Cancer, Diabetes Drugs — And Botox — On List For Medicare Price Negotiations
January 28, 2026
Morning Briefing
CMS has identified 15 prescription drugs to target for lower prices in 2028: Anoro Ellipta, Biktarvy, Botox, Cimzia, Cosentyx, Entyvio, Erleada, Kisqali, Lenvima, Orencia, Rexulti, Trulicity, Verzenio, Xeljanz, and Xolair. Plus, the fallout from a largely flat Medicare Advantage reimbursement increase.
Morning Briefing for Wednesday, January 28, 2026
January 28, 2026
Morning Briefing
We want to see your clever, heartfelt, or hilarious tributes to the policies that shape health care. Submit your poem — whether conventional, free-form, or haiku — by noon ET on Wednesday, Feb. 4. The winning poem will receive a custom comic illustration in the Morning Briefing on Feb. 13. Click here for the rules and to enter!
First Edition: Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026
January 28, 2026
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
When Suicidal Calls Come In, Who Answers? Georgia Crisis Line Response Rates Reveal Gaps
By Andy Miller Rebecca Grapevine, Healthbeat
January 28, 2026
KFF Health News Original
In Georgia, a high number of callers to the 988 crisis line hang up or disconnect before reaching a counselor. Many other calls are transferred out of state.
CMS Proposes 0.1% Average Pay Raise For 2027 Medicare Advantage Plans
January 27, 2026
Morning Briefing
The increase is far below the 4%-6% bumps the industry expected, Stat reports, and comes alongside proposed restrictions on insurers’ coding practices. Other industry news is on a Kaiser Permanente strike in California and Hawaii, health system investments in pulsed field ablation, and more.
NYC Rushes To Shelter Unhoused From Extreme Cold As Death Toll Rises
January 27, 2026
Morning Briefing
Eight people were found dead outside or later died at a hospital, New York City officials said. It wasn’t confirmed if they were homeless. USA Today reported that at least 34 people have died across the U.S. as frigid temperatures are settling in. Plus: News from Colorado, Maryland, Florida, and California.
Feds End Pursuit Of Patient Records Identifying Transgender Minors In LA
January 27, 2026
Morning Briefing
The Justice Department has put on hold until 2029 its request for “documents sufficient to identify each patient (by name, date of birth, social security number, address, and parent/guardian information) who was prescribed puberty blockers or hormone therapy.”
Roche’s Entry Into Weight Loss Game Could Be A Difference-Maker
January 27, 2026
Morning Briefing
In a study, Roche’s experimental shot delivered weight loss that appeared to be better than Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and on par with Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, an analyst said. The results show the shot has the potential to be the best in its class, an official at Roche said.
Sources: Patrol Chief, Some Agents To Exit Minneapolis After Nurse’s Killing
January 27, 2026
Morning Briefing
President Donald Trump will send border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to take over, AP reports. News outlets also cover the life and death of intensive care nurse Alex Pretti, as well as the impact that immigration enforcement activity is having on those who need medical care.
CDC Vaccine Databases, Crucial For Managing Outbreaks, Are Out Of Date
January 27, 2026
Morning Briefing
Researchers found that nearly 90% of the databases that are no longer being updated are related to vaccinations and that updates largely stopped in March and April, after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took the helm at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Morning Briefing for Tuesday, January 27, 2026
January 27, 2026
Morning Briefing
We want to see your clever, heartfelt, or hilarious tributes to the policies that shape health care. Submit your poem — whether conventional, free-form, or haiku — by noon ET on Wednesday, Feb. 4. The winning poem will receive a custom comic illustration in the Morning Briefing on Feb. 13. Click here for the rules and to enter!
First Edition: Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026
January 27, 2026
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Doctors Increasingly See AI Scribes in a Positive Light. But Hiccups Persist.
By Michelle Andrews
January 27, 2026
KFF Health News Original
Patients say they find AI summaries of doctor visits user-friendly, but it’s not clear if their appointments are improving. In any case, doctors appear to be embracing the high-tech innovation.
Trump Policies at Odds With Emerging Understanding of Covid’s Long-Term Harm
By Stephanie Armour
January 27, 2026
KFF Health News Original
Studies increasingly offer insights into the health risks and burdens faced by people who have had covid infections. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has narrowed covid vaccine recommendations and cut research.
Watch: A Strange Checkup Bill Revealed a Firefighter’s Kids Were Mistakenly Uninsured
By Caresse Jackman, InvestigateTV
January 27, 2026
KFF Health News Original
This installment of InvestigateTV and KFF Health News’ “Costly Care” series explores how administrative errors can leave patients on the hook for bills they shouldn’t owe — sometimes with few options to correct a problem they didn’t create.
Políticas del gobierno chocan con el conocimiento emergente sobre los daños a largo plazo de covid
By Stephanie Armour
January 27, 2026
KFF Health News Original
Estos hallazgos generan nuevas preocupaciones sobre las políticas relacionadas con covid durante la administración Trump, según investigadores.
Cada vez más médicos ven con buenos ojos a los asistentes de IA. Pero aún hay tropiezos
By Michelle Andrews
January 27, 2026
KFF Health News Original
Los médicos están considerando a estos asistentes de IA ambiental como una herramienta revolucionaria que les permite concentrarse en sus pacientes en lugar de en el teclado.
Not Just The Influencers: YouTube Clips From Doctors Also Lack Medical Proof
January 26, 2026
Morning Briefing
A study of 309 physician-generated videos — all relating to diabetes or cancer — found that two-thirds of them had low, very low, or no evidence to support their health claims.
