Theresa Gaffney is the lead Morning Rounds writer and reports on health care, new research, and public policy, with a particular interest in mental health, gender-affirming care, and LGBTQ+ patient communities. You can reach Theresa on Signal at theresagaff.97.

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The House of Representatives is heading into its summer recess early. As one STAT colleague said over Slack: Must be nice! We’re still covering the news over here, and there’s lots of it. Read on.

Federal cuts threaten improving rural cancer care

Kentucky is a hotbed for cancer, with the highest incidence and among the highest mortality rates of any state. Within its borders, disparities persist between patients in rural and urban areas, as new technologies and treatments fail to reach rural areas to the same degree. For years, Kentucky has been trying to close this divide with multilayered efforts that have become a national model, with imitators in Iowa, Nevada, and Mississippi. There’s been foundational progress, but after President Trump signed the landmark tax bill earlier this month, those gains are at risk.

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