Lawmakers mull telehealth quality, reimbursement as extension deadline looms

Legislators worked to hash out details about Medicare telehealth policy as a deadline to continue pandemic-era flexibilities draws closer.

Medical Properties Trust offloads 5 hospitals to Prime Healthcare

One of the nation’s largest hospital landlords will pay down its debt load with the proceeds, executives said.

CMS proposes 2.6% payment increase for inpatient hospitals next year

Regulators said payments to hospitals would increase $3.2 billion in 2025 under the proposed rule. However, the American Hospital Association called the hike “woefully inadequate.”

Massachusetts lawmakers call on regulators to review Steward-UnitedHealth deal

Antitrust agencies could be sympathetic toward the deal, given Steward’s financial distress and important hospital portfolio. But sympathy won’t shield the deal from scrutiny, an expert told Healthcare Dive.

VillageMD taps new COO amid clinic closures

Former Centene executive Jim Murray will lead operations at the Walgreens-backed primary care chain, which has shut down 140 clinics in recent months.

Confusion about Medicaid skewing coverage estimates, study finds

The number of people enrolled in Medicaid soared over the pandemic, but many enrollees may not have known their coverage had continued, new research suggests.

Banner Health names new CEO

Amy Perry, the current president, will take the reins from longtime chief executive Peter Fine beginning June 30.

Tracking state abortion bans in the US

Arizona's highest court ruled to uphold an 1860s-era near-total abortion ban. However, the law is on hold as a challenge works its way through a lower court.

Updated April 10, 2024

Michigan divvies out Medicaid contracts, with Centene, Molina seeing minor losses

However, the insurers could protest Michigan’s decision, potentially mitigating membership erosion.

North Carolina county seeks damages in HCA Mission lawsuit

Buncombe County is seeking to join a lawsuit from the state alleging HCA intentionally understaffed Mission’s emergency department, increased wait times and wasted taxpayer dollars.

CMS caps broker payments in Medicare Advantage

The final rule issued last week prevents insurers from paying brokers additional fees for steering beneficiaries to their plans.

Trial shows Wegovy can ease heart failure symptoms

Earlier testing resulted in expanded approval as well as broader Medicare coverage. Now, Novo Nordisk has proved Wegovy can benefit heart failure patients, too.

Digital health sees more deals with smaller checks in Q1: report

Artificial intelligence scooped up 40% of the quarter’s investment total, according to Rock Health.

Physicians ask FDA to revoke approval of DNA test for opioid addiction

Providers said the test is based “on old genetic studies that have largely been abandoned” and could exacerbate the opioid crisis.

Change asks to consolidate dozens of cyberattack class-action lawsuits

Twenty-four cases have racked up so far against the UnitedHealth subsidiary following a cyberattack against the technology firm in late February.

Teladoc’s long-time CEO steps down amid waning stock performance

A management shakeup is likely coming at the right time, as the virtual care company undergoes an operational review to boost its bottom line, analysts said.

Amwell in danger of being booted from NYSE

The once high-flying telehealth stock has traded below the exchange’s minimum listing requirements for 30 days, according to a new notice.

Marshfield Clinic to lay off furloughed workers

The Wisconsin-based health system furloughed about 3% of its employees earlier this year, and most are impacted by these job cuts.

Senate ramps up scrutiny of private equity ‘greed’ in healthcare

As private equity firms buy up hospitals and staffing agencies, lawmakers say they're increasingly concerned that patient care could suffer. 

Walmart decelerates health center expansion plans

The retailer previously planned to have more than 75 health centers operational this year. Now, Walmart plans to reach that goal in 2025.

Updated April 4, 2024

School-based Medicaid billing concerns delay proposed rule

Concerns over negative impacts to students’ out-of-school public insurance benefits appear to be delaying the release of a federal education rule.

Telehealth groups urge DEA to release controlled substance prescribing proposal

Advocacy groups, providers and virtual care companies said clinicians and pharmacies need time to comment on the rule and prepare for implementation.

Change cyberattack serves as wake-up call for healthcare cybersecurity

The outage shows why health systems need to plan for inevitable cyberattacks, evaluating risks and putting operational backups in place, experts say.

CMS finalizes ACA network adequacy rule

Starting in 2026, plans sold in state-based exchanges will be required to meet time and distance standards for provider access that are already applied to plans sold federally.

Kaiser closes Geisinger acquisition, launching Risant Health

The deal closed roughly a year after it was first announced. Geisinger is the first health system to join Risant, but it’s far from the last — the hospital operator wants to acquire at least four additional nonprofits.