The Latest
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Mid-cap biotechs join Trump’s latest round of drug pricing deals
Focused on Medicaid, the new pacts now involve more than just large pharmaceutical companies.
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Medicaid losses leave more patients paying cash, Epic finds
An analysis of more than 550 million healthcare encounters from the EHR giant’s research division illuminates how restricting Medicaid coverage leaves low-income patients more directly on the hook for medical bills.
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Teladoc nabs insurance veteran as new CFO
Michael Grasher is joining Teladoc effective immediately, filling a finance leadership vacuum left after Mala Murthy departed in November.
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Centene taps Fannie Mae executive as CIO
Bradley Bolivar is taking the reins of Centene’s IT strategy as artificial intelligence drives a sea change for how insurers do business.
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Florida attorney general sues PBMs Express Scripts, Prime over alleged price fixing
A deal between rival drug middlemen Prime Therapeutics and Express Scripts depressed reimbursement rates for pharmacies, according to the new complaint. It’s the latest legal challenge against the partnership.
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Specialty providers refute hefty Georgetown estimates of No Surprises costs
Researchers estimate that independent dispute resolution has created $22 billion in unnecessary spending. But that estimate is flawed, argue associations representing anesthesiologists, radiologists and ER doctors.
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Boston Scientific says cyberattack has disrupted product manufacturing
The attack has affected the company’s ability to manufacture products and to process and ship customers’ orders. There’s still no timeline for restoration.
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Humana-owned Villages Health agrees to $542M settlement for overbilling Medicare
The Central Florida provider manufactured fake diagnosis codes for its Medicare Advantage patients from 2020 to 2024, the DOJ said. Humana bought The Villages Health last year.
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Physicians want compensation boost from AI productivity gains: survey
More than 65% of physicians use AI daily or weekly for clinical or administrative work — and some believe they should be paid more if the tech increases their efficiency, according to a Doximity report.
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Most Americans want providers to disclose AI use, report says
Nearly half of adults don’t know whether AI has been used in their care, even as hospitals and doctors rapidly adopt the technology, according to a new survey from the Pew Research Center.
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Employers face ‘existential reckoning’ as health costs surge
Employers are expecting a median 9.2% increase in medical spending next year, according to a new survey. But they’ve underestimated actual cost growth for the past three years, so even that figure may be too optimistic.
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Boston Scientific’s ordering, shipping disrupted in cyberattack
The attack affected global operations, and its full scope is still being determined, the medical device maker said in a securities filing.
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Sword Health to acquire Headspace
The all-cash deal is expected to close next month, after which Headspace’s wellness services will live under the same roof as Sword's virtual care platform, according to a filing with Massachusetts regulators.
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No Surprises dispute resolution has generated $22B in extra costs, research finds
Accelerating dispute volumes and sky-high award amounts are inflating how much independent dispute resolution is costing the U.S., according to new Georgetown research. Patients could pay the price with higher premiums.
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Monogram Health to pay $2.4M to settle Medicare Advantage upcoding allegations
Monogram, a home health company, overcharged Medicare through contracts with Cigna and Humana by inflating diagnostic codes, according to the Justice Department.
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Suki launches AI dictation tool with EHR integration capabilities
Suki says its dictation tool, which can be integrated into Epic and Meditech, offers a highly accurate transcription that can be useful for clinicians working with complex medical jargon.
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Elevance’s behavioral health division nabs new president
Dr. Patrick Fox, a forensic psychiatrist and health plan leader, will take the reins at Carelon Behavioral Services effective immediately. His experience will be “invaluable” for the unit, a top Elevance executive said.
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Healthcare costs could rise by nearly 10% in 2027
Employers plan to cover more than 80% of the burden, but employees will also be hit by rising costs, an Aon report found.
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VA deploys Oracle EHR to 3 medical centers in Indiana
The Department of Veterans Affairs is closer to its goal of adding the new electronic health record to all of its medical centers. Past deployments have been plagued by technical challenges and delays.
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Health systems warn patients of MyChart phishing scam
Epic says that the increase in phishing attempts are just cybercriminals taking advantage of the MyChart brand rather than a security concern.
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Mass General Brigham hires Vanderbilt exec for inaugural nurse role
Karen Keady’s appointment comes a month after about 4,500 clinicians at Mass General Brigham went on strike, hoping to secure better wages and other benefits.
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Doctors say they feel pressured to prioritize corporate interests over patients: report
A survey from a doctor’s lobby says burnout is rising as a growing number of doctors are employed by corporations.
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Humana taps physician executive as new chief medical officer
Dr. Shantanu Nundy is joining the Kentucky-based insurer from health navigation firm Accolade. He’s had a varied career — advising the FDA on AI, teaching, working for the World Bank, practicing medicine and more.
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FDA seeks feedback on generative AI regulations
The agency published a discussion paper this week as it considers the “unique risks” and potential promise of generative AI for patient care.
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Fitch explains how healthcare organizations can keep strong credit ratings despite cyberattacks
Resilience, not prevention, is key, analysts at the credit-rating agency said in a pair of new reports.