Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Americans' Biggest Pocketbook Worry Is The Cost Of Health Care, Poll Reveals
The Washington Post: The Cost Of Health Care, Not Food Or Rent, Is Now Americans’ Top Worry
Yes, Americans are worried about their bills for groceries, housing and utilities. But their biggest pocketbook anxiety arises from the cost of health care, according to a new poll, and their rising concern is likely to affect this year’s midterm elections. Voters say that the issue will alter their election choices, with about three-quarters indicating that health care costs will affect their choices in November, according to the poll released Thursday by KFF, a nonpartisan health policy organization. (Whoriskey, 1/29)
More on Obamacare, Medicare, and prescription drug costs —
CNN: Obamacare Enrollment Drops After Enhanced Premium Subsidies Expire
More than a million fewer people have signed up for Affordable Care Act coverage for 2026, according to federal data released Wednesday. The drop comes after the expiration of the enhanced federal premium subsidies caused monthly payments to skyrocket for many enrollees. (Luhby, 1/28)
The 19th: Soaring Premiums Force Women, LGBTQ+ People To Make Hard Choices
Their health care premiums have skyrocketed. And now, women and LGBTQ+ people across the country are scrambling. (Luthra, Rodriguez and Rummler, 1/28)
Politico: Trump Proposal Signals Medicare Austerity
While President Donald Trump went easy on insurers in his broader health plan, he’s drawing the line at trouble-ridden Medicare Advantage. Health insurers cheered last year when the Trump administration agreed to pump $25 billion more into private Medicare plans in 2026, hoping it signaled a turnaround from the Biden administration’s more modest yearly increases. Instead of the big boost the insurers say they badly need, the Trump administration on Monday offered an increase of less than 1 percent, or $700 million, in 2027. (Hooper, 1/28)
Politico: Health Insurers Dodge Trump's Pricing Crackdown, For Now
In mid-December, President Donald Trump — fresh off a deal that saw nine more major pharmaceutical companies promise to lower drug prices — said he’d pressure health insurers to do the same. “I want to meet with them, and I want to say, ‘I want you to cut your rates way down, way, way down,’” Trump said. “And maybe if they do that, we’ll be able to not cut them out.” More than a month later, no meeting has taken place and the president has not publicly demanded they lower premiums, as he did five times between mid-December and early January. (Haslett and Hooper, 1/28)
KFF Health News: Medicare Advantage Insurers Face New Curbs On Overcharges In Trump Plan That Reins In Payments
Medicare Advantage health plans are blasting a government proposal this week that would keep their reimbursement rates flat next year while making other payment changes. But some health policy experts say the plan could help reduce billions of dollars in overcharges that have been common in the program for more than a decade. (Schulte, 1/29)
The Hill: Yeztugo PrEP Drug Gains Wider Insurance Coverage Months After FDA Approval
HIV/AIDS activists heralded the approval of a new twice-yearly pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medication last year, but these celebrations were tempered by insurers’ reluctance to cover its exorbitant cost. In the months since, payers are coming around, and more patients have access to this landmark advancement. In June, the Food and Drug Administration approved Yeztugo, an injection of the drug lenacapavir, as a form of HIV PrEP. The drug is manufactured by Gilead Sciences. PrEP medication comprises preventative medications for HIV-negative people at high risk of exposure. (Choi, 1/28)
