2026 Health Care Predictions: AI, GLP-1s, MAHA, DEI: Sachin H. Jain, MD, MBA

On today’s episode of Managed Care Cast, The American Journal of Managed Care^® spoke with Sachin H. Jain, MD, MBA, CEO of SCAN Group and Health Plan.

Earlier this month, Jain published 10 health care industry predictions for 2026, covering several topics and pinpointing what may change in the new year. Many of these issues included the succession of artificial intelligence (AI) in the health care space, expansion of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, increased demand for glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist receptors, Medicare Advantage, digital health IPOs, and modest incremental policy movement.¹

During the interview, Jain expanded on his predictions, explaining how the short-term and long-term implications should come to fruition. Many of his predictions may have downstream effects should the Affordable Care Act subsidies expire at the end of the year. For example, GLP-1 receptor agonists will continue to grow and have been associated with the significant increase Americans are expected to see in their health care premiums next year.²

Jain also predicted an increase in patient and provider dissatisfaction with the US health care system. Providers are “inflamed by flattening wages,” and prior authorizations are proving to be significant hurdles to adequate patient care, especially with the addition of AI. Whereas patients “have never felt more justifiably abused by US health care,” Jain wrote in his predictions.¹ Government misinformation, specifically from HHS, combined with oversaturated, inaccurate health influencers on social media, is also fueling patient mistrust and the growth of the MAHA movement in the new year.

Lastly, Jain predicts that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives will make a drastic return as companies and government entities recoil from the public scrutiny of their dismissal. In 2024, Jain predicted the Department of Government Efficiency would slash DEI programs and major industries and companies would follow suit, which materialized with more fervor than anticipated. This year, he hopes that DEI initiatives make a comeback with the same intensity.

References

1. Jain SH. 10 healthcare industry predictions for 2026. Forbes. December 1, 2025. Accessed December 18, 2025. https://www.forbes.com/sites/sachinjain/2025/12/01/top-10-healthcare-industry-predictions-for-2026/

2. Grossi G. Prescription costs and inflation drive 2025 health insurance premium hikes. AJMC. August 14, 2024. Accessed December 18, 2025. https://www.ajmc.com/view/prescription-costs-and-inflation-drive-2025-health-insurance-premium-hikes

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