Finances

  • A beige office building with large rectangular windows and vertical blinds, featuring a “Kaiser Permanente” sign near the rooftop.
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    Kaiser increased its operating income in 2025, despite rising expenses

    The integrated healthcare conglomerate nearly tripled its operating income last year compared to 2024.

    By • Feb. 9, 2026
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    Centene swings to loss but predicts stabilization in 2026

    Centene outperformed in the fourth quarter, while predicting earnings growth in 2026 — a rarity among managed care companies’ generally dour outlooks.

    By • Feb. 6, 2026
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    Julia Rendleman via Getty Images
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    Cigna posts ‘low-drama’ fourth quarter following major FTC settlement

    Cigna is hoping the settlement it reached with regulators paired with recent legislation will mollify calls to reform PBMs — without affecting Express Scripts’ profitability.

    By • Feb. 5, 2026
  • A tan and black monument sign with bold orange "Optum" lettering and the address "11000 Optum Circle" sits on a grassy lawn with low shrubs in front of a large, modern office building with glass windows and beige panels. Bare trees and a cloudy sky are in the background.
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    Prices rise at surgery centers acquired by Optum: study

    The full financial impact of the price hikes could exceed $67 million each year in two dozen markets, according to the new study published in Health Affairs.

    By • Feb. 3, 2026
  • A Chapter 11 bankruptcy court document, with a pen under the word "bankruptcy."
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    Healthcare bankruptcies fall in 2025, but providers still face headwinds: report

    Bankruptcy filings dropped 21% compared to 2024, according to Gibbins Advisors. Still, the sector’s financial outlook is unsteady due to pressures from Medicaid cuts and other policy changes.

    By • Feb. 2, 2026
  • A tall, modern office building with a facade made up mostly of reflective blue glass windows. The “Tenet Health” logo is displayed near the top corner of the structure. The sky is clear and blue, enhancing the building's sharp, corporate appearance.
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    Tenet regains full ownership in RCM subsidiary Conifer as CommonSpirit exits

    CommonSpirit, angling to insource its revenue cycle management functions, is offloading its minority share in Conifer back to Tenet. Tenet said the deal will create almost $2.7 billion in value.

    By • Feb. 2, 2026
  • Senior male patient pays for medical services with a credit card at the clinic reception
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    Kosamtu via Getty Images
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    Sponsored by Elavon

    As self-pay increases, healthcare leaders look to retail for inspiration

    Rising costs, low reimbursement, and staffing shortages challenge small medical practices. Learning from the retail industry can help them stay profitable.

    Feb. 2, 2026
  • A female doctor uses a laptop while leading a meeting with her medical team
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    Fly View Productions via Getty Images
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    Sponsored by Amazon Business

    How healthcare organizations can streamline procure-to-pay processes

    A roadmap for reducing friction, improving visibility and optimizing healthcare buying.

    Feb. 2, 2026
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    HCA could lose $1B from ACA subsidy lapse, Medicaid state payment decline

    The for-profit hospital operator said it’s implementing a resilience plan to offset losses. Still, HCA anticipates its earnings this year will skew closely to or exceed 2025 figures.

    By • Jan. 29, 2026
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    Deep Dive

    Health insurers brace for impact in 2026

    Profits will start to tick up after reaching trough levels. Washington will play nice. M&A and AI adoption will accelerate. We asked experts to look into their crystal balls on what the coming year means for a beleaguered industry.

    By • Jan. 28, 2026
  • A sign reading 'Elevance Health 220 Virginia Ave' in front of a large office complex on a clear day.
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    Elevance expects lower revenue, earnings, membership in 2026

    This year should see improvements in Medicare Advantage and Affordable Care Act plans but continued pressure in Medicaid, Elevance executives warned investors.

    By • Jan. 28, 2026
  • UnitedHealth Group office
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    Courtesy of UnitedHealth Group
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    UnitedHealth revenue climbs in 2025, though profit continues to fall

    The healthcare behemoth posted its lowest profits since 2018 last year, largely thanks to continued Medicare Advantage challenges. Executives warned how regulators’ “disappointing” rate update might further contract MA.

    By • Jan. 27, 2026
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    Anchiy via Getty Images
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    Sponsored by Elavon

    Is your billing system costing you too much?

    Across healthcare, operating expenses have been climbing faster than revenues for more than a decade.

    Jan. 26, 2026
  • Six people in business clothes sit behind a dias in a congressional room.
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    Rebecca Pifer Parduhn/Healthcare Dive
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    Insurance CEOs’ no good, very bad day on the Hill

    The chief executives of UnitedHealth, CVS, Cigna and Elevance were pilloried for care denials, vertical consolidation and sky-high executive compensation during two House hearings Thursday.

    By • Jan. 23, 2026
  • The top of the U.S. Capitol Building's dome is pictured on a cloudy day.
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    Win McNamee via Getty Images
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    Congress eyes tackling healthcare consolidation

    “I think there’s common ground here,” one Republican congressman said during a House Budget Committee hearing. Squaring up against healthcare monopolies would be a major pivot for the GOP.

    By • Jan. 22, 2026
  • UnitedHealth Group office
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    Courtesy of UnitedHealth Group
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    UnitedHealth pledges to return ACA profits to customers

    The announcement came one day before CEO Stephen Hemsley testified on healthcare affordability in front of two congressional committees.

    By • Jan. 21, 2026
  • A piece of paper with the word "Medicare" emblazoned on a blue background
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    Medicare Advantage overpayments will total $76B this year: MedPAC

    The findings are “very depressing,” one commissioner said. Still, it’s a smaller sum than in 2025, thanks to the continued phase-in of a new risk adjustment model.

    By • Jan. 16, 2026
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    MedPAC steps away from advocating doctor pay be tied to inflation

    The advisory group wants Congress to approve a 0.5 percentage point increase for doctors in Medicare next year. But some commissioners dissented over MedPAC’s about-face on underlying payment reform.

    By • Jan. 16, 2026
  • UnitedHealth Group office
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    Courtesy of UnitedHealth Group
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    UnitedHealth commits to changes after independent review

    The healthcare behemoth released results of three highly anticipated external reviews that drilled down on a number of areas for improvement.

    By • Dec. 22, 2025
  • A tan and black monument sign with bold orange "Optum" lettering and the address "11000 Optum Circle" sits on a grassy lawn with low shrubs in front of a large, modern office building with glass windows and beige panels. Bare trees and a cloudy sky are in the background.
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    Optum Rx says 100% of network community pharmacies in cost-based contracts

    PBMs are pivoting reimbursement models to protect pharmacies from what they say is an unsustainable status quo.

    By • Dec. 18, 2025
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    Healthcare services M&A could rise in 2026: PwC

    Dealmaking in the sector is poised to increase next year after a lull in 2025, as companies use technology, like artificial intelligence, to attract buyers, according to the report.

    By • Dec. 18, 2025
  • A woman wearing a headscarf sits in a treatment chair in an oncology clinic as a doctor adjusts her chemotherapy.
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    Cencora takes majority stake in cancer care platform OneOncology for $5B

    The drug distributor has been steadily building up its specialty support assets as it looks to increase access to drugs.

    By • Dec. 16, 2025
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    JHVEPhoto via Getty Images
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    Deep Dive

    Goliath v. Goliath

    A Medicare Advantage network spat between Optum and Humana in Washington state appears to be benefiting UnitedHealthcare at the expense of its biggest rival. Antitrust experts are alarmed.

    By • Dec. 16, 2025
  • Stethoscope that has the wires spelling out 2026 with a blue background
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    iStock.com/MicroStockHub

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    Sponsored by Brault

    Emergency medicine reimbursement in 2026: Navigating a system under pressure

    Is your EM practice ready for 2026? Get the latest on Medicare physician payments, commercial payer trends and how to navigate the reimbursement headwinds.

    Dec. 15, 2025
  • David Joyner speaks in front of a blue background.
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    Rebecca Pifer/Healthcare Dive
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    CVS to launch ‘engagement’ platform in gamble on consumer, industry interest

    CVS is bringing together its disparate businesses onto one platform, and giving its rivals the option to add their products and services as well. The goal is to improve consumers’ health engagement while generating more revenue.

    By • Dec. 10, 2025