Virtual visits led to uptick in overall visits at Massachusetts ACO, study shows

Participants tended to be younger, white and commercially insured, raising concerns that virtual visit programs could increase disparities in access to care.

By Meg Bryant • Dec. 7, 2018

National health spending slowed for 2nd straight year, at $3.5T

The spending growth rate, which fell to 3.9% in 2017 from 4.6% in 2016, was primarily held back by slowdowns in use of goods and services, with fewer people insured and getting care.

By Tony Abraham • Dec. 7, 2018

Lack of provider competition raising healthcare prices, Center for American Progress argues

The left-leaning think tank offered suggestions for creating a system that produces more competition with fairer prices, including more regulatory enforcement and site neutral payments.

By Les Masterson • Dec. 6, 2018

Montefiore Health System revenue, operating income rise

The New York-based health system ended the first nine months of 2018 with a 66% jump in net income to $118.8 million.

By Meg Bryant • Dec. 3, 2018

Advocate Aurora raising minimum wage to $15/hour

A growing number of health systems have announced minimum wage increases as they face employee shortages and higher labor costs.

By Les Masterson • Dec. 3, 2018

Higher admissions, better case mix drive Cleveland Clinic Q3 revenues

The health system enjoyed a hefty operating income hike of 76% in the quarter compared to a year ago.

By Les Masterson • Dec. 3, 2018

Fitch sees stable 2019 for US healthcare despite financial pressures

Expect 2018's two-to-one ratio of downgrades to upgrades to continue next year, the ratings agency said.

By Meg Bryant • Nov. 30, 2018

M&A trends in 2019: Will the biotech bubble burst?

New technologies have driven higher valuations in pharma, biotech and health IT, yet some big bankers are uncertain how long that trend will hold.

By Jacob Bell • Nov. 30, 2018

CVS-Aetna megamerger finalized

The total value of the acquisition, including assumption of Aetna's debt, clocks in at $78 billion. The union creates the second biggest private company by revenue after Walmart.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Nov. 28, 2018

OIG: Medicare reimbursements skewed by 'significant vulnerabilities' in hospital wage data

Five of the watchdog's most recent reviews of hospital wage data between 2004 and 2017 revealed an estimated $140.5 million in improper payments to hospitals.

By Tony Abraham • Nov. 28, 2018

Cybersecurity, telehealth, tech disruptors top health system concerns for 2019

Nearly 90% of health systems expect to increase spending on cybersecurity in the coming year, many by more than 5%, according to the Center for Connected Medicine.

By Meg Bryant • Nov. 26, 2018

UPMC sees growth in health plan enrollment, inpatient visits

The Pittsburgh-based integrated health system also reported outpatient revenue jumped 33% for the first nine months of the year.

By Les Masterson • Nov. 26, 2018

Mayo Clinic reports $9.5B revenue in first 9 months of 2018

The system's capital investment efforts come as many nonprofit health systems are downgrading facilities and divesting assets to offset higher operating costs and a slowdown in revenue growth.

By Meg Bryant • Nov. 20, 2018

Amazon private label healthcare offerings grow

The company is poised to expand its prescription drug footprint via expansion of PillPack, according to investment banking firm Jefferies.

By Meg Bryant • Nov. 20, 2018

Primary care physician visits drop among patients with employer plans

Office visits for all providers went up between 2012 and 2016 despite the drop for primary care physicians, pointing to a bigger role for nurse practitioners and physician assistants, according to the Health Care Cost Institute.

By Les Masterson • Nov. 19, 2018

Acute care profitability at nonprofits in decline, Fitch says

The credit rating agency has adopted new metrics that may paint a better picture of a hospital's long-term credit strength.

By Meg Bryant • Nov. 16, 2018

Fitch sees nonprofit hospitals as mixed bag in Q3 report

While not-for-profits hospitals led Q3 public finance rating activity, the pace of upgrades and downgrades appears to be leveling off.

By Meg Bryant • Nov. 15, 2018

Healthcare will outspend all other industries on R&D by 2020, PwC says

Medtronic is among 23 healthcare companies rated "high-leverage innovators" for performance on seven key financial indicators. Top 20 companies include Alphabet, Samsung, Microsoft, Apple, Roche, Novartis and Pfizer.

By Meg Bryant • Nov. 13, 2018

CMS finds Strong Start birth centers save money, improve outcomes

Rates of preteen birth, unhealthy birthweight and cesarean section were all lower among birth center participants — as were costs.

By Les Masterson • Nov. 12, 2018

Athenahealth scooped for $5.7B by Elliot, Veritas after turbulent year

Activist investor Elliott has been pushing for a buyout since it sent athenahealth an unsolicited offer in May.

By Tony Abraham • Nov. 12, 2018

Retail clinics, employer activists poised to disrupt healthcare, report finds

Roughly one-fifth of consumers visited a retail clinic in the past several years, a new PwC study shows.

By Meg Bryant • Nov. 9, 2018

Price, usage drive variations between regions' healthcare costs, report finds

Of six regions studied, Maryland had the lowest costs at 20% below the benchmark. On the other end, Colorado was 19% above the standard and Minnesota was 11% higher.

By Les Masterson • Nov. 9, 2018

Quorum operating revenues, admissions slide in Q3

The debt-laden hospital operator continues to pare down and refocus its portfolio. The company divested one hospital in Q3 and signed non-binding letters of intent with four buyers on five hospitals earlier this month.

By Tony Abraham • Nov. 8, 2018

Medicare Advantage drives Humana's Q3 revenue growth

However, the payer said MA and TRICARE gains were partially offset by Part D, Medicaid and commercial enrollment losses.

By Les Masterson • Nov. 7, 2018

Execs bullish on IT, home health, M&A for 2019

More than 70% of executives predict better performance in the next 12 months, according to a Capital One survey. About 42% forecast increased deal activity.

By Meg Bryant • Nov. 6, 2018