An aging population is increasing demand for services

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Rising labor and supply costs are straining hospitals, clinics, and insurers.

• An aging population is expected to drive higher demand for care.

• New government policies and medical technologies will add to overall spending.

Seniors have already been warned to prepare for rising Medicare premiums in 2026. Everyone else should prepare as well.

Many healthcare industry analysts predictthat 2026 will bring a significant uptick in medical costs, touching everything from insurance premiums to out-of-pocket payments for doctor visits and prescriptions. For consumers, understanding the forces at play can help prepare for whats ahead.

One of the biggest drivers of future healthcare costs is labor. Hospitals and clinics are facing persistent shortages of nurses, technicians, and other frontline workers.

To attract and retain staff, healthcare providers are raising wages, which inevitably filters down to patients in the form of higher charges. At the same time, the medical supply chain continues to experience inflation in the cost of pharmaceuticals, equipment, and raw materials. Together, these pressures make it more expensive to deliver even routine care.

An aging population

The U.S. population is growing older, with baby boomers continuing to retire in record numbers. By 2026, more Americans will enroll in Medicare while also needing more intensive care for chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimers.

This increased demand places greater strain on the system, forcing insurers and providers to expand services at higher costs. For families, that may translate into higher premiums, deductibles, and copayments.

Government policies are also reshaping the financial landscape. While some reforms aim to cap drug prices or expand preventive services, others, such as adjustments to Medicare payment structures, may inadvertently raise costs in certain areas.

In addition, breakthrough technologies like advanced cancer therapies, genetic testing, and AI-driven diagnostic tools are becoming more common. While these innovations promise better outcomes, they often carry steep price tags that add to overall spending.

What consumers can do

For households, the projected rise in healthcare costs underscores the importance of planning. Reviewing insurance coverage every year, comparing Medicare Advantage and supplemental options, and using preventive services can help blunt the impact. Consumers may also benefit from exploring health savings accounts (HSAs) or flexible spending accounts (FSAs), which provide tax advantages for medical spending.

In short, 2026 is shaping up to be a year where healthcare becomes even more expensive. Staying informed and proactive now may help families navigate whats coming with less financial strain.

The phase-out will begin next year

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• The company will eliminate artificial FD&C colors from all foods and beverages by the second half of fiscal 2026 (MarchAugust).

• Popular brands like Lance crackers, V8 Splash, Archway, Stella Doro, Jays, O-Ke-Doke, and Toms will now use colors from natural sources.

• This move responds to growing consumer demand for simpler, recognizable ingredients.

The Campbell's Company, formerly Campbells Soup, is joining other food manufacturers, hopping on the Make America Healthy Again bandwagon, pledging to remove all FD&C artificial colors from its remaining products.

By the second half of its 2026 fiscal year March through August the company will no longer produce any foods or beverages containing artificial dyes.

Whats Changing

• Lance crackers and V8 Splash will switch to colors derived from natural sources such as annatto and purple carrot juice concentrate.

• Regional snack brands, including Jays, O-Ke-Doke, and Toms, will also make the transition.

• Cookie brands like Archway and Stella Doro will phase out FD&C colors as well.

The company stressed that some of its products made the transition long ago. For example, Goldfish crackers have used plant-based colors for more than 15 years, with their signature red shade coming from beet juice concentrate and paprika extracted from sweet red peppers.

In a press release, Campbells said consumers are increasingly looking for foods made with fewer artificial additives and more recognizable ingredients. By transitioning fully to natural coloring sources, the company said it is responding to both consumer preferences and the broader regulatory landscape.

When will consumers see the change? As existing inventory clears, Campbells said products made with FD&C colors will disappear from store shelves. Shoppers will see the same beloved brandsjust with colors sourced from nature instead of artificial dyes.

Industry trend

Other food manufacturers have also taken this step. In June, Kraft Heinz, one of Americas largest food and condiment companies, announced a new commitment to cleaner ingredients and consumer-focused innovation.

It plans to immediately stop all new U.S. product launches containing artificial Food, Drug & Cosmetic (FD&C) colors. It has also pledged to completely eliminate them from its U.S. portfolio by the end of 2027.

In July, a coalition of dairy farmers and ice cream producers announced they would phase out all artificial food dyes from their products by 2026, citing research that show the move would be good for business.

"We're hearing our customers loud and clear," Lisa Varela, vice president of Product Innovation at Glacier Creamery, said at the time. "They want fun colors in their ice cream, but they want them to come from real sources, not chemicals."

The products were distributed in six states and Washington, DC

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Endico Potatoes is recalling its peas and carrots and mixed vegetables due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

• The products were sold in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, Washington D.C., and Florida between July 18 and August 4, 2025.

• Do not eat these vegetables return them to the store for a refund or call the company for more information.

Endico Potatoes, based in Mount Vernon, NY, has recalled certain bags of frozen vegetables after testing found traces of Listeria monocytogenes. While no illnesses have been reported, the bacteria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, especially in:

• Young children

• Elderly adults

• People with weakened immune systems

• Pregnant women (infections can lead to miscarriages or stillbirths)

Even healthy people may experience fever, headache, nausea, stomach pain, and diarrhea.

Products to look for

Check your freezer for these products sold in 2.5-pound clear plastic bags under the Endico label:

• Peas and Carrots

  • Lot code: 110625

  • Production date: 6/11/25

  • Use by: 6/10/27

• Mixed Vegetables

  • Lot code: 170625

  • Production date: 6/17/25

  • Use by: 6/16/27

The lot codes are printed on the side of the bag.

What to do

• Do not eat these vegetables.

• Throw them away immediately or return them to the store for a full refund.

• If youve already eaten them and are feeling sick, contact your doctor right away.

For questions, call Endico Potatoes at 1-800-431-1398. If youre unsure whether your frozen veggies are part of the recall, its safer to discard them than to risk infection.

The arrests and seizures took down at least 80 gambling domains

By Truman Lewis of ConsumerAffairs

• Streameast drew 1.6 billion visits in the past year across 80 domains

• Egyptian police and ACE terminated the operation after yearlong probe

• Authorities seized devices, cash and crypto; two suspects arrested

Major blow to illegal streaming

The worlds largest sports pirating platform, Streameast, has been shut down following a coordinated sting operation in Egypt. Authorities, working with the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), terminated the site on Aug. 24 after a yearlong investigation that tracked the sprawling piracy network.

Streameast had grown into the most popular illegal source for live sports, racking up 1.6 billion visits in the past year. The site offered streams of marquee events including the NFL, NBA, MLB, European football championships, pay-per-view boxing and Formula 1 races. With an average of 136 million monthly visitors, it ranked among the most visited piracy hubs worldwide, attracting audiences in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., the Philippines and Germany.

Arrests and seizures outside Cairo

Egyptian authorities arrested two men about 20 miles outside Cairo under suspicion of copyright infringement. Police confiscated laptops, smartphones, cash, credit cards and other equipment allegedly tied to the operation. Investigators also uncovered evidence of a shell company used to launder advertising revenue, estimated at $6.2 million, as well as an investment of $200,000 in cryptocurrency. Some of the proceeds were allegedly used to purchase property in Egypt.

Global alliance backing the takedown

ACE, one of the worlds largest antipiracy coalitions, partnered with Egyptian law enforcement and received assistance from Europol, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Centre.

With this landmark action, we have put more points on the board for sports leagues, entertainment companies, and fans worldwide and our global alliance will stay on the field as long as it takes to identify and target the biggest piracy rings across the globe, said Charles Rivkin, chairman of ACE and head of the Motion Picture Assn.

Redirecting viewers to legal channels

All Streameast-linked domains about 80 in total will now redirect users to ACEs watch legally portal, which promotes authorized streaming platforms. The takedown comes just as the NFL prepares to kick off its regular season, underscoring the high stakes for sports leagues battling piracy.

What fans watched most on Streameast

Streameast built its following by streaming some of the biggest and most lucrative sports events in the world. According to investigators, the sites 1.6 billion visits in the past year were driven by access to:

• NFL games Regular season, playoffs and the Super Bowl

• NBA matchups From marquee regular-season clashes to the Finals

• Major League Baseball Regular season and World Series broadcasts

• European football Champions League, Premier League and continental championships

• Pay-per-view boxing Heavyweight title fights and celebrity bouts

• Formula 1 races Full-season coverage across global circuits

By offering these high-demand events for free, Streameast siphoned millions of potential viewers away from official broadcasters and generated an estimated $6.2 million in advertising revenue.

The disease is spread by insects, now found in at least 30 states

• Chagas kills more people in Latin America each year than malaria

• Roughly 300,000 people in the U.S. are infected, many without knowing it

• Cases have been confirmed in 30 states, including California

Its one of the most insidious diseases youve probably never heard of. Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is spreading across California and at least 29 other states. Researchers estimate that as many as 300,000 people in the U.S. may already be infected most of them unaware until it strikes years later with heart failure, stroke or sudden death.

The kissing bug connection

The parasite lives in a bloodsucking insect called the kissing bug. About a dozen species are found in the U.S.Research in Los Angeles Griffith Park shows that nearly a third of local kissing bugs carry the parasite. Wildlife including wood rats, skunks, mice, raccoons and even black bears have also tested positive, making the reservoir for infection wide and varied.

Kissing bugs are pretty equal opportunity when it comes to who they take a blood meal from, said Sarah Hamer, an epidemiologist at Texas A&M University in a Los Angeles Times report.

From rural stigma to urban reality

Historically regarded as a disease of rural Latin America, Chagas is increasingly appearing in U.S. patients with no foreign travel history. Doctors report infections in unexpected places, including an affluent Hollywood Hills neighborhood. California has the highest number of known cases between 70,000 and 100,000 both from immigrants arriving with the disease and from possible local transmission.

From 2019 to 2023, Los Angeles County alone confirmed about 180 cases. Health experts warn those numbers likely represent only a fraction of infections, since Chagas is not a reportable disease in most of California.

A neglected disease with deadly consequences

The lack of routine screening means many patients go undiagnosed until irreversible damage occurs. If we screened for it and caught it early, most patients could be cured, said Kaiser Permanente cardiologist Salvador Hernandez. The problem is we dont, and people end up dying or requiring terrifically expensive care.

Antiparasitic drugs can stop the parasite if given in time. Dogs are also vulnerable, often becoming infected by eating the bugs.

Calls for recognition and action

Epidemiologists and medical experts are pressing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization to declare Chagas endemic in the U.S. Such a move could bring wider awareness, research funding and public health investment.

This is a disease that has been neglected and has been impacting Latin Americans for many decades, said Norman Beatty, a University of Florida medical epidemiologist. But its also here in the United States.

Heres a sidebar draft you could run alongside the main story:

How to spot Chagas symptoms

Chagas disease can remain silent for years, but when symptoms do appear, they often mimic other illnesses. Doctors say early recognition is key.

Early or acute symptoms (days to weeks after infection):

• Swollen eyelid or face (sometimes called Romaas sign)

• Fever, fatigue, rash

• Swollen lymph nodes

• Nausea, diarrhea or loss of appetite

Chronic symptoms (years later, often mistaken for other conditions):

• Irregular heartbeat or palpitations

• Enlarged heart, heart failure or sudden cardiac arrest

• Stroke or seizures

• Difficulty swallowing or severe constipation from digestive tract damage

Why its missed:

• Many patients have no symptoms until advanced disease develops

• Signs often resemble more common cardiac or gastrointestinal problems

• Most U.S. physicians do not routinely screen for it

What helps:

• Blood donation centers sometimes detect infections during screening

• Antiparasitic medications can stop disease progression if caught early

• Regular check-ups and heart health evaluations are critical for those at risk