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In first report since IPO, Amwell sees revenue up 80% year over year

Total visits in the quarter for the Boston-based vendor were more than 1.4 million, up 455% from a year ago, but slightly down sequentially. Amwell went public in September with a hefty investment from Google.

McLaren sues ProMedica over alleged retaliation following St. Luke's buy

McLaren argues that ProMedica's actions will undermine competition in the Toledo, Ohio, area and deprive a large number of patients from access to their preferred providers.

UPDATED: Nov. 12, 2020 at 11:11 a.m.

Epic, NextGen highest rated acute care EHR vendors for interoperability, Klas finds

Usability varies significantly by vendor, according to the report, despite an ongoing federal push for free and unfettered data sharing.

As COVID-19 surges, hospitals scramble to find staff amid exhausted workforce

"These folks have been working flat out for eight or nine months ... and after almost three months of surge, they're exhausted, they're stressed," Andrew Pavia of Utah School of Medicine said. "Many ... have become ill themselves."

UPDATED: Nov. 13, 2020 at 10:05 a.m.

What we know about Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine distribution plan

The pharmaceutical company plans to ship vials directly from manufacturing plant to point of vaccination in a supply chain model it described as flexible and just in time.

Kavanaugh, Roberts signal support for ACA without mandate in pivotal case

During oral arguments before the Supreme Court, the justices pointed to the court's preference for removing provisions that are unconstitutional without striking down the entirety of a law.

Payers saw volumes bounce back in Q3, say COVID-19 still volatile

Companies warned tailwinds may not last as people seek previously deferred care in the fourth quarter and into next year.

Primary care networks One Medical, Oak Street Health report Q3 revenue jumps

COVID-19 has proved a major headwind for providers in 2020, but the third quarter is somewhat of a bright spot for medical networks, which were also helped by the employer return-to-work push.

Abbott COVID-19 tests at center of squabble between Trump administration, states

HHS testing czar Brett Giroir said the federal government is halting shipments of tests to eight states until the diagnostics already sent to governors are distributed and used. At least one state pushed back on his assertions.

The Affordable Care Act before the US Supreme Court

The ACA has been in peril before, including before the country's highest court. But with a newly seated conservative justice, the decade-old law faces another major challenge. Here's a roundup of Healthcare Dive's coverage.

Deep Dive

5 issues hospitals want Biden to tackle in his first 100 days

Taming the COVID-19 pandemic, which threatens to overwhelm the sector's resources, is the No. 1 ask. Rolling back limits to Medicaid and sustaining COVID-19-spurred telehealth reimbursement are also on the list. 

Top picks for who could run HHS, CMS under Biden

Former Obama adviser and ACA architect Ezekiel Emanuel as well as high-profile state officials like New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham are among those considered likely advisers.

Biden names COVID-19 experts, calls pandemic top priority for transition

His plan calls for using the Defense Production Act to increase production of PPE, ramping up testing availability, creating a racial and ethnic disparities task force and restoring the U.S. role in the World Health Organization.

Eli Lilly wins FDA emergency clearance for COVID-19 antibody drug

The Food and Drug Administration cleared the company's synthetic antibody treatment, but short supplies and logistical challenges could limit its initial impact.

COVID-19 could depress 2021 Medicare Advantage payments, analysis suggests

Consultancy Avalere also warned that MA plans should brace for dealing with chronically ill enrollees whose health has declined due to foregoing care during the pandemic and could require more services in the long term.

Centene acquires analytics firm Apixio for undisclosed sum

Healthcare companies are increasingly turning to AI and machine learning tools to streamline administrative functions, with the goal of cutting down on waste and saving money.

Biden faces a divided Congress, stifling chance for more progressive health policies

Former Vice President Joe Biden won the U.S. presidency, the Associated Press and all the major networks said, after votes were tallied in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

UPDATED: Nov. 7, 2020 at 2:31 p.m.

COVID-19-related OSHA complaints, fines pile up for healthcare facilities

"OSHA was getting a lot of really bad press about how aggressively they were responding," lawyer Eric Conn said. "And ... maybe for some theater, they have focused on healthcare, because it's easy."

Coronavirus vaccine from Pfizer, BioNTech prevents COVID-19, early results show

The results, from a large Phase 3 trial that began in late July, cap off a dizzying eight months of research, into which scientists at Pfizer and German drug developer BioNTech compressed what's normally a yearslong process.

Healthcare helped Democrats usher in 2018's blue wave. This year it hasn't delivered a decisive win.

"Clearly, the ACA message wasn't the salient issue of the election as it seemed to be in 2018, but we did see healthcare playing a big role," Chris Sloan, a principal at consultancy Avalere, said.

CVS' Merlo to depart, replaced by veteran payer exec Karen Lynch

The company beat Wall Street expectations with revenue of $67 billion in the third quarter, up 3.5% year over year as its diversified book of business helped blunt the impact of coronavirus-related headwinds.

Healthcare Dive's 2020 election coverage

The outcome of the presidential race and control of the Senate were still unknown. Polling showed healthcare issues were top of mind for many as they cast their vote.

Intermountain sells supply chain management business to Vizient

The deal, which is expected to close in the first quarter of next year, is likely intended to streamline the operations of the dominant hospital operator and health insurer in Utah.

FDA warns of COVID-19 antigen test false positives as report flags Quidel on accuracy

The agency alert, prompted by reports from nursing homes and other settings, comes a day after data emerged raising concerns about the ability of a Quidel test to detect asymptomatic cases.

Cigna sees medical utilization bounce back in Q3

Executives had expected health spending to rise toward the end of the year as patients returned to the healthcare setting after putting off care amid the COVID-19 pandemic.