Finances

Nonprofit hospitals squeezed by pricier labor, investment losses in Q1

The first quarter is going to be "one of the worst for most of our providers," Fitch Analyst Kevin Holloran said last week.

By Samantha Liss • May 16, 2022

Hospital labor expenses up 37% from pre-pandemic levels in March

Hospitals spent nearly $5,500 in labor expenses per adjusted discharge in March compared to about $4,000 roughly three years ago, according to a report from Kaufman Hall.

By Hailey Mensik • May 12, 2022

Explore the Trendline➔

Healthcare Dive's Outlook for 2022

As the country enters its third year of battling the COVID-19 pandemic, fault lines in the healthcare landscape are becoming more clear and long-term implications are becoming more evident.

By Healthcare Dive staff

Oscar Health withdraws from 2 states

Leaving Arkansas and Colorado won't have a material effect on the company's income, and should reduce the insurtech's overhead in areas like compliance work and statutory reporting, executives said.

By Rebecca Pifer • May 11, 2022

Amwell Q1 net loss widens on costs to expand Converge platform

The vendor's revenue grew 11% while expenses climbed 40% year over year, as Amwell invested heavily in research and development for its open architecture Converge platform.

By Rebecca Pifer • May 10, 2022

Insurers saw profits rise in Q1 as cost increases weighed on hospitals

The results spurred payers to paint an improved financial outlook for the full year compared to earlier estimates for 2022.

By Samantha Liss • May 9, 2022

Mass General Brigham gets partial nod for $2B expansion

Massachusetts' leading hospital system, under state scrutiny to rein in spending, has cleared a key hurdle in its expansion plans.

By Susan Kelly • May 9, 2022

Investment losses, COVID-19 costs drive Kaiser to $961M net loss

That's down from a net income of $2 billion at the same time last year.

By Rebecca Pifer • May 9, 2022

Nonprofit break-off drives Sutter to net loss, as system faces year full of labor negotiations

Despite an improvement in operations, an Oakland-based university disaffiliating from the system in January drove Sutter to a loss of $184 million in the first quarter.

By Rebecca Pifer • Updated May 12, 2022

Hospitals, PBMs say drugmaker restrictions on 340B discounts stifling finances

Four court decisions on the legality of the restrictions — two in favor of drugmakers and two against — are currently pending appeals.

By Rebecca Pifer • May 5, 2022

Hospital volumes, revenues rebounded as omicron cases waned in March

Many patients returned for nonurgent procedures and other non-COVID-19 care, especially outpatient, that had been previously delayed, according to a Kaufman Hall report.

By Hailey Mensik • May 3, 2022

Labor costs unlikely to wind down soon, for-profit hospitals report in Q1

Hospital operators hoped the need for temporary nursing staff and heightened labor costs would ease alongside dwindling cases of the omicron variant, as they did during previous waves. That wasn't the case in the first quarter.

By Hailey Mensik • May 2, 2022

Stericycle reports challenging Q1, outlines path to recover from labor and inflation effects

As it saw a decline in pandemic-related waste, Stericycle experienced its most acute period of driver illnesses yet. The company also previewed a new medical waste facility and closed out a $90 million corruption settlement.

By Megan Quinn • April 29, 2022

Teladoc records $6.6B impairment charge on Livongo acquisition, spurring record net loss

Teladoc bought chronic care giant Livongo for $18.5 billion two years ago, but the asset's waning value and external market factors triggered the multibillion-dollar goodwill impairment charge in the first quarter.

By Rebecca Pifer • Updated April 28, 2022

Healthcare M&A slowed in Q1 amid economic concerns, omicron impact, KPMG says

Deals across the sector fell by a third in the period from the brisk pace at the end of last year as buyers weighed an economic slowdown, the Russian-Ukraine war and the impact of the omicron variant, according to the new report.

By Susan Kelly • April 26, 2022

HCA lowers expectations for the year, citing ongoing labor challenges

Heightened spending on salaries and benefits is primarily related to the ongoing use of contract labor, though the system is also adjusting wages to stay competitive, CEO Sam Hazen said on a Friday call with investors.

By Hailey Mensik • April 22, 2022

DOJ cracks down on 'largest and most wide-ranging' COVID-19 fraud

Defendants — including doctors, medical business executives and fake vaccination card manufacturers — caused nearly $150 million in false billings to federal programs, the DOJ alleged.

By Rebecca Pifer • April 21, 2022

Drug price hikes moderate as rebates rise, report finds

List prices for branded medicines rose by nearly 5% last year, according to Iqvia, a figure that fell to 1% after accounting for rebates and discounts.

By Ned Pagliarulo • April 21, 2022

Larger, less profitable hospitals more likely to have ownership change

In data released for the first time Wednesday, HHS also found changes in ownership over the past six years have been much more common in nursing homes than hospitals, with wide variations in ownership by state.

By Hailey Mensik • April 20, 2022

Hospitals blast 'unacceptable' inpatient payment bump

Despite the 3.2% overall hike, the AHA argued that net payments to hospitals may decrease due to cuts in other areas, including uncompensated care.

By Shannon Muchmore • April 19, 2022

Bright Health exits 6 states amid financial, operational woes

Bright, which went public in June last year, wants to refocus on growth in markets where it can have a bigger impact. The seven-year-old startup lost almost $1.2 billion in 2021.

By Rebecca Pifer • April 18, 2022

Global digital health funding reaches 6-quarter low, at $10.4B

Even as the pandemic continues, digital health funding slowed significantly in the first quarter of 2022, according to new data from CB Insights.

By Rebecca Pifer • April 14, 2022

UnitedHealth expects to 'successfully overcome' DOJ challenge to Change acquisition

The company is bullish on completing its controversial acquisition of data analytics firm Change Healthcare, despite legal action from the Department of Justice to block the deal.

By Rebecca Pifer • April 14, 2022

HHS to request provider data on billing practices under new White House plan to ease medical debt

The department will use this information in grant determinations, and to shape data and policy recommendations to the public. It will also share potential violations with enforcement agencies.

By Rebecca Pifer • April 12, 2022

Surprise medical bills rank as public's second-highest financial worry, survey finds

While 58% of the public said they're worried about being able to afford surprise bills, the majority of people with private insurance stated they knew nothing about the consumer protection law that went into effect in January.

By Rebecca Pifer • March 31, 2022

Hospitals bet big on venture capital amid COVID-19 revenue flux

Hospitals are increasingly acting as venture capitalists, ratcheting up investments in companies with products they can use and scale, according to a data analysis of hospital VC arms conducted by Healthcare Dive.

By Rebecca Pifer • March 30, 2022