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POLLING
HEALTH CARE: Via Rasmussen, VERBATIM: “Voters continue to trust the Democratic Party more than the GOP to deal with health care, but nearly half favor more market competition in the system. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 47% of Likely U.S. Voters trust Democrats more to handle health care, while 41% trust Republicans more. Twelve percent (12%) are not sure. The Democrats’ advantage on the issue has increased by one point since last summer.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4sKEYX5
AFFORDABILITY: Via Gallup, VERBATIM: “The West Health-Gallup Affordability Index indicates that Americans’ ability to afford healthcare has deteriorated in recent years. In 2026, millions are expected to face higher insurance premiums and rising out-of-pocket costs as the expiration of some Affordable Care Act subsidies and upcoming cuts to Medicaid enrollment threaten coverage. Collectively, these shifts could leave millions of Americans without health insurance at a time when financial stress is already running high.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cKIP1t
MORE: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “One-third of Americans — an estimated 82 million people — say they are making sacrifices, including skipping meals or driving less, to pay for care, according to a new survey released on Thursday. In the survey, 15 percent of individuals said they had borrowed money in the last year to pay for medical expenses, while another 11 percent said they had skipped a meal. Those without insurance reported even more trade-offs.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40tajkR
SLEEP: Via HealthDay, VERBATIM: “Nearly half of all U.S. children aren’t getting the sleep they need, a new National Sleep Foundation survey reports. About 44% of children do not consistently get the recommended amount of sleep for their age, according to results from the 2026 Sleep in America Poll.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40ouGjc
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3KsuDrZ
MEDICAID SUPPORTS HEALTH CARE FOR ALL OF US: Medicaid keeps Minnesota’s hospitals strong and ensures communities across the state have access to care. Policymakers must protect Medicaid so every Minnesotan — regardless of income or health status — can get the care they need, when they need it. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/3FtrCuH (SPONSORED: Minnesota Hospital Association)
HEALTH IN MINNESOTA
MEDICAID: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “A federal judge in St. Paul heard arguments Thursday from the state of Minnesota and the Trump administration over a halt of $259 million in Medicaid payments to the state. The funding halt, announced two weeks ago by Vice President JD Vance and the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Director Mehmet Oz, is the latest federal measure attempting to crack down on alleged fraud in state programs. Attorney General Keith Ellison sued to block the Trump administration from withholding most of that money. Judge Eric Tostrud heard arguments on that request in court Wednesday.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3NASmhk
FLU: In its weekly report out today, the Minnesota Department of Health reports 188 adult influenza-related deaths, 2 pediatric deaths, 5,033 hospitalizations, 257 school outbreaks, and 110 long-term care outbreaks. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3Y10bib
KRATOM: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “The city of Crystal could be among the first in the state of Minnesota to ban the sale of an opioid-like drug found at some gas stations and smoke shops. Kratom is made from the leaves of a tree native to southeast Asia. The largely unregulated drug is legal to sell to anyone over the age of 18 in Minnesota.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4shn2Dt
PARKINSON’S: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “A bipartisan group of Minnesota lawmakers announced a push to fight Parkinson’s Disease on Wednesday through two bills. The first bill aims to ban the use of a chemical called paraquat in the state. The chemical is an herbicide used primarily in agriculture . . . The other bill would set aside $25 million in funding to boost Parkinson’s research in the state.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/47EHN3y
U OF M: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “The sudden closure of a University of Minnesota dental clinic has left some patients scrambling for care and left staff unsure if they’ll be able to keep their jobs. The University closed the century-old Boynton Dental Clinic last month. Staff say clinic managers first told them in mid-February that the clinic was temporarily closing for maintenance. Three weeks later, employees were told it was permanent.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rtD3oD
MORE: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “Bring Me The News has learned one of the primary reasons behind the closure is financial, with the clinic reportedly running at a deficit for a number of years. The facility was also in need of a number of immediate equipment upgrades. On Wednesday morning, AFSCME 3800, the healthcare [workers] union, held a rally and press conference outside the Church Street location, demanding the clinic re-open.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rytOUj
AUSTIN: Via KTTC-TV, VERBATIM: “Mayo Clinic Health System (MCHS) is expanding to meet community needs in Austin. MCHS will expand its progressive care unit (PCU) in the hospital to increase access to intermediate-level care in Mower County.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4roYOpx
WATER: Via MDH, VERBATIM: “Drinking contaminated water can, over time, result in serious illness or even death. That’s why during National Groundwater Awareness Week, March 8-14, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is reminding private well owners that regular testing is recommended to ensure the safety of drinking water.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rDHCgo
THIS WEEK: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “In an effort to help community members better understand their heart health, the Sanford Bemidji Heart and Vascular Center is hosting a heart and vascular screening event later this week. Sanford Health officials say heart and vascular screenings can offer valuable insight into your current health and help detect risk factors early, supporting a longer, healthier life.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4cDLYQG
340B HOSPITAL MARKUPS HURT PATIENTS: Minnesota’s latest 340B report shows covered entities generated $1.34 billion IN PROFIT in 2024, including an estimated $261 million from Medicaid prescriptions. Independent research finds the program raises costs for patients, taxpayers, and employers statewide. Minnesota should sunset the 340B mandate and Congress should fix the federal 340B program, so it actually helps patients. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/46Bh9IA (SPONSORED: PhRMA)
DC + HEALTH
MAHA: Via KFF Health News, VERBATIM: “Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is fielding pressure from the White House to relax his controversial approach to vaccine policies as the midterms near, but his most steadfast supporters are pressing for more aggressive action — like restricting covid-19 vaccines and pesticide use — to carry out the Make America Healthy Again agenda. The tensions risk fraying Kennedy’s dynamic MAHA coalition, potentially driving away critical supporters who helped fuel President Donald Trump’s 2024 election win.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3NAqtGf
SUGARY DRINKS: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “Food stamp recipients sued the Agriculture Department on Wednesday over restrictions barring them from using their benefits to buy sugary drinks and candy, arguing that the limits are unlawful, create confusion and add to their difficulties in managing their health. Since May, the department has approved waivers in 22 states that allow them to bar participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program from using their benefits to buy soda, energy drinks, candy or other prepared desserts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4sHw38L
VETERANS: Via CNN, VERBATIM: “The wife of one veteran wanted her husband to be evaluated, fearing his cancer may have spread, and sought a radiology appointment last year with the Department of Veterans Affairs. She made ‘multiple phone calls that went to voicemail,’ last March and received ‘no follow-up within the promised 24 hours,’ according to the VA’s chief watchdog. That incident is just one documented by investigators with the VA’s inspector general’s office who are trying to get to the bottom of a longstanding complaint from the nation’s veterans: They can’t get through to their health care providers on the phone.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bBM8qJ
FRAUD: Via Stars and Stripes, VERBATIM: “The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to launch an automated fraud-detection tool to scan more than a million disability benefits questionnaires for evidence of fabrication or other problems that could force a new medical exam and impact compensation, according to a VA official. James W. Smith, a deputy executive director at the Veterans Benefits Administration, told lawmakers that the tool will have the capability to quickly review submitted questionnaires — known as DBQs — that document medical evidence to determine a disability rating and monthly compensation.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4sb7gtU
HOMELESS: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “The Trump administration on Wednesday announced a new effort to initiate legal guardianships for hundreds of veterans, including some who are homeless or ‘at risk of homelessness,’ that could be used to force more of them into involuntary or institutional care. Under the new arrangement, the Justice Department would give officials at the Veterans Affairs Department authority they currently lack to initiate guardianship proceedings in state courts for veterans who have no family and are ‘unable to make their own health care decisions.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bBME89
Appeals Court rejects PhRMA’s attack on Minnesota’s contract pharmacy protections: A recent Minnesota Court of Appeals decision upheld the state’s 340B contract pharmacy law – a win for rural and underserved communities. The 340B program allows eligible hospitals to purchase outpatient drugs at reduced prices so they can reinvest in 24/7 access to local health care. Still, many drug companies are not complying with Minnesota law, denying these essential savings to hospitals and the communities that rely on them. Legislators have an opportunity to protect access to affordable health care across Minnesota by supporting SF 3769 and HF 3609, which ensure that 340B is protected and enforced. READ MORE: Appeals court upholds Minnesota’s 340B law in PhRMA lawsuit | AHA News (SPONSORED: Essentia Health)
RESEARCH & INNOVATION
MARBURG: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “University of Minnesota researchers have made key discoveries about one of the world’s most lethal pathogens, the Marburg virus, including potential weaknesses that could result in vaccines or drug treatments against it. Marburg is lesser-known than its close cousin, Ebola, and remains confined so far to Africa. But its severity was apparent last year when an outbreak in Ethiopia killed nine of 14 people with confirmed infections.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rz4vkV
VETERANS: Via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “At a Minnesota State Capitol hearing Wednesday morning, the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs unveiled a ‘Veteran Suicide Prevention Plan.’ Rachel Johnson, director of the department’s Veteran Community Based Services, announced findings from a suicide prevention report that shows Minnesota continues to lose about 100 veterans to suicide each year. That number was down to around 80 deaths in 2024, but last year, it was back up to around 100.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4lrZcCu
GLP-1: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “When Jessica Layeux, a cybersecurity expert from Monticello, Minn., started taking the weight-loss drug Zepbound last year, she didn’t have any of the side effects she had heard about. She didn’t feel much of a change in her hunger or cravings either . . . GLP-1 drugs like Zepbound have helped millions of people shed significant weight. But then there are the often-overlooked outliers: In clinical trials, about one in 10 people on the drugs were “non-responders,” losing less than 5 percent of their body weight, compared with the average of 15 to 21 percent.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3P2izG8
COMPUTING: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “On a global stage in Berlin, surrounded by leading scientists and engineers in quantum computing, a Mayo Clinic team earned first place at the Berlin Quantum Hackathon 2026. The five-week hackathon challenged six finalist teams to prove that quantum computing — one of science’s newest and most complex frontiers — can solve meaningful problems beyond theory.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rvIQu2
FUNDING: Via Minnetonka-based Monteris, VERBATIM: “Monteris Medical, a private company leading the field in minimally invasive neurosurgery with its NeuroBlate System for magnetic resonance-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT), announced today that it has closed $28 million in Series E equity financing. The equity capital will support the company’s technology innovation program and other growth initiatives.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3NdQE5w
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
DEPRESSION: Via University of Queensland, VERBATIM: “Researchers have discovered a surprising change in how cells produce energy in people with depression. Brain and blood cells in young adults with major depressive disorder produced more energy molecules at rest but had trouble increasing energy production when needed. Scientists believe this imbalance may contribute to symptoms such as fatigue and low motivation. The finding could help pave the way for earlier diagnosis and more personalized treatments.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4uvva4U
APNEA: Via University of Gothenburg, VERBATIM: “A European clinical trial found that the drug sulthiame significantly reduced breathing interruptions in people with moderate to severe sleep apnea. Patients taking higher doses experienced up to 47% fewer pauses in breathing and improved oxygen levels during sleep. The drug helps stabilize breathing signals in the brain, reducing airway collapse. Scientists say the findings could pave the way for a pill-based alternative to CPAP machines.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rtFIP9
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