Healthcare’s outlook in 2025: New administration spells uncertainty, but hope remains

Although experts predict payers, providers and health technology companies will grapple with uncertainty in a second Trump administration, some hope that yearslong headwinds could begin reversing course in 2025.

By Sydney Halleman • Jan. 29, 2025

Site-neutrality: A solution in search of a problem

Site-neutral payment policy is a distraction from the underlying causes of high healthcare costs and places providers at risk, argues Ascension’s chief health outcomes officer.

By Richard Fogel • Jan. 29, 2025

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Surprise Billing

Federal legislation banning surprise bills has hit a barrage of roadblocks, complicating efforts to protect consumers from unexpected out-of-network charges.

By Healthcare Dive staff

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 Parduhn • 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 Parduhn • Updated Jan. 28, 2025

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

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

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 28, 2025

Sara Brenner named acting FDA commissioner

Brenner, who worked in the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, will take the helm of the agency until a new leader is confirmed.

By Elise Reuter • Jan. 24, 2025

Trump pick for VA secretary promises to prioritize Oracle EHR deployment

Doug Collins, a former Republican congressman from Georgia, told lawmakers he would look at the embattled rollout with fresh eyes and could restart deployments sooner than planned.

By Emily Olsen • Jan. 24, 2025

Senate sets date to vet RFK Jr.’s nomination to lead HHS

The Senate Finance Committee will meet on Jan. 29 to discuss the confirmation of RFK Jr., whose stances on vaccines and abortion have raised questions from Democrats and Republicans alike.  

By Kristin Jensen • Jan. 23, 2025

Americans mixed on potential Trump healthcare priorities: KFF poll

About half of respondents said the nation should spend more on Medicaid and Medicare — a potential challenge for the Trump administration looking to cut costs.

By Emily Olsen • Jan. 22, 2025

Hospitals no longer protected from immigration raids

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security lifted the practice of avoiding immigration enforcement at hospitals. Some advocates say the new policy could deter immigrants from seeking medical care.

By Kara Arundel , Sydney Halleman • Jan. 21, 2025

Trump reverses Biden healthcare directives, withdraws from WHO in first executive orders

The rescinded orders include directives boosting the Affordable Care Act exchanges, coordinating the government’s COVID-19 response and overseeing artificial intelligence tools.

By Emily Olsen • Jan. 21, 2025

ACA enrollment breaks records again in 2025

About 24.2 million people signed up for Affordable Care Act plans during the open enrollment period for 2025, with huge increases in major Republican-led states.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 21, 2025

DOJ sues Walgreens for allegedly filling millions of illegal prescriptions, including opioids

Walgreens countersued the government the same day. Analysts said a settlement is likely.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 21, 2025

Welsh Carson agrees to pare back anesthesia market power to avoid new FTC suit

Antitrust regulators have reached a deal with Welsh, Carson, Anderson and Stowe that doesn’t penalize the private equity firm for rolling up the market for anesthesia services in Texas, but tries to prevent it from happening again.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 17, 2025

Medicare will negotiate Novo’s GLP-1 drug price. Here’s what that means for Ozempic, Wegovy.

Novo sells semaglutide as Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy. The CMS will treat the different forms as a single product in price talks.

By Jonathan Gardner • Jan. 17, 2025

False claims settlements in healthcare total $1.7B in 2024

Healthcare fraud investigations accounted for more than half of the Department of Justice's settlements and judgments in 2024, which totaled north of $2.9 billion.

By Susanna Vogel • Jan. 17, 2025

Ozempic among drugs picked by Medicare for price talks

Announcing the 15 medicines chosen for the second round of negotiations is one of the Biden administration’s final health policy acts.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Updated Jan. 17, 2025

Tarver warns that US device supply chain vulnerabilities could harm patients

The new director of the FDA’s device center contrasted a European rule with the lack of mandatory reporting requirements for potential device shortages in the U.S.

By Nick Paul Taylor • Jan. 17, 2025

Private equity poses ‘new and unique risks’ to healthcare, federal agencies warn

A new report from the Biden administration calls for increased transparency in healthcare transactions to better monitor the growing influence of private equity on care delivery.

By Susanna Vogel • Jan. 16, 2025

Top healthcare technology trends in 2025

The shape of AI regulation will be uncertain under the Trump administration this year, while healthcare companies will continue bolstering cyber defenses to withstand increasing attacks, experts say.

By Emily Olsen • Jan. 15, 2025

HHS lays out strategic plan for healthcare AI

The agency’s road map, which outlines goals for promoting safe and equitable adoption, comes as the future of AI policy is uncertain under the incoming Trump administration.

By Emily Olsen • Jan. 14, 2025

CMS expands enforcement power over shady ACA brokers

A rule finalized Monday makes it easier for regulators to suspend agents and brokers from selling Affordable Care Act plans if they pose a risk to the exchanges.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 14, 2025

FTC releases second report slamming pharmacy benefit managers

Agency commissioners voted unanimously on Tuesday to publish the report, which makes similar allegations against the controversial drug middlemen as the agency’s first report released last summer — but relies on more data.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Updated Jan. 15, 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 Parduhn • Jan. 13, 2025

After Steward crisis, new Massachusetts law aims to strengthen oversight of hospitals

The law aims to close loopholes that officials say Steward Health Care exploited to keep regulators in the dark about its finances leading up to its bankruptcy.

By Susanna Vogel • Jan. 10, 2025