Physicians say prior authorization rules harm patients, AMA survey finds, as CMS works toward new policy

Over a third of physicians said the requirements led to a serious adverse event for one of their patients, such as hospitalization, permanent impairment or death, the survey found.

Hacking healthcare: With 385M patient records exposed, cybersecurity experts sound alarm on breach surge

Healthcare companies must harden their defenses, but it may require regulators and lawmakers to raise the bar on security standards, experts say.

Bon Secours’ outgoing chief nurse officer on the challenges ahead for nursing

Andrea Mazzoccoli shares workforce trends she’s keeping an eye on and advice for future nursing leaders as she exits her role.

Pediatric mental health crisis top concern this year for patient safety organization

Physical and verbal violence against healthcare staff is the second top safety concern for the year, followed by clinician needs in times of uncertainty around maternal-fetal medicine.

Labor expenses, inflation drove Providence to $6.1B net loss last year

The Washington-based nonprofit system also posted a $1.7 billion operating loss in the same period.

Biden’s proposed HHS budget aims to make pandemic-era subsidies permanent

The budget also proposes to extend Medicare solvency and give the federal government more power to negotiate prescription drug prices.

Telehealth use rose at end of last year, Fair Health finds

COVID-19 stayed as the third most diagnosed condition nationally and accounted for a larger share of claims in December, Fair Health found.

House committee latest to launch investigation into PBMs

It’s the most recent action targeting PBMs for allegedly using their market power to raise drug prices, and comes as the Federal Trade Commission also launched a similar investigation.

California cancels $54M Walgreens contract over company’s decision to not sell abortion pills

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is making good on his threat to no longer do business with Walgreens over abortion pill access, illustrating how the drugstore industry is struggling to navigate shifting state abortion laws.

Hacking incident at Michigan surgical group exposes information of 15K patients

It appears that patient information was uploaded to the dark web by ransomware group BianLian, Brett Callow, threat analyst for cybersecurity firm Emsisoft, confirmed to Healthcare Dive.

Insurers, trade groups ask CMS to delay MA rule

Insurance lobbyists argue that the 1.03% plan increase is insufficient and, in combination with other changes, would actually result in payment cuts.

Texas women, denied medically necessary abortions, sue state to clarify exceptions to ban

The lawsuit highlights how abortion bans create a chilling effect for obstetric care, as physicians — worried about legal repercussions — can refuse or delay care to those with complications.

Biden’s plan to improve Medicare solvency targets prescription drugs

The plan — part of Biden’s 2024 budget proposal set to be released Thursday — would further reduce what Medicare pays for prescription drugs and raise taxes on Americans earning over $400,000.

FTC pushes back deadline for public to weigh in on noncompete ban

FTC Commissioner Christine Wilson said she would have supported an even longer extension since the proposed rule is “a departure from hundreds of years of precedent.” 

Atrium, Best Buy partner to co-develop hospital-at-home programming

The multi-year partnership combines Atrium’s hospital-at-home program and existing telemedicine infrastructure with Best Buy’s at-home care business, along with the retailer’s home installation and supply chain capabilities.

Transcarent to acquire majority of telehealth platform 98point6 for $100M

Transcarent will get 98point6’s self-insured employer business, affiliated physician group and a software license. 

Walgreens-backed VillageMD acquires Connecticut medical group

VillageMD has snapped up Starling Physicians, which operates primary care and multi-specialty practices, for an undisclosed sum.

Contracts covering tens of thousands of unionized HCA workers set to expire soon

Contracts for staff at nearly two dozen hospitals in Nevada and Florida will lapse at the end of March and May, respectively.

FTC bans BetterHelp from sharing consumer data with advertisers, issues $7.8M fine

It’s the latest enforcement action accusing a digital health company of sharing consumer data with advertisers.

UnityPoint Health, Presbyterian Healthcare Services ink latest cross-market merger

Combined, the two systems operate more than 40 hospitals and hundreds of clinics throughout Illinois, Iowa, New Mexico and Wisconsin.

Healthcare cybersecurity still has room to improve safety

Steve Winterfeld, Akamai's advisory chief information and security officer, outlines the threat of cyberattacks to healthcare organizations and what the industry can do to prevent them.

Cleveland Clinic posts $1.2B loss in 2022 as expenses rose

The system joined other hospital operators who faced a challenging 2022, the worst financial year since the pandemic began, hospital consultancy Kaufman Hall has said.

Why regulators didn’t challenge Amazon-One Medical deal, despite data concerns

The ecommerce giant's $3.9 billion buy of primary care company One Medical closed last week without a challenge from the FTC, even as consumer protection groups and regulators aired worries about the tie-up.

80% of consumers have turned to telemedicine, Rock Health finds

Audio-only and asynchronous telemedicine, which include phone calls, emails and text messages, were more popular than video chats, the survey found.

Tracking healthcare worker strikes

About 600 nurses at MarinHealth Medical Center in Greenbrae, California, reached a deal with the system, averting a strike slated to begin Tuesday.

Updated March 24, 2023