CMS finalizes 2024 Medicare hospital, doctor payments, 340B fix and price transparency requirements

Regulators finalized a number of rules Thursday with sweeping implications for providers in the Medicare program, including rates for next year that doctors and hospitals slammed as insufficient.

By Rebecca Pifer • Nov. 3, 2023

Amwell reports widening net loss, including $79M impairment charge

But the telehealth vendor’s new contract with the Defense Health Agency could support its path to profitability, management said.

By Emily Olsen • Nov. 2, 2023

Cigna raises 2023 membership outlook amid healthier economy

An expected economic downturn has yet to materialize, leading Cigna to say Thursday it plans to add at least 1.6 million members this year, up from previous forecasts.

By Rebecca Pifer • Nov. 2, 2023

CVS beats expectations in Q3, but high costs weigh on profit outlook

The company is prepared for potential legislation forcing transparency in its pharmacy benefit manager business practices later this year, CEO Karen Lynch said on Wednesday.

By Rebecca Pifer • Nov. 1, 2023

Health AI startup Olive to shut down

The startup was once valued at $4 billion during the height of the digital health funding boom.

By Emily Olsen • Nov. 1, 2023

Humana reports medical cost growth from MA utilization

The payer expects higher levels of Medicare Advantage utilization to continue for the remainder of the year, outgrowing past expectations.

By Sydney Halleman • Nov. 1, 2023

Tenet Healthcare beats expectations on growth in ambulatory and acute services

Tenet was also the latest for-profit operator to call out the impact of rising physician fees from the implementation of the No Surprises Act.

By Susanna Vogel • Oct. 31, 2023

Molina lowers Medicaid member retention rate post-redeterminations

But the California insurer’s forecast of $38 billion in premium revenue next year remained unchanged, thanks to new contract wins.

By Rebecca Pifer • Oct. 26, 2023

Again in the red, Community Health Systems logs $91M net loss in Q3

Despite cost containment efforts, CHS reported a net loss this week for the third consecutive quarter.

By Susanna Vogel • Oct. 26, 2023

UHS beats Wall Street expectations on rising patient volumes

The for-profit hospital operator grew revenue in the third quarter despite challenges in payer relations and Medicaid redeterminations.

By Susanna Vogel • Oct. 26, 2023

Insurance coverage not a panacea for healthcare affordability: survey

Numerous studies have outlined how high medical costs affect uninsured individuals, but healthcare prices are straining household budgets regardless of insurance type, according to the Commonwealth Fund.

By Rebecca Pifer • Oct. 26, 2023

Global digital health funding hits lowest level since 2016, report finds

Digital health funding is flagging this year, with investments in the sector reaching only 40% of last year’s totals, according to CB Insights.

By Emily Olsen • Oct. 25, 2023

Teladoc kicks off ‘operational review’ to boost bottom line

The virtual care giant reported mixed results Tuesday, missing Wall Street expectations on revenue but beating on earnings per share.

By Emily Olsen • Oct. 25, 2023

Blue Shield of California is promising a simpler, cheaper pharmacy benefits model. Can it deliver?

Big questions hang over the California health insurer's bold experiment — having five vendors carry out PBM functions previously performed by one — that could threaten BSCA's expected savings.

By Rebecca Pifer • Updated Oct. 26, 2023

HCA misses Q3 expectations on costs from staffing firm Valesco

The for-profit reported operational strains associated with its physician staffing firm in its third-quarter earnings.

By Susanna Vogel • Oct. 24, 2023

Amwell, Leidos score defense contract worth up to $180M

Analysts predict the contract could be worth up to $54 million for Amwell alone over its 22-month term.

By Emily Olsen • Oct. 20, 2023

Washington hospitals sue state over expanded interpretation of a charity care law

A state hospital association says the updated charity care guidance, which would require facilities to offer subsidized care for patients regardless of residency, risks making Washington a “medical tourism destination."

By Susanna Vogel • Oct. 19, 2023

Henry Ford, Ascension enter joint venture to create $10.5B system

The no-cash deal will combine Detroit-based Henry Ford Health with Ascension’s southeast Michigan and Genesys healthcare facilities and create an organization spanning more than 550 sites.

By Emily Olsen • Oct. 19, 2023

Premiums rose 7% for employer-sponsored health coverage in 2023

The average premium was nearly $8,500 for single coverage and nearly $24,000 for family coverage this year, according to a new study published in Health Affairs.

By Emily Olsen • Oct. 18, 2023

Elevance could see $500M quality bonus revenue hit in 2025 from MA star ratings drop

The insurer is actively seeking ways to mitigate the financial impact of its star ratings drop, Elevance CEO Gail Boudreaux said during the insurer’s third-quarter earnings call.

By Sydney Halleman • Oct. 18, 2023

Financial distress is driving health system M&A, Kaufman Hall reports

More than a third of transactions announced in the third quarter included a party that cited financial distress as a reason behind the deal.

By Emily Olsen • Oct. 17, 2023

Rite Aid files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, names new CEO

The pharmacy retailer plans to use bankruptcy to shrink its store footprint and manage a nearly $4 billion debt load.

By Nate Delesline III • Oct. 16, 2023

CVS shuffles leadership again as CFO takes leave

The changes come about a month after the pharmacy giant appointed CFO Shawn Guertin as president of its health services segment.

By Emily Olsen • Oct. 16, 2023

GLP-1s for weight loss leave employers in a bind over coverage

Employers face a difficult decision over whether to cover pricey weight loss drugs that pits the health and wellbeing of their employees against the health of their bottom line.

By Rebecca Pifer • Oct. 13, 2023

Walgreens, chasing profits, to close 60 VillageMD clinics in 2024

The company released a 2024 earnings outlook below Wall Street expectations on Thursday, two days after announcing a new CEO.

By Rebecca Pifer • Oct. 12, 2023