Health Care

• The American Heart Association released a Presidential Advisory on April 30, 2026, declaring U.S. health care affordability at a crisis point due to rising costs driven by chronic diseases. • Costs are forcing Americans to delay or avoid care, worsening health outcomes and increasing medical debt; a Gallup survey shows widespread worry about accessing affordable care. • A McLaughlin & Associates poll found 51% of voters cite health insurance as their top concern, followed by hospital bills (11%) and medicine costs (10%).

• Nearly two-thirds (64%) of U.S. adults worry about affording health care costs, with 30% very worried, topping affordability concerns over gas prices. • Health care affordability remains the public's primary worry despite other economic pressures. • Poll highlights ongoing financial strain on households amid rising medical expenses.

• A majority of Americans express concern over rising healthcare costs and support increased federal tax spending to address these challenges, according to the Axios/Ipsos American Health Index released March 17, 2026. • The poll demonstrates bipartisan support for government action on healthcare affordability, reflecting widespread concern among the U.S. public about escalating medical expenses. • Americans also show increased trust in government handling of childhood vaccination decisions, signaling broader public confidence in health policy interventions.

• The Alabama Department of Corrections terminated its $1 billion health care contract with Tennessee-based YesCare for failure to adequately fulfill contractual duties. • The contract, awarded in 2023 as a 5-year agreement, was dissolved due to the company's inability to meet performance standards for prison health services. • The termination raises questions about oversight of private contractors providing essential health care services within the correctional system.

• CrowdStrike disclosed on April 25, 2026, a sophisticated cyberattack via compromised third-party software affecting 2.5 million patient records at UnitedHealth's Change Healthcare subsidiary. • Attackers, linked to North Korean Lazarus Group, exfiltrated data over 72 hours before detection, demanding $22 million ransom. • Incident highlights vulnerabilities in US healthcare IT supply chains, prompting HHS emergency directives for 500+ providers.

Growing use of AI tech comes at expense of workers’ rights, protections and pay, report warnsBillion-dollar tech platforms are aggressively pushing for deregulation of the “Uber for nursing” industry in an effort to expand gig work in the healthcare sector, according to a report published Tuesday.The report from the AI Now Institute, Uber for Nursing Part II: How Gig Nursing Companies Are Lobbying States to Deregulate Healthcare, examines the use of artificial intelligence to staff hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Continue reading...

• Gallup survey of over 5,500 U.S. adults from Oct-Dec 2025 finds 25% use AI for health info, with 59% researching before doctor visits. • About 14 million adults skipped provider visits in past 30 days after AI advice, though only 4% strongly trust its accuracy. • Low trust levels (33% trust, 34% distrust) raise concerns on AI's role in U.S. healthcare decisions amid access barriers.