Following subsidy expansion, #IndigenousAustralians experienced increased prescription medication use and reduced out-of-pocket spending compared with non-Indigenous Australians, indicating modest progress in access equity. ja.ma/4bUl9pe

Among #MedicareAdvantage contracts, implementation of the Categorical Adjustment Index increased bonus eligibility, but contracts with the highest social risk remained less likely to qualify for bonus payments. ja.ma/4rZZbqY

In a cohort of older adults, Medicaid home and community-based services initiation was associated with decreased emergency department use and inpatient discharges, indicating reduced reliance on acute care. ja.ma/4uWPLzd

Hospital diagnoses of #Depression or #AlcoholUseDisorder were associated with substantial, long-term reductions in personal income, surpassing losses for stroke or breast cancer and disproportionally affecting younger and non-employed individuals. ja.ma/4bKtMmg

The 2022–2023 US #ADHD medication shortage coincided with a sharp decline in imports of #amphetamine active ingredient, supporting the role of international supply chain disruptions rather than manufacturing quotas. ja.ma/4bRQDgW

Kevin Johnson, MD, MS, of the University of Pennsylvania joins JAMA Health Forum Editor in Chief Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH, to discuss the opportunities and challenges of AI in health care and public health. ja.ma/475Jjf2

💬 Editorial by JAMA Health Forum EIC Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH: To keep health equity at the forefront, artificial intelligence in #HealthCare should explicitly incorporate equity objectives, representative datasets, and continuous monitoring. ja.ma/4sShPSD

In 2024, hospitals and hospital associations spent $116 million on federal lobbying, with nearly all relying on external firms. For-profit systems were overrepresented among top spenders, indicating concentrated influence in federal health policy. ja.ma/4sOIXBP

Among the largest US cities, new metrics like shooting-free days, consecutive shooting-free days, and multiple shooting-free days varied widely and worsened overall from 2015 to 2024, signaling decreased progress in #GunViolence prevention. ja.ma/4rvUkgY

In 2024, hospitals and hospital associations spent over $116 million on federal lobbying, with most relying on external firms. For-profit systems were overrepresented among top spenders, highlighting concentrated influence in health policy. ja.ma/4b8H7pv

#GlobalBurdenOfDisease estimates for deaths and disability-adjusted life-years from major risk factors, especially behavioral and dietary risks, were unstable across iterations, highlighting uncertainty in disease burden measurement. ja.ma/40oYhsR

State laws prohibiting prior authorization for buprenorphine were not associated with significant changes in 180-day treatment retention among privately insured patients with #OpioidUseDisorder. ja.ma/4d758hY

This study of nearly 1 million US households from 2000 to 2023 found racial disparities in #FoodInsecurity among both higher- and low-income groups, highlighting the continued role of structural racism and the value of federal nutrition programs. ja.ma/4sqtSpI

State laws prohibiting prior authorization for buprenorphine were not associated with significant changes in 180-day treatment retention among privately insured patients with #OpioidUseDisorder. ja.ma/4ude6QQ

Medicaid expansion was associated with a 5.7% increase in pharmacy availability over 5 years in zip code areas with highest adult uninsurance rates, compared to a 7.4% decrease in nonexpansion areas. ja.ma/4rYfLZj

The share of states offering comprehensive adult dental benefits through Medicaid managed care organizations increased from 64.7% in 2016 to 70.6% in 2022, but alignment with fee-for-service programs remained inconsistent. ja.ma/4qUWSVz

After the Medicaid continuous coverage requirement, states with higher rates of postpartum uninsurance saw a 10.9% decline in hospitalizations 61 to 180 days post partum among mothers with Medicaid-paid deliveries. ja.ma/40xqdKV

From 2015 to 2024, only 5.6% of US mental health facilities offered treatment services in an Asian language, with access concentrated in metropolitan areas and nearly absent in rural counties. ja.ma/4cdEbJb

Between 2012 and 2023, the Medicare Shared Savings Program (#MSSP) generated net savings of $4.3 billion to $13.4 billion for traditional #Medicare, supporting value-based payment reforms. ja.ma/4aBhRXy

Expanding health savings accounts (#HSAs) is unlikely to lower health care costs and may disadvantage patients with greater health needs, as incentives favor higher-income, healthier individuals. ja.ma/4bXNdtA

Adolescent cannabis use was associated with increased risk of psychotic, bipolar, depressive, and anxiety disorders by young adulthood in a large cohort study. ja.ma/4rdALL0

From @jama.com: Forced disenrollment from #MedicareAdvantage plans will reach 10% in 2026, affecting millions—particularly those in rural areas, PPOs, and lower-rated plans. ja.ma/4qG2K57

Unplanned regionalization of pediatric hospital care in New England has led to substantial interstate dependence on Massachusetts for inpatient services, highlighting a need for coordinated regional planning to maintain access and system stability. ja.ma/4rT3PaC

💬 Editorial: Market-based approaches, including competition, financial tools, value-based payment, and drug pricing transparency, could improve US health care efficiency if implemented with equity-focused safeguards and strong oversight. ja.ma/4auTKcH

After the Dobbs decision, adolescent and young adult requests for medication abortion via telemedicine increased across all states, with the highest demand seen in states with both gestational bans and parental involvement laws. ja.ma/4rlqVH4

Unplanned regionalization of pediatric hospital care in New England has led to substantial interstate dependence on Massachusetts for inpatient services, highlighting a need for coordinated regional planning to maintain access and system stability. ja.ma/4qUdflv

PBM market concentration for retail prescriptions varies across states and payer types, with most US states showing high concentration for Part D and Medicaid managed care. bit.ly/46mI4aN

The 2010 #WHO Global Code reduced physician emigration from shortage countries, but physician density in those countries did not improve after implementation. bit.ly/4aaBlBR

Among emergency department patients eligible for public benefits, text messages prompted substantially more contacts with benefits navigators and benefit applications vs paper flyers. jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

National #HPV vaccination policies in China were associated with reduced public concerns about vaccine accessibility and increased discussions on health awareness and gender equity. bit.ly/4keVb3s

Support for alcohol-control policies was lower among individuals with conservative ideologies or who did not believe alcohol increases #cancer risk. ja.ma/4qfbyyD

💬 Editorial: Health equity scholarship should move beyond description toward methodological transparency, conceptual clarity, and a stronger focus on structural change. ja.ma/49NT8Qw

Extreme Risk Protection Orders were linked to reduced firearm suicides in four US states, with no increase in nonfirearm suicides, supporting their public health impact. ja.ma/4t5B8J3

Most #HRSN services reimbursed by Medicare in 2024 were delivered by primary care physicians in offices, but administrative barriers led to frequent claim denials. ja.ma/4qExeFf

Veterans enrolled in #SSVF had lower inpatient costs and mortality risk vs those not enrolled, supporting homelessness prevention for improved health outcomes and cost savings. ja.ma/4rf1CGg

The ACS-6 survey sequence identifies a diverse set of diagnoses among people with disabilities, varying substantially by age but consistent across sex, race and ethnicity, and education. ja.ma/3ZtnD8h

Special Communication: This proposed framework recommends embedding equity concepts—including fairness, transparency, and representativeness—throughout study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and translation. ja.ma/4quwJh5

Following #CMS policy, modest growth was observed in low-level integration and conventional Medicare Advantage plans, but not in highly integrated options for dual-eligible beneficiaries. ja.ma/4t0AL2v

Special Communication: This proposed framework recommends embedding equity concepts—including fairness, transparency, and representativeness—throughout study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and translation. ja.ma/4aUvwe6

Among #Medicaid recipients aged 19 to 64 years with #HeartFailure, a 10% increase in area housing cost burden correlated with higher likelihood of hospitalization and emergency department use for cardiovascular conditions. ja.ma/3LzuFVL

Opening medical or recreational cannabis dispensaries was associated with reductions in opioid prescriptions among cancer patients, suggesting cannabis may serve as a substitute for opioids in managing cancer-related pain. ja.ma/4qJPpsC

#AI scribes may improve note quality and clinician experience, but risk documentation errors and widened disparities for non-English speakers and marginalized groups. ja.ma/4qK3vKH

States enacting TRAP laws saw a greater increase in adverse maternal outcomes among pregnancies conceived via #FertilityTreatment compared to states without such laws. ja.ma/3Z3yx4l

During the 12 weeks following the premiere of #TheWhiteLotus season 3, #lorazepam search rates nearly doubled, including increases in queries about acquiring the drug, while searches for other benzodiazepines remained stable. ja.ma/4q5qRKM

Private equity acquired 749 US home health agencies from 2006 to 2024, with activity concentrated among middle-market and megafund investors, and clustered in Florida and Texas. ja.ma/3YSSQ4r

Lower socioeconomic status among family caregivers of older adults with #Cancer is associated with higher health, financial, and psychological burden and an increased risk of economic strain. ja.ma/4pqnTj3

From 2023 to 2025, #AI adoption in health care increased, with outpatient and ambulatory organizations seeing the largest increase, though rates remained lower than in finance, education, and information services. ja.ma/3YnqRtC

💬 Viewpoint: Health systems and clinicians have an ethical duty to respond to patient #MAID inquiries with consistent, unbiased information, supported by dedicated advisory policies. ja.ma/3N3MoVI

Opening medical or recreational cannabis dispensaries was associated with reductions in opioid prescriptions among cancer patients, suggesting cannabis may serve as a substitute for opioids in managing cancer-related pain. ja.ma/3N1LjxH

From 2019 to 2023, #Veterans receiving ICU care in community settings experienced slightly higher risk-adjusted mortality and increased resource intensity compared to VA medical centers. ja.ma/49DHRly