Healthcare news for October 18, 2026
ACA shoppers face higher prices and fewer helpers as Nov. 1 sign-up nears Open enrollment for 2027 Marketplace plans starts in two weeks, and it may be a tougher year to shop. Insurers have asked for another round of double-digit price hikes, several are leaving the market, and federal officials have barred thousands of newer agents and brokers from selling HealthCare.gov plans until Feb. 1. A national broker group sued on Oct. 15 to lift that freeze. If you buy your own coverage, plan to compare carefully, use the official HealthCare.gov site or your state's exchange, and look for free help from certified navigators.
In 30 seconds
- Buying your own health insurance? ACA open enrollment starts Nov. 1. Update your income estimate, compare at least three plans, and shop only on HealthCare.gov or your state's official exchange.
- If an agent can't help you this year because of the federal registration freeze, free certified navigators can. Find one through the Find Local Help tool on HealthCare.gov.
- Flu is rising earlier than usual, mostly from the H1N1 strain. Aim to get your shot by the end of October, since protection takes about two weeks to build.
- Measles cases have passed 4,400 nationwide, and nearly all patients were unvaccinated or unsure. If you don't know whether you had two MMR doses, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Medicare & Seniors
Nearly 390,000 Minnesotans told their Medicare Advantage plan is ending
Humana is leaving Minnesota's individual Advantage market and Blue Cross is restructuring all of its plans, while other carriers are also pulling back. Crow Wing County will have no Advantage plan at all in 2027. Free statewide help is available through the state's Aging Pathways program; last year, wait times got very long near the deadline, so call early.
MPR NewsWhat changes in Medicare on Jan. 1
The Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 and the standard drug deductible goes from $615 to $700. Negotiated prices for 15 more drugs, including Ozempic and Wegovy, take effect. Some Advantage plans are trimming extras like dental or raising copays, so read your plan's change notice.
ABC News / APUnitedHealthcare rolls out AI plan suggestions for Advantage shoppers
The insurer, which has 7.6 million Advantage members, says it will recommend plans based on a member's care history and local options. Treat any insurer's suggestion as a starting point and double-check doctors and drugs with Medicare's Plan Finder.
Becker's Hospital Review
Insurance & ACA
Broker group sues to end the freeze on new HealthCare.gov agents
The National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals filed suit in federal court in Maryland, saying CMS skipped public comment and lacks authority for the pause. CMS says the freeze is meant to stop fraud and improper sign-ups.
Healthcare DiveCigna and 10 other insurers are leaving some ACA markets in 2027
Cigna is exiting the individual market in all 11 of its states, and six carriers are entering new states. If your insurer is leaving, you'll need to pick a new plan during open enrollment or you could be moved to a different one.
KFFFederal workers' share of health premiums jumps about 11%
Enrollees in federal employee health plans will pay 10.9% more on average in 2027, and Postal Service plan premiums rise 8.2%. Open season runs Nov. 9 through Dec. 14, so compare plans rather than letting yours roll over.
Government Executive
Medicines & FDA
FDA clears a new over-the-counter drop for red eyes
Alcon's Brytly uses a low dose of apraclonidine and is limited to two uses a day. Pharmacists advise seeing a doctor if redness lasts more than three days. A store launch date hasn't been announced.
Drug TopicsBladder cancer drug Anktiva approved for more patients
The FDA expanded Anktiva, used with BCG, to adults whose high-risk bladder cancer stopped responding to BCG and has high-grade papillary tumors only. In its earlier trial, 62% of patients had a complete response.
U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationBlood pressure pill chlorthalidone recalled again
Inventia Healthcare has recalled more than 25,000 bottles of 25 mg chlorthalidone across two recalls because tablets failed dissolution tests. Don't stop taking it on your own; ask your pharmacist whether your bottle is affected.
Healthline
Staying Well
Pennsylvania measles outbreak nears 1,300 cases
The state has confirmed 1,260 cases and 238 hospitalizations, with five deaths and another under investigation. Nationwide, CDC counts 4,410 cases this year, and 96% were unvaccinated or had unknown status.
American Hospital AssociationWhy this flu season started early, and what to do
About 5% of flu tests are now positive, with the H1N1 strain causing nearly all cases and the West Coast hit first. An early start doesn't necessarily mean a worse season, but a shot now and quick treatment with antivirals if you get sick can help.
ForbesKenya confirms a second Ebola case
A relative of Kenya's first patient tested positive while under quarantine, and officials say there's no sign of wider spread. The outbreak in Congo, now the second-largest on record, has topped 9,000 confirmed cases.
CIDRAP
Policy & Law
Hospitals sue to stop the 340B drug rebate program
The American Hospital Association and four safety-net hospitals filed suit in Maine to block a rebate system set to start Jan. 1, saying it would cost hospitals over $1 billion a year. A House bill introduced Oct. 9 would delay the program until 2029.
American Hospital AssociationFlorida Medicaid expansion push moves to 2028
Organizers say a 2025 state law on petition drives kept the measure off this year's ballot. They now need about 880,000 valid signatures by Jan. 1, 2028, and estimate up to 3.7 million Floridians could gain coverage.
WUSF
Hospitals & Business
Michigan nurses end a strike that lasted more than a year
Nurses at Henry Ford Genesys, who walked out on Labor Day 2025, voted to accept the hospital's final offer, which includes raises of 13% for below-market pay and staffing ratios. Return-to-work details are still being worked out.
Michigan PublicBrigham nurses put off a strike to vote on a final offer
About 4,000 nurses at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital postponed a planned open-ended strike. The union expects to vote in about two weeks on a contract running through September 2028.
GBH NewsUnitedHealth's quarterly profit rises 75%
The company earned $4.1 billion in the third quarter and raised its outlook, even as its total medical membership fell to 48.3 million from 50.1 million a year ago.
Becker's Hospital Review