1 big thing: Medicare Advantage debate rekindled by watchdog report

2. Praise for FDA's proposed menthol ban

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3. Watch out for a blockbuster obesity drug

4. Tackling the multiple sclerosis mystery

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5. Dog of the week

Good morning. Happy Friday. It's Caitlin Owens filling in for today.

Today's word count is 794, or a 3-minute read.

Plus, support for a menthol cigarette ban

Axios Vitals: Medicare Advantage under fire

National

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Keep up with health care politics, policy and business

Axios Vitals

1 big thing: Partisanship undermines pandemic playbook

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2. Children's health issues getting worse

3. "Family glitch" fix on the horizon

4. As masks lift, spirits rise

5. Catch up quick

Today's word count is 987, or a 4-minute read.

Plus, we may not be learning our pandemic lessons.

1 big thing: Americans' COVID culture war

2. America's giant medical debt

3. Out-of-pocket limits aren't silver bullets

4. Having a baby isn't cheap

5. How COVID can damage the brain

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6. Dog (news) of the week

🎧 Listen: The second episode of "How It Happened: Putin's Invasion" came out this morning and features Axios world editor David Lawler, politics managing editor Margaret Talev and climate and energy reporter Andrew Freedman breaking down the consequences of the war in Ukraine.

Today's word count is 1,039, or a 4-minute read.

1 big thing: America's other public health threat

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2. Another European warning

3. A potential case of telehealth gone wrong

4. Opioid overdose rate's racial reversal 

5. While you were weekending

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Today's word count is 790, or a 3-minute read.

1 big thing: Pharmacists push for enhanced role in post-pandemic life

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2. COVID cases continue to plummet

3. New COVID funding in legislative trouble

4. Border dispute may threaten plasma supply

Today's word count is 890, or a 3-minute read.

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Caitlin Owens

Newsletter editions

Axios Vitals: Medicare Advantage under fire

Axios Vitals: Children's health crises

Axios Vitals: Another looming threat

Axios Vitals: Massive medical debt

Axios Vitals: COVID response imperiled