A leading Democratic think tank has started fleshing out a midterm health care affordability agenda, calling for policy shifts that its authors say would immediately lower costs.

Why it matters: There's a change in how Democrats are talking about health care, and it could spell big trouble for industry profits should they regain power any time soon.

Driving the news: The Center for American Progress plan released this week aims to lower health care costs, including premiums and deductibles, and ban insurers from requiring pre-treatment approvals.

• It concurrently released new polling and a memo making the case that voters want immediate cost relief — and that the "old debate about the structure of our health system is less important than making health care more affordable as soon as possible."
• "There has not been sufficient focus on just how much costs are driving people's concerns around health care," center CEO Neera Tanden, a top Biden White House official, said in an interview.
• "People are looking for answers now. Not five years from now, not 10 years from now, but now."

The big picture: CAP's argument — or at least its broad contours — is bolstered by independent polling and is already being made by some congressional Democrats as well.

• Health care topped the list of domestic concerns in recent Gallup polling, with 61% of respondents saying they worry a great deal about its availability and cost.
• Lawmakers in both parties also are increasingly critical of the business practices of health insurance companies and, at times, providers.
• But the Democrats' new emphasis on cost drivers and affordability for the insured population is a shift from their decades-long quest to expand coverage.

Details: The CAP plan has four main components, including setting up a federal rate review process that presumes any premium increases above general medical cost trends are excessive.

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Health insurers say they've cut pre-treatment claim reviews by 11% in the past year after committing to streamlining requirements for patients and doctors.

Why it matters: The so-called prior authorizations help control health care spending, but they can discourage patients from getting treatment and add red tape for providers.

State of play: Health insurer changes have led to 6.5 million fewer prior authorizations, according to a survey of members by the trade group AHIP and Blue Cross Blue Shield released yesterday.

• Claim reviews decreased more than 15% in Medicare Advantage, they said.
• Major insurers including UnitedHealthcare, Aetna CVS Health and Kaiser Permanente last summer committed to reducing pre-treatment reviews, creating common electronic submission requirements and moving toward more real-time answers to review requests.

Zoom in: 65% of providers surveyed this year by Aetna agreed that prior authorization has a legitimate role to play in the health system, according to new results provided exclusively to Axios.

• But less than half (44%) said their current payers prioritize patient well-being and clear information, and just 36% believe insurers follow through on their promises.
• "I'm excited about the progress, but there's no question that we need to make more progress," Aetna president Steve Nelson told Axios.

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The proliferation of health information on social media and AI chatbots hasn't changed Americans' preference for getting the facts from doctors and other providers, a new Pew Research Center survey finds.

Why it matters: The public still values accuracy over convenience, frequently consulting multiple sources — including other people who share their health experiences.

• Democrats have markedly more confidence than Republicans in the accuracy of the sources they use, whether it's clinicians, major health websites, government health agencies or news organizations, Pew found.

By the numbers: 85% of Americans say they get health information from health care providers at least sometimes, and a majority find it highly accurate.

• About two-thirds (66%) say they get information at least sometimes from people experiencing a similar health issue.
• Smaller shares are tapping social media (36%) and AI chatbots (22%) at least some of the time.

Half of Americans say it's extremely or somewhat difficult to determine the accuracy of health information and a similar share (54%) say they have problems knowing what to trust when they come across conflicting facts.

• Social media stands out for the lowest ratings of accuracy. The public's view of websites such as WebMD or Mayo Clinic is generally positive.
• The survey of 5,111 U.S. adults was conducted Oct. 20–26.

ImmunityBio said it's taking corrective actions and requesting the removal of a podcast featuring billionaire founder Patrick Soon-Shiong in response to an FDA warning around misleading statements he made about the company's bladder cancer drug.

Why it matters: The FDA is taking a harder line on statements manufacturers make in ads and promotions and whether they create a misleading impression of what a drug can do.

Driving the news: ImmunityBio said it's begun a review of promotional materials and is implementing enhanced compliance measures, including executive training, and external oversight.

• It's also removing the podcast from its corporate website and requesting its removal from third-party platforms.
• The controversy surrounds the drug Anktiva, which the FDA approved in 2024. The company is trying to get its use expanded to other conditions.

Soon-Shiong's statements were made on an episode of "The Sean Spicer Show" podcast titled "Is the FDA blocking life-saving cancer treatments?" AP reported.

• He variously described the drug as "the most important molecule that could cure cancer" and said "it actually can treat all cancers."
• Regulators said that created a misleading impression and also failed to disclose information about risks and side effects, per AP.

⚖️ A federal judge refused to toss a revised lawsuit from 19 states challenging Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s layoffs and reorganization of HHS. (Bloomberg Law)

🧪 Gilead continued its recent buying spree, agreeing to acquire the German biotech Tubulis in a $5 billion deal to beef up its cancer treatment arm. (Yahoo Finance)

🧑🏻‍⚖️ A court paused Louisiana's lawsuit seeking to limit access to the ​abortion pill mifepristone while the Trump administration conducts a safety review. (Reuters)