Mass General Brigham to conduct largest layoffs in its history

MGB said the layoffs are necessary to get ahead of an anticipated budget shortfall of $250 million over the next two years.

By Susanna Vogel • Feb. 11, 2025

Humana’s 2024 profit slashed in half amid higher medical spending

The massive insurer now expects to lose 550,000 Medicare Advantage members — roughly one-tenth of its individual MA footprint — this year as a result of plan cuts.

By Rebecca Pifer • Feb. 11, 2025

Kaiser’s 2024 earnings show ROI of Risant Health spinoff

Risant acquisitions accounted for about half of Kaiser’s net income in 2024.

By Susanna Vogel • Feb. 10, 2025

Walgreens offloads more Cencora shares

The sale netted about $300 million for Walgreens and shrinks the company’s stake in Cencora to approximately 6%, down from 10%.

By Rebecca Pifer • Feb. 7, 2025

New contract wins ding Molina’s earnings outlook for 2025

Medicaid and dual-eligible contracts fuel growth for the California-based insurer, but also come with upfront implementation costs that will lower its earnings this year, executives said.

By Rebecca Pifer • Feb. 6, 2025

Express Scripts, Kroger reach new pharmacy network agreement

The two have mended fences after a nasty contract dispute in 2022 caused Kroger pharmacies to go out of network with Express Scripts’ members.

By Rebecca Pifer • Feb. 5, 2025

Oscar Health reports first profitable year

The insurer lost $153.5 million in the fourth quarter but still eked out a $25.4 million profit for the full year thanks to snowballing growth in ACA plans.

By Rebecca Pifer • Feb. 5, 2025

Molina closes ConnectiCare acquisition

The deal adds $1.4 billion in annual premiums to Molina’s topline and 140,000 additional Medicare, Affordable Care Act marketplace and commercial members to the insurer’s rolls.

By Rebecca Pifer • Feb. 4, 2025

Centene sets itself up for ‘equilibrium’ in 2025

The insurer also reported notable ACA growth for this year, though membership could tick back down through the second quarter due to program integrity efforts.

By Rebecca Pifer • Updated Feb. 5, 2025

Cigna pledges changes to pharmacy, medical benefits following ‘messy’ close to 2024

Fresh off underperforming Wall Street’s expectations in the fourth quarter, Cigna said it would work to lower costs for its customers amid widespread discontent with the healthcare system.

By Rebecca Pifer • Jan. 30, 2025

White House rescinds memo pausing federal funding following pushback

The Office of Management and Budget rolled back a memo halting federal funding that caused widespread confusion and alarm. But “this is NOT a rescission of the federal funding freeze,” Trump’s top press secretary said.

By Rebecca Pifer • Jan. 29, 2025

Judge halts Trump freeze on grants as states report healthcare payment portals back online

States and providers regained access to a key healthcare payments portal amid widespread backlash over the Trump administration’s decision to halt federal aid.

By Rebecca Pifer • Jan. 29, 2025

Lawmakers report states shut out of Medicaid payment portals following Trump funding freeze

Other payment systems also appear to be offline, suggesting a broader shutdown of federal portals related to grants and funding.

By Rebecca Pifer • Updated Jan. 28, 2025

Healthcare bankruptcies declined in 2024: report

Still, bankruptcy filings remained elevated, with the sector reaching the second-highest amount in the past six years, according to healthcare restructuring advisory firm Gibbins Advisors.

By Emily Olsen • Jan. 28, 2025

Philips to sell emergency care business

Investment firm Bridgefield Capital will buy the segment, which includes cardiac resuscitation and emergency care devices, for an undisclosed amount.

By Elise Reuter • Jan. 28, 2025

Neko Health raises $260M to expand body scan service, fund R&D

The company uses various medical devices to noninvasively check moles, the heart and more.

By Nick Paul Taylor • Jan. 28, 2025

Trump freezes federal grants with big potential impact on providers, Medicaid

Federal agencies must stop disbursing financial assistance starting at 5 p.m. today under a new budget directive, threatening funding for providers and creating significant uncertainty for Medicaid payments to states.

By Rebecca Pifer • Jan. 28, 2025

HCA closes 2024 strong despite lingering hurricane impacts

However, this year looks volatile, as the future of Medicaid state supplemental payment programs is uncertain and the threat of tariffs hang overhead.

By Susanna Vogel • Jan. 24, 2025

UnitedHealth reaches record revenue in 2024, though profit falls

UnitedHealth’s net income plummeted to its lowest level since 2019 amid hefty costs, including some from the Change cyberattack. CEO Andrew Witty also remembered slain executive Brian Thompson on a Thursday morning call.

By Rebecca Pifer • Jan. 16, 2025

Digital health funding falls again in 2024: Rock Health

Investors focused their dollars on younger startups, while deal sizes for more established companies declined last year.

By Emily Olsen • Jan. 16, 2025

Investors ask UnitedHealth for answers about delayed, denied care

A faith-based group of investors has requested UnitedHealth prepare a report looking into how its practices could be leading to “delay or abandonment of medical treatment and serious adverse events for patients.”

By Rebecca Pifer • Jan. 13, 2025

CMS proposes Medicare Advantage payment hike in 2026

The Biden administration’s last MA rule is a boon for insurers, though it remains to be seen how the incoming Trump administration might put its stamp on the regulation before it’s finalized this spring.

By Rebecca Pifer • Jan. 13, 2025

Walgreens makes progress on turnaround in Q1, though losses grow

Despite a $265 million net loss, investors saw reason for optimism in the quarter, including renegotiated pharmacy contracts and the closure of 70 underperforming stores.

By Rebecca Pifer • Jan. 10, 2025

Health insurers will step off the roller coaster in 2025

After a turbulent year, things should calm for payers with the advent of a business-friendly Trump administration — though challenges will persist. Here are experts’ biggest predictions for 2025.

By Rebecca Pifer • Jan. 8, 2025

Stopgap funding bill includes sweeping PBM reform, preserves telehealth flexibilities

The bipartisan agreement will fund the government through March. It could also reshape the pharmacy supply chain by reforming how controversial drug middlemen do business.

By Rebecca Pifer • Dec. 18, 2024