Healthcare news for October 17, 2026
About 3 million seniors must pick a new Medicare Advantage plan by Dec. 7 For the third year in a row, insurers are dropping Medicare Advantage plans, and roughly one in nine people in individual plans will see theirs disappear in January. Rural areas are hit hardest, with hundreds of thousands of people living in counties that will have no Advantage plan at all. If you got a letter saying your plan is ending, don't wait: compare options now at Medicare.gov or with free help from your State Health Insurance Assistance Program. Some plans also cap how many new members they take, so a popular plan could fill up before the deadline.
In 30 seconds
- Is your Medicare Advantage plan ending? You have until Dec. 7 to choose a new one for Jan. 1. Check that your doctors and drugs are covered, and pick a backup plan in case your first choice stops taking new members.
- Every Part D drug plan is changing for 2027: the yearly out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 and the standard deductible to $700. Compare drug costs, not just monthly premiums, at Medicare.gov.
- Dropped from your ACA Marketplace plan in the recent fraud sweep but think it was a mistake? Call the Marketplace, supply any missing information such as a Social Security number, and ask for a review. Fixes can take weeks, so act soon.
- Taking generic metoclopramide (Reglan) 5 mg tablets from Teva? Some bottles were recalled because other pills were found inside. Ask your pharmacist whether your supply is affected before your next dose.
Medicare & Seniors
Millions of seniors face fewer Advantage choices and higher drug deductibles
About 3.2 million people must replace a discontinued Advantage plan, and more than 1 million need a new stand-alone drug plan. Average Advantage deductibles for drug coverage are projected to climb about 23%, and no stand-alone Part D plan will have a $0 premium for people without extra help.
Straight Arrow NewsSome Advantage plans could fill up before open enrollment ends
Fifteen insurers have set enrollment limits on 65 plans in 11 states, from 410 members to more than 56,000. Once a plan hits its cap it stops accepting new members, so confirm it's still open right before you apply and have a second choice ready.
24/7 Wall St.What changes in Medicare on Jan. 1
Negotiated prices kick in for 15 more drugs, including Ozempic and Wegovy, and CMS estimates enrollees will save $685 million next year. A temporary federal subsidy that held down Part D premiums also ends after 2026.
PBS NewsHour / AP
Insurance & ACA
After dropping 760,000 people from ACA plans, officials quietly restore some
CMS canceled coverage for people flagged in a fraud review in healthcare.gov states, but some turned out to be legitimate customers. A small, uncounted number have been reinstated through an expedited review. If you lost coverage by mistake, call the Marketplace and provide any missing details.
KFF Health NewsNew Jersey ACA premiums to rise nearly 20% next year
GetCoveredNJ plans will cost 19.8% more on average in 2027, with increases by carrier ranging from about 15% to almost 36%. Open enrollment there runs Nov. 1 through Jan. 31, giving shoppers extra time to compare.
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Medicines & FDA
FDA approves an eye drop to help with age-related near vision
Ryzumvi, a phentolamine drop already used to reverse eye dilation, is now approved for presbyopia in adults. It works by making the pupil smaller. A launch date hasn't been announced; ask your eye doctor if it's right for you.
Ophthalmology TimesFirst at-home shot approved for thyroid eye disease
Genentech's Enspryng, given as an injection under the skin, is the first thyroid eye disease treatment that can be used at home instead of by IV at a clinic. In one of two studies it reduced eye bulging and double vision more than placebo.
Ophthalmology TimesGeneric Reglan tablets recalled after other pills found in bottles
Teva recalled more than 240,000 cartons of 5 mg metoclopramide in 100- and 500-count bottles, and a repackager recalled blister packs made from the same product. Several compounded weight-loss shots were also recalled over sterility concerns.
MedShadow Foundation
Staying Well
CDC sends a disease detective to help fight Pennsylvania's measles outbreak
Pennsylvania has reported more than 1,200 cases this year, the largest U.S. outbreak in decades. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are the best protection; check your records if you're unsure you're covered.
NBC NewsBig study finds no overall link between ultraprocessed food and colon cancer in older adults
Researchers followed more than 460,000 people ages 50 to 71 for 23 years. The finding doesn't make heavily processed food healthy, but it adds nuance to a crowded field of diet-and-cancer headlines.
NBC NewsFDA clears the way for less salty bread, cheese and canned tuna
A final rule lets food makers use salt substitutes in 139 foods with federal recipes. Many substitutes contain potassium, so people with kidney disease or on certain heart drugs should read labels and ask their doctor.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Policy & Law
Administration moves to let pharmacies make popular unapproved peptides
HHS sent the White House a plan that would let specialty pharmacies compound some peptides, such as BPC-157, that the FDA had restricted. FDA scientists have warned these injections lack solid safety evidence and carry risks like contamination and allergic reactions.
Associated PressCalifornia's next governor faces hard choices on Medi-Cal
The state's health program for low-income residents faces rising costs and billions in federal cuts after a rapid expansion. A $4.4 billion loan to keep it running will be repaid over 10 years.
KFF Health News
Hospitals & Business
Epic will let patients compare pharmacy prices before a prescription is sent
The new tool will show both the cash price and the expected insured price at different pharmacies, including Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs, Amazon Pharmacy and Costco. It's expected in 2027 for health systems that use Epic records.
TechTargetHospital job cuts keep coming as costs outpace payments
Colorado's Montrose Regional Health is eliminating 77 positions, most of them vacant, saying patient volume rose but commercial payments stayed flat. Kaiser Permanente and City of Hope also announced non-clinical layoffs this month.
Fierce Healthcare