Biden administration finalizes rule cracking down on short-term plans

Democrat lawmakers and patient advocacy groups cheered the final rule for protecting patients from the skimpy plans, while free-market advocates slammed it as limiting coverage options for consumers.

CISA issues notice for long-awaited critical infrastructure reporting requirements

The proposed rule will require covered entities — including major healthcare companies — to promptly disclose major cyber incidents and ransomware payments.

UnitedHealth CFO John Rex to replace Dirk McMahon as president

McMahon announced earlier this year that he would retire from the healthcare behemoth in April. Rex will step up as president, though there’s no word yet on who will assume McMahon’s chief operating officer role.

Novant’s proposed purchase of CHS hospitals ‘irreversibly’ harms competition, FTC says

Antitrust regulators filed this week to block the deal, a move akin to trying to stop a “ball that’s already rolling downhill," one expert said.

Inside CVS Health’s push to transform customer experience

The transformation, led by Deloitte Digital, focused on increasing customer feedback to identify pervasive issues and closing the loop on customer inquiries.

New federal health IT strategy increases focus on public health, AI

The draft plan builds on its predecessor, which the health IT agency said drove “significant progress” in the use and exchange of electronic health information.

Walgreens posts $6B loss on waning VillageMD value; ups clinic closures

The retail pharmacy chain has closed 140 VillageMD locations to date to cut costs, blowing past its previous goal of 60 closures.

Steward to sell physician group to UnitedHealth’s Optum Care

The proposed deal could face regulatory scrutiny, Massachusetts officials say.

UCI Health completes $975M purchase of 4 Tenet hospitals

Tenet's latest hospital sale comes as the operator looks to pare down its debt.

Updated March 28, 2024

CMS streamlines Medicaid, CHIP renewal and enrollment in final rule

It’s the “most robust and meaningful” regulation streamlining Medicaid eligibility since the Affordable Care Act was implemented a decade ago, one lawyer said.

Tracking healthcare worker strikes

More than 2,000 nurses are set to hold a three-day strike beginning April 2 at three hospitals across Santa Clara County, California.

Updated March 28, 2024

Ascension to divest three hospitals in northern Michigan

The nonprofit giant is working to improve its financials and focus on expanded ambulatory and telehealth offerings.

Medicare’s GLP-1 spending is skyrocketing, even without weight loss coverage: KFF

Gross Medicare spending on the pricey drugs rose from $57 million in 2018 to $5.7 billion in 2022, according to a new analysis from the health policy group.

Supreme Court weighs abortion opponents’ standing in mifepristone case

Reversal of the FDA’s expanded access could limit use of medication abortion even in states that have legal protections for the procedure in place.

Healthcare companies expand perks to recruit talent: report

The increase stands in contrast to other industries, which have cut back on extra offerings. 

Tax breaks exceed community care spending at large majority of nonprofit hospitals: report

Nonprofits’ cumulative “fair share” deficit is enough to pay off the medical debt of everyone in California, Texas, New York and Pennsylvania combined, according to the Lown Institute.

Ascension will outsource Illinois hospitalist functions to PE-backed staffing firm

Beginning June 1, the Catholic health system will cede responsibility of hospitalist functions to staffing firm SCP Health.

OIG details errors with VA, Oracle EHR deployment

Three reports released last week outline scheduling and pharmacy problems with the electronic health record integration — including an error that may have contributed to a patient’s death.

Senior lawmaker questions UnitedHealth over Change cyberattack

Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said UnitedHealth’s “rapid consolidation and vertical integration” has major consequences for the healthcare sector, including increased control of the health IT market.

Advocate offloads senior home care business to private equity firm

The health system is selling Senior Helpers to Waud Capital Partners just three years after it acquired the home care group.

As laboratory-developed test rule looms, experts warn patients may lose access to critical diagnostics

In testimony to Congress Thursday, industry and patient group leaders described the trade-offs expected from increased FDA oversight of laboratory-developed tests.

Change says its largest claims clearinghouses coming back online

More than $14 billion in claims have been prepared for processing and will start flowing soon, the technology firm said Friday.

Updated March 25, 2024

Medicare to cover Novo’s obesity drug for some patients

Two weeks after the FDA updated Wegovy’s label, Medicare changed its stance to allow people with a history of heart disease to receive treatment, a shift that could further boost access to the fast-selling medicine. 

Change Healthcare’s drawn-out recovery catches flak from cyber experts

At least 100 services remain offline four weeks after UnitedHealth detected an intrusion in its medical claims clearinghouse. Experts say the impacts are unprecedented.

Walgreens’ VillageMD sells 11 locations in Rhode Island

The sale comes as the pharmacy chain culls VillageMD clinics, including in Florida and Illinois.