The cost of Obamacare coverage is due to rise by a median of 14% next year, according to a new analysis, marking further turmoil for the law's marketplaces.

Why it matters: It would mark the second straight year of double-digit premium increases in the individual market.

• Customers could be on the hook for thousands of more dollars in costs, worsening the health affordability crisis.

The big picture: Insurers blame the hikes on rising costs of health care services and the expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, per the KFF analysis of 77 health plans' preliminary rate filings in 16 states and the District of Columbia.

• Some enrollees will get subsidies that would cushion the blow, but those who make more than 400% of the federal poverty level, or about $64,000 for a single person, won't qualify.
• Higher premiums also drive up the government's cost of subsidizing coverage for poorer individuals in the marketplace.

Zoom in: The higher out-of-pocket costs are motivating some healthier enrollees, who are more price sensitive, to drop their coverage.

• That, in turn, makes the overall pool of enrollees sicker and more expensive to care for, causing an increase in overall premiums.
• Insurers estimate that the sicker risk pool drove premiums up by roughly four percentage points this year and expect a similar increase in 2027.
• While costs rise, the market is shrinking: Affordable Care Act enrollment already is down by about 3 million people year over year, to 19.2 million, according to federal data released last month.

What they're saying: "When you see a decline in enrollment coupled with such a big spike in premiums, neither of those are exactly comforting signs," said Emma Wager, a senior policy analyst for KFF's Program on the ACA.

• Still, she added, "for now the market is holding strong" overall. The total of 19 million enrollees is still more than any year before 2024.

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Those disclaimers in TV drug ads could get longer if the Trump administration makes good on plans to require all safety risks to be disclosed in the ads instead of referring consumers to another source.

The big picture: The administration says the current practice of focusing on key risks is a loophole that needs to be closed amid a proliferation of direct-to-consumer drug ads.

• But some drug law experts contend that more detailed warnings — the kind of full product information found on drug labels in advertisements — could confuse consumers and stretch the ads to unrealistic lengths.

Driving the news: The administration plans to issue a proposal in December that would revise the so-called adequate provision requirement for product claims in drug ads.

• The move would track with a memorandum President Trump issued in September addressing transparency and accuracy in direct-to-consumer drug advertising.
• The administration said the envisioned change "does not constitute a ban or unreasonable imposition on DTC drug advertising" but would instead require complete safety information to help consumers make informed decisions.

Yes, but: Broadcast ads already contain a "major statement" of key risks. And in 2015 guidance on print drug ads, regulators favored a brief summary of the most important risks over an exhaustive list, according to a post on the FDA Law Blog.

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Administration health officials today are launching an effort to encourage hospitals to serve inpatient meals that more closely align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The officials link dietary patterns with recovery rates, the management of chronic diseases and overall health outcomes.

Driving the news: The "Make Hospital Food Healthier Pledge" encourages hospitals to voluntarily reduce highly processed foods and prioritize nutrient-dense options.

• HHS also is calling on facilities to replace deep frying with alternate cooking methods and limit processed meats and foods high in added sugars, sodium and artificial additives.
• The effort tracks with Kennedy's "MAHA" nutritional agenda and was previewed this spring at the American Hospital Association's annual meeting.

Reality check: Many hospitals already emphasize healthy food options and preparation methods in their cafeterias.

• A March administration memo to hospitals and nursing homes to align patient meals with 2025–30 dietary guidelines or risk losing Medicaid and Medicare funds drew fire from some health professionals, who said it didn't account for certain dietary restrictions and unique clinical needs.

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Regulatory hurdles and the lack of insurer reimbursements are preventing doctors from harnessing data from consumer wearables to use in their practices, a new American Medical Association survey finds.

Why it matters: Structural barriers could thwart efforts to use continuous data from the devices to improve patient care.

Driving the news: A new survey of 2,222 physicians in the U.S., Canada and Europe found that cardiologists and endocrinologists were the likeliest specialties to use wearable data in their clinical care.

• But although 97% of the physicians said they'd review health information collected by a wearable, no more than 6% of the practitioners in any country had actually integrated data.

Zoom in: Doctors cited regulators' decision to not require clinical validation for many health-related features on the devices, the absence of tools for interpreting and integrating data into workflows, and unclear liability frameworks.

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🦠 The Ebola ‌outbreak in Congo hasn't stabilized and is still expanding because of population movement, a World Health Organization official said. (Reuters)

⚕️ U.S. employers are getting rid of health benefits at an unprecedented pace, changing the expectation that jobs come with protection for illness. (Stat)

🍽️ Nestlé is looking to spice up some of its products to counter the duller taste buds that can accompany GLP-1 drugs. (WSJ)