Hello from the Common Health Coalition! The 2-4-2 Digest is a weekly snapshot for health leaders - 4 key insights in 2 minutes or with 2 swipes on your phone.

Weekly Health Insights

SNAP: The government shutdown’s reductions in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding offer a preview of future strain on the food safety net. An emergency fund is now covering about half of November’s benefits after court orders required partial funding. The new budget law cuts SNAP funding by $187 billion over the next decade, extends work requirements, and could result in 3 million people losing benefits.

Measles: Canada’s ongoing measles outbreak, which now exceeds 5,000 cases, is expected to end the Americas’ measles-elimination status. In the U.S., support for the MMR vaccine has fallen from 90% to 82% amid rising confusion about vaccine safety and inconsistent public messaging.

Medical Debt: New national polling finds that nearly seven in ten voters view health care as unaffordable, with one in three carrying medical or dental debt. There is broad bipartisan support for policies that cap medical debt interest rates, limit collections, and expand affordable healthcare options.

Fluoride: The FDA has limited prescription fluoride tablets and drops to children aged three and older who are at higher risk for cavities. The decision changes decades-old guidance and may influence pediatric dental prevention practices. Check out the American Academy of Pediatrics’ work on dental health for evidence-based resources on fluoride.

Colleague Corner

Speaking on the APHA Annual Meeting panel “Breaking the Mold: Bold Leaders Shaping the Future of Public Health,” Dr. Meenakshi Brewster, St. Mary’s County Health Officer, challenged the notion that public health should remain behind the scenes, especially at a time when trust in health institutions is so fragile.

“Don’t say ‘public health is invisible.’ When public health is invisible, we have failed to communicate what we’re doing.”

– Dr. Meenakshi Brewster, MD, MPH, St. Mary’s County Health Officer

Data Watch

New York City’s overdose death rate declined in 2024 for the first time in 15 years. The decline, observed across all racial and ethnic groups, reflects years of coordinated prevention, naloxone distribution, and harm-reduction efforts led by the NYC Department of Health and community partners, though rates remain highest among Black and Hispanic residents.

Number and age-adjusted rate per 100,000 residents of unintentional drug poisoning (overdose) deaths, New York City, 2000 to 2024

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