More than 28.5 million seniors and people with disabilities were enrolled in a private Medicare Advantage plan as of Jan. 1, an 8.8% increase from the same time in 2021, according to new federal data analyzed by Axios.

Why it matters: Enrollment in the controversial MA program continues to grow, and based on prior full-year trends, enrollment in 2022 likely will surpass the federal government's prediction of 29.5 million people.

The pharmaceutical industry is ready to pressure Medicare and demand the agency reverse its restrictive coverage plan for new Alzheimer's treatments like Aduhelm.

The big picture: Doctors, researchers and health policy experts praised Medicare's proposal as a way to get more data to prove whether Aduhelm works, but with billions of dollars and many other similar Alzheimer's drugs on the line, the industry is prepared for war.

The Federal Trade Commission has the dialysis industry in its crosshairs after it finalized restrictions on DaVita's latest deal in Utah.

The big picture: The FTC under Lina Khan has been heavily focused on antitrust authority over Big Tech, but the agency also has taken more critical looks at health care deals that further hurt competition and could lead to higher prices.

Medicare has proposed covering the controversial Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm, but only for patients who enroll in a randomized clinical study.

Why it matters: Medicare is sending a signal to the pharmaceutical industry that Aduhelm — an IV medication with unproven clinical benefit, serious side effects and a $28,000 annual price tag — and other Alzheimer's drugs must show they work to gain Medicare's full coverage and payment.

Health insurers will be required to cover costs for over-the-counter, at-home COVID tests starting this Saturday, the Health and Human Services Department announced Monday.

Why it matters: Under President Biden's strategy to expand access to free COVID testing, insurers will either cover costs upfront or reimburse people after they submit claims.

Because Biogen lowered the price of Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm by 50%, the federal government should "reassess" the large pending increase on Medicare's 2022 premiums that cover physician and outpatient care, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement today.

Why it matters: The historically high Medicare premium hike, during a midterm election year, was due in large part to Aduhelm's high price tag.

• But now Becerra is asking Medicare to consider lowering the premium increase, just days before Medicare also is supposed to give a preliminary decision about whether Aduhelm's questionable clinical evidence justifies coverage at all.

The annual JPMorgan Healthcare Conference kicks off today, and it's virtual for the second straight year after companies raised concerns about rising coronavirus cases.

Why it matters: Health care is as profitable as ever amid the global pandemic, and companies are eager to tell deep-pocketed power brokers why they should continue to plow more money into the industry and expect hefty returns.

NorthShore University HealthSystem and Edward-Elmhurst Health have merged into a nine-hospital system that will have roughly $5 billion in annual revenue and a dominant presence in Chicago's affluent north and west suburbs.

The big picture: The pandemic has slowed down hospital merger activity, according to health care financial advisory firm Ponder & Co., but it didn't completely stop all deals — especially large mega-mergers like this NorthShore-Edward deal that pursue regional consolidation.

Drug companies raised the prices on hundreds of medications on Jan. 1, with most prices up 5% to 6% on average.

Why it matters: The start of the new year is the most popular time for drug companies to hike prices, and even though high drug prices remain one of the biggest political health care issues, increases in 2022 are tracking in line with other recent years.

Effective today, federal law bans many types of out-of-network medical bills and puts the onus on doctors and health insurance companies to resolve their payment disputes.

Why it matters: Consumers can breathe a sigh of relief because, in many scenarios, they should no longer face unexpected charges from doctors who are not in their insurance networks.