe, an infectious diseases specialist and a professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine, told ABC News.

Wolfe said there may be an underestimate of the true number of cases in Florida. Cases of dengue can be mild, and people may recover on their own or never be tested. Because dengue can resemble a flu-like illness, patients may never suspect the source of their infection.

Additionally, he said that reporting of confirmed cases to either local state departments or the CDC can lag.

“For every case that we know, there’s going to be a bunch that we never find out about,” Wolfe said.

Dean added that people can be infected with dengue multiple times over the course of their life, but it’s usually the second or later infection that is more severe, leading to further underreporting.

“I always think of like the top of an iceberg,” Dean said. “We’re only capturing some of the some of the cases.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) told ABC News in a statement on Tuesday that the agency is “closely tracking dengue activity” and the “unprecedented” number of cases in the Tampa area.

The CDC also said they’ve provided $800,000 in emergency funds to help with the response.

“Because the types of mosquitoes that spread dengue, Aedes aegypti, are common throughout many areas of the United States, continued local spread of dengue is possible,” the CDC statement said. “The best way to prevent dengue is to protect yourself from mosquito bites by using EPA-registered insect repellant, wearing loose fitting clothes, and controlling mosquitoes in and around your home, such as dumping water.”

Some research has shown that climate change could be expanding the geographic range and severity of dengue fever.

Rising global temperature coupled with more rainfall and humidity — leading to standing water pools that serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes — could increase the number of cases.

“Global warming and climate change, in fact, leave places like Florida more wet and more capable of housing these mosquito vectors, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this becomes a little more of a perpetual thing,” Wolfe said.

ABC News’ Youri Benadjaoud contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — At least 13 new measles cases have been confirmed in Pennsylvania since Friday, bringing the total so far this year to 903, according to Monday’s update from the state health department.

Cases have been recorded in 39 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. At least 176 people have been hospitalized, and four measles-associated deaths have been reported, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) said.

Two of the deaths were among unvaccinated adults: an 18-year-old and a 40-year-old. The other two deaths were among infants who were too young to have received the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine.

Fewer than 1% of the state’s cases — four in total — are among those who are fully vaccinated with the MMR vaccine, according to DOH.

The majority of cases are among those between ages 25 and 49, followed by those between ages 18 and 24, according to state health department data.

Lancaster County in southeastern Pennsylvania has recorded the highest number of cases at 363 followed by Mifflin County, in the central part of the state, with 105.

At least 11 counties show evidence of community transmission, which is when infectious illness spreads through a local population without any known travel history and the specific source of infection cannot be determined.

DOH data shows staff have administered more than 8,300 doses of the MMR vaccine so far this year. Uptake was highest in August with about 3,500 vaccine doses administered, followed by September with about 2,500 doses administered.

Meanwhile, measles cases in the U.S. have surpassed 3,600 so far in 2026, with cases confirmed in 45 states and Washington, D.C., according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC has reported one death from measles so far this year but did not say where the death occurred. A note on the agency’s website said the number “is subject to change.”

The CDC currently recommends that people receive two doses of the MMR vaccine, the first at ages 12 to 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years old. Infants who are between 6 and 11 months old and traveling outside of the country may require an additional vaccination. One dose is 93% effective in preventing measles infection and two doses are 97% effective, the CDC says.

However, CDC data shows vaccination rates have been lagging in recent years. During the 2025 to 2026 school year, 92.4% of kindergartners received the MMR vaccine, according to data. This is lower than the 95.2% seen in the 2019 to 2020 school year, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“If you’ve been exposed, it is important to talk to a healthcare professional, but don’t go into an urgent care or an ER because you may be inevitably spreading it to other vulnerable people,” ABC News medical contributor Dr. Alok Patel told “ABC News Live” on Friday.

“People who have been exposed may be instructed to quarantine or keep really close eye on their symptoms for up to 21 days because that’s how long it can really take for measles to show itself and you could potentially spread and infect others without even knowing it,” Patel added.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — At least 13 new measles cases have been confirmed in Pennsylvania since Friday, bringing the total so far this year to 903, according to Monday’s update from the state health department.

Cases have been recorded in 39 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. At least 176 people have been hospitalized, and four measles-associated deaths have been reported, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) said.

Two of the deaths were among unvaccinated adults: an 18-year-old and a 40-year-old. The other two deaths were among infants who were too young to have received the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine.

Fewer than 1% of the state’s cases — four in total — are among those who are fully vaccinated with the MMR vaccine, according to DOH.

The majority of cases are among those between ages 25 and 49, followed by those between ages 18 and 24, according to state health department data.

Lancaster County in southeastern Pennsylvania has recorded the highest number of cases at 363 followed by Mifflin County, in the central part of the state, with 105.

At least 11 counties show evidence of community transmission, which is when infectious illness spreads through a local population without any known travel history and the specific source of infection cannot be determined.

DOH data shows staff have administered more than 8,300 doses of the MMR vaccine so far this year. Uptake was highest in August with about 3,500 vaccine doses administered, followed by September with about 2,500 doses administered.

Meanwhile, measles cases in the U.S. have surpassed 3,600 so far in 2026, with cases confirmed in 45 states and Washington, D.C., according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC has reported one death from measles so far this year but did not say where the death occurred. A note on the agency’s website said the number “is subject to change.”

The CDC currently recommends that people receive two doses of the MMR vaccine, the first at ages 12 to 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years old. Infants who are between 6 and 11 months old and traveling outside of the country may require an additional vaccination. One dose is 93% effective in preventing measles infection and two doses are 97% effective, the CDC says.

However, CDC data shows vaccination rates have been lagging in recent years. During the 2025 to 2026 school year, 92.4% of kindergartners received the MMR vaccine, according to data. This is lower than the 95.2% seen in the 2019 to 2020 school year, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“If you’ve been exposed, it is important to talk to a healthcare professional, but don’t go into an urgent care or an ER because you may be inevitably spreading it to other vulnerable people,” ABC News medical contributor Dr. Alok Patel told “ABC News Live” on Friday.

“People who have been exposed may be instructed to quarantine or keep really close eye on their symptoms for up to 21 days because that’s how long it can really take for measles to show itself and you could potentially spread and infect others without even knowing it,” Patel added.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Insomnia may be linked to an increased risk of stroke, dementia and several mental health conditions, a new study finds.

Researchers from Austria, Germany, Italy and Switzerland analyzed approximately 20 comprehensive review studies, involving millions of participants across multiple countries, to evaluate the impact of insomnia on health. 

The study, published Sunday in the journal Sleep Medicine Reviews, found that insomnia was linked to a 26% increased risk of stroke.

The results, which looked at multiple other studies also showed individuals with insomnia were more likely to have depression and attempted suicide compared to those without insomnia. 

Insomnia, the most common sleep disorder in the United States, makes it difficult to fall asleep, stay asleep or get good quality sleep, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Researchers also found that people with insomnia had nearly 30% higher odds of being hospitalized for any number of reasons.  

“Insomnia deserves attention as a warning sign of the status of brain and mental health,” Luca Vignatelli, lead study author and senior researcher at the IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences in Bologna, Italy, told ABC News. 

Issues with sleep are often overlooked when addressing mental health concerns, experts told ABC News. 

“When you have anxiety or depression, it makes it difficult to fall or stay asleep, or it gives you poor sleep. But then when you don’t sleep well, it increases that risk of anxiety and depression,” Dr. Thanuja Hamilton, a board-certified sleep medicine physician at Advocare, told ABC News. “When you don’t sleep well, you’re more irritable, you’re more anxious, you’re less resilient to stress, and so you’re vulnerable to depression and anxiety, and that can make it harder to sleep.” 

Researchers also found a connection between insomnia and dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. 

Sleep has been shown to play an important role in clearing waste products linked to impaired brain function and Alzheimer’s disease from the brain, according to the NIH. 

“When you sleep, that’s when your brain takes out the trash,” Hamilton said, referring to waste products that can accumulate throughout the day. “If you’re not getting good quality sleep or enough of it, then you’re going to have an excess buildup, increasing that risk of dementia down the line.”

Researchers cautioned that the new findings only show associations and do not prove that insomnia directly causes the health problems examined.

“I would like to emphasize that people should not be frightened by these results. An increased risk at the population level does not mean that an individual with insomnia will develop dementia, depression or have a stroke,” Dr. Stefan Seidel, one of the study authors and professor of neurology at the Medical University of Vienna, told ABC News. “Instead, the findings give us another reason to take persistent sleep problems seriously, identify possible underlying causes and provide evidence-based treatment when appropriate.”

What can people do to improve their sleep?

Habits like making your bed daily, keeping the room cooler and turning off the lights before bed can help improve your sleep, according to experts. 

One of the most important healthy sleep habits, they say, is maintaining a consistent sleep schedule.

“Our circadian rhythm, our internal clock, it likes consistency,” Hamilton said. “If you are inconsistent with your sleep, then you confuse your brain. It doesn’t know when to start sleep or when to stop sleep.”

To support healthier sleep, turn off distractions such as the TV or your phone approximately 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime and avoid consuming coffee or alcohol late. 

“You go down that rabbit hole when you get on the phone,” Hamilton noted. “It might distract you, but it’s not relaxing you.”

People with insomnia can also become anxious about whether they will be able to fall asleep, potentially making the problem worse.

“The harder you try to sleep when you have insomnia, the harder it is to sleep,” Hamilton added. 

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is often the first treatment option for long-term insomnia. CBT focuses on changing thoughts and behaviors that can interfere with sleep and can include techniques such as adjusting sleep schedules and limiting the amount of time spent awake in bed, according to the NIH. 

“The gold standard of treatment for insomnia is CBT, but it’s difficult and it’s time-consuming and it’s a lot of effort, especially for someone with chronic insomnia,” Hamilton said. “But it is worth it.”

Experts say sleep should become a more routine part of conversations about overall health. 

“Sleep should be a topic to discuss with your doctor when talking about health, at any age,” Vignatelli said. “We need to raise public awareness about insomnia and its treatment and ensure that sleep is included in health promotion programs in our communities, schools, and workplaces.”

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide — free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call or text the national lifeline at 988. 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(BOSTON) — About 4,000 registered nurses at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) in Boston voted “overwhelmingly” on Thursday to authorize an open-ended strike.

The Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), which represents the nurses, said this could be the largest open-ended registered nurse (RN) strike in state history.

No strike date has been set yet. Before it occurs, the nurses will be legally required to give 10 days’ notice. If the strike is held, it would continue until the nurses reach a contract agreement with the hospital.

Nurses say they are seeking a fair contract that will protect patient care, strengthen the workforce and provide affordable health insurance.

“[Mass General Brigham] cannot tell nurses to choose between the care our patients deserve, affordable health insurance, or fair cost-of-living wage increase,” Jim McCarthy, RN, a nurse in the post-anesthesia care unit and vice chair of the BWH MNA Bargaining Committee, said in a statement.

The statement went on, “We have offered to negotiate and work toward an agreement, but CEO Anne Klibanski, who makes $9.2 million a year, and the billionaires on MGB’s Board of Directors, have refused to bargain. Our vote gives nurses the power to push back hard if the MGB billionaires keep putting corporate greed over safe patient care.”

Among the nurses’ proposals are limiting the hospital’s use of temporary nurses, fair compensation including a cost-of-living increase and affordable health insurance with plan choice.

In July, BWH nurses held a one-day strike. Since then, the nurses say the hospital has refused to “meaningfully negotiate.”

MNA said that the hospital told nurses in August it was not willing to negotiate unless significant changes were made to the latest proposal.

“Brigham nurses have made clear that we are prepared to stay on strike for as long as it takes to win a contract that protects our patients and respects the nurses who care for them,” Kelly Morgan, RN, a labor and delivery nurse and chair of the BWH MNA Bargaining Committee, said in a statement.

“An open-ended strike is a serious step that will undoubtedly create a healthcare crisis in Massachusetts. MGB can prevent the strike by returning to the table and negotiating the contract our nurses need to keep providing world-class care,” the statement continued.

BWH did not immediately return ABC News’ request for comment.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — Dr. Heidi Overton is appearing before a Senate committee on Thursday for her confirmation hearing as the next commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.

Overton was nominated in August by President Donald Trump, who described her in a post on social media as a “ROCKSTAR in my Administration.”

She is sitting before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) committee, where she is likely to face questions about childhood vaccines and the abortion drug mifepristone.

If confirmed, Overton will be the second person to lead the FDA after the previous commissioner, Marty Makary, resigned following public clashes with lawmakers, major pharmaceutical companies and Trump over fruit-flavored vapes.

Kyle Diamantas has served as acting FDA commissioner since May 2026.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., chair of the HELP committee, began the hearing by asking Overton if the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine Is lethal. Overton replied it is not.

When asked if the vaccine is safe and effective, Overton reiterated that the vaccine is safe and effective against measles.

“Are there any vaccines on the U.S. market right now which are unsafe?” Cassidy asked.

“Senator, every vaccine on the U.S. market right now is safe and effective, according to the FDA,” Overton said.

Cassidy attempted to press Overton on whether she disagreed with the president on the safety and efficacy of the MMR vaccine, but Overton deflected from answering directly.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wa., asked Overton if she believes mifepristone is safe and effective. Kennedy launched an FDA safety review of the drug last year.

“I know that it has met the safety and efficacy standard according to the FDA review,” Overton replied.

Murray expressed concern over an article she said Overton published three years ago, which she said described medication abortion as dangerous to women.

She also asked if Overton believed an IUD is an abortifacient, which is a substance used to induce an abortion or terminate a pregnancy. Overton did not answer directly.

“If I’m confirmed as FDA commissioner, I’ll be fully briefed on all their prior decisions and make determinations according to the standards of safety and efficacy,” Overton said.

She has espoused anti-abortion views and supported reductions to the childhood immunization schedule. At the executive order signing, she touted the use of what she called “gold-standard science” and restoring vaccination authority to parents.

Overton was nominated for the job, in part, because she is a loyalist of the president, two sources familiar with the nomination tell ABC News.

She’s been described as a loyal staffer, particularly in the presidents’ efforts to overhaul the childhood vaccine schedule, according to a former senior administration official.

“Why would you not want your own loyalist in there?” the source said about Trump’s choice, adding “She [Overton] kind of goes along with things.” The former official supports Overton but has previously acknowledged that, “She’s been in the world of politics for a long time and understands everything’s about loyalty.”

Overton is a physician with a doctor of medicine degree from the University of New Mexico and also holds a doctorate from Johns Hopkins University.

Prior to her role as deputy assistant to the president for domestic policy, she was vice chair of the America First Policy Institute’s (AFPI) Center for a Healthy America, where Overton was also the chief policy officer, a nonprofit that aims to advance policies that it says put the American people first. AFPI was run by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins before Rollins was tapped to join the president’s Cabinet.

Several Trump administration officials held positions there before he was reelected, including Education Secretary Linda McMahon.

Prior to the hearing, Cassidy expressed “strong concerns” about Overton’s nomination because of her participation in the White House executive order overhauling the childhood vaccine schedule.

“That alone is almost disqualifying,” Cassidy wrote in a post on X.

Cassidy, a physician and liver doctor, has long championed the efficacy of vaccines and has grilled Trump’s health officials on their willingness to stand up to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., including recently installed director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Erica Schwartz.

In a statement to ABC News, Democratic Women’s Caucus Chairwoman Teresa Leger Fernández slammed the nomination.

“I call on my colleagues in the Senate to reject her nomination,” Fernández wrote, adding “Overton has publicly denied scientific fact and repeatedly launched conspiratorial attacks against our right to abortion access, the safety of mifepristone, and Planned Parenthood.”

Fernández added: “She is not qualified to serve as FDA Commissioner, and her extremist beliefs and loyalty to the Trump administration will put the lives of millions of women at risk.”

In a statement, Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security, also criticized her nomination.

“The fact that Dr. Overton played a central role in an executive order that shrinks the childhood vaccine schedule and calls for splitting MMR into shots that don’t exist, all without new evidence, calls into question her scientific judgement,” Adalja said. “The fact that she has garnered the praise of the nation’s chief anti-vaccine propagandist, Secretary Kennedy, is also concerning.”

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Missouri health officials are warning of a possible measles exposure at Busch Stadium and nearby local businesses in St. Louis and the larger county.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (MDHSS) said the possible exposures occurred between Sept. 12 and Sept. 14 and included local bars, a cafe, a restaurant, a sandwich shop, a grocery store and a convenience store.

The health department said exposed individuals should monitor for measles symptoms for 21 days starting from the date of exposure.

If symptoms appear, individuals are recommended to contact their local public health agency. Additionally, those who think they have measles should isolate themselves and call their healthcare provider before arriving to be tested.

The MDHSS did not immediately respond to an ABC News request for comment on the possible exposures.

Earlier this month, MDHSS announced a possible measles exposure at a train station in Sedalia, Missouri, after a vaccinated individual boarded a Chicago-bound train on Aug. 27.

About a week later, the St. Louis County Department of Public Health said a second individual who boarded the train on Aug. 27 was confirmed to have measles. The second individual was fully vaccinated and is the first case of measles in a county resident in 20 years, according to DPH.

The potential measles exposures at Busch Stadium and the St. Louis region is the third case linked to “train exposure in Missouri,” the health department said.

“Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to protect ourselves, our families and our community from measles,” Dr. Kanika Cunningham, director of the Saint Louis County Department of Public Health, said in a statement. “We encourage residents to review their vaccination status, monitor for symptoms and contact their healthcare provider before seeking care if they believe they may have been exposed.”

Measles cases in the U.S. have surpassed 3,400 so far in 2026 with cases confirmed in 45 states and Washington, D.C., according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC currently recommends that people receive two doses of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, the first at ages 12 to 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years old. One dose is 93% effective against preventing measles infection and two doses are 97% effective, the CDC says.

However, CDC data shows vaccination rates have been lagging in recent years. During the 2025 to 2026 school year, 92.4% of kindergartners received the MMR vaccine, according to data. This is lower than the 95.2% seen in the 2019 to 2020 school year, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.