January 2026

Americans in state of ‘economic anxiety,’ with healthcare topping list of worries: KFF ()
Lawsuits filed over allegations of dirty surgical tools, patient infections and defamation ()
Legal eagles forecast 3 healthcare AI trends to eyeball in 2026 and beyond ()
Call gets louder to license medical GenAI like any human healthcare professional ()
After third conviction, ‘fake nurse' finally gets 75 months in prison ()
Russia rolls out MosMed.AI to standardize healthcare AI nationwide ()
Briefly: Democrats winning on healthcare | Hospital pharmacies blinded by bustle | Gambling boys | Obesity rises | more ()
Patient claims his eye doctor aggressively pursued and drugged him for a Las Vegas wedding ()
Overconfident patients, underconfident nurses, pilot failures & more AI briefings ()
Express Scripts considering settlement with FTC to resolve insulin pricing dispute, filing reveals ()
Anesthesiologist faces manslaughter charges in 'music bingo' death ()
Outspoken nurses in hot water | Population growth slowdown | Hospitals becoming Medicare Advantage carriers | and more news & views of note ()
DOJ: Fraud settlements hit record $6.8B in 2025, with healthcare a primary focus ()
CMS announces 15 drugs targeted for third round of Medicare price negotiations ()
Why Condi Rice believes AI and other emerging technologies have our world in a ‘hinge-of-history’ moment | and more AI news, views & findings ()
Lawsuit filed against nonprofit hospital after Cerner hack exposes thousands ()
National Nurses United plans week of demonstrations to support man slain by ICE ()
Fans and foes of medical debt relief | Heat on the Hill for payer CEOs | One and done with algorithmic care | and more briefings ()
Texas announces childhood vaccine probe as RFK-backed group files RICO case against AAP ()
‘No Kings’ in healthcare: leaders serve patients by following the clinical problem ()
AI roundup: Your doctor’s choice for clinical AI | Amazon, Walmart & ecosystem AI | 2026’s top healthcare technology hazard ()
Conspiracy to defraud Amtrak’s health plan of $11M sees 12 convictions ()
California health system sued over 2024 breach on health IT vendor TriZetto ()
Maine health system confirms data breach impacted 145K as civil litigation moves forward ()
UnitedHealth promises to return ACA profits to members as CEO addresses Congress ()
Kennedy vax suit revised & sharpened | Hospital discharges examined | Nursing units awarded | And more high-level briefs ()
AI roundup: Platform vs. patchwork | The new workplace imbalance | Good-enough healthcare AI | more ()
Nurse awarded $41M in wrongful termination lawsuit against Kaiser Permanente ()
Five practices agree to $6M settlement with DOJ as investigation into Medicare fraud scheme continues ()
‘Medicare for All’ bill proposed in Pennsylvania after ACA subsidies expire ()
High-level briefing: Rural healthcare downs & ups | Healthcare affordability in focus | Viruses to watch like a hawk in 2026 | more ()
31K Kaiser Permanente employees prepare to strike, citing staffing issues and low pay ()
CMS releases ‘improper payment’ data, showing a small rise for Medicare Advantage ()
AI briefing: Hyped AI goes to the hospital | Is healthcare AI sustainable? | US & Israel power up AI partnership | more ()
Missouri becomes latest plaintiff in lawsuits against PBMs, drug companies over skyrocketing insulin prices ()
FDA announces Class I recall on anesthesia vaporizers due to risk of chemical exposure ()
FDA issues warning over use of Boston Scientific stents after 167 injuries, 3 deaths ()
In brief: Trump’s ‘Great Healthcare Plan’ | Nat’l healthcare spending | Working families and healthcare affordability ()
UnitedHealthcare launches rural Medicare Advantage pilot to cut reimbursement delays 50% ()
Kaiser Permanente hit with record-setting $556M Medicare Advantage fraud settlement ()
AI roundup: Of workslop and rework | Patent that tech, industry player | Artificial Intellectualism, anyone? ()
HHS reinstates hundreds of CDC workers fired by DOGE ()
Rural hospitals face equipment uptime challenges—here's how to overcome them ()
In brief: Cancer survival | Difficult patients | IVF moms | Murderous surgeon ()
ACA enrollment on the skids as Americans face higher premiums ()
Epic, provider groups sue companies over alleged scheme to sell patient data ()
AI roundup: FDA reassures innovators, Claude challenges ChatGPT, health system goes DIY with AI, more ()
Senate Report: UnitedHealth was aggressive in seeking higher Medicare Advantage payments ()
Cash prices frequently undercut insurance rates at Texas hospitals, study finds ()
Walmart dips its toe back into healthcare with new digital platform ()
FDA recalls organ recovery kits due to low-grade plastic bags ()
House passes ACA extension as Senate also considers competing GOP-backed act ()
3 high-level briefings: Healthcare is an employment anomaly | Nurses are burning out | Dr. Birx is bullish on health data ()
The ‘AI avalanche’ descends on surgery, ChatGPT goes healthcare-specific and more AI news & views not to miss ()
Doctor faces 58 counts of unlawful opioid distribution, fraud as part of 'pill mill' operation ()
Lawsuit alleges AFP imported unsafe HIV drugs from Turkey through gray market supply chains ()
Large nonprofit health system sues PBMs, drug companies over insulin prices ()
New food pyramid cheered and contested, doctors vs. gun harms & other high-level briefings ()
Mangione defense pushes for recusal of Pam Bondi, citing her ties to UnitedHealth lobbyists ()
FDA: AI-powered medical devices ‘simply providing information’ are not subject to regulation ()
ChatGPT is penetrating healthcare with explosive might, a US state is trying human-less prescription refills—and more AI news not to miss ()
Family of woman wrongly declared dead receives $3.3M settlement ()
FDA issues Class I recall on B. Braun microbore extensions due to risk of death ()
Is RFK Jr. really conducting an ‘assault on vaccines’? And more high-level news notes ()
FDA recalls surgical packs due to risk of microbial contamination ()