Medical Groups

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    Trump signs funding bill with PBM reforms, hospital-at-home and telehealth extensions

    The funding package ends a partial government shutdown and enacts several healthcare policies, including preserving telehealth flexibilities in Medicare through 2027.

    By • Feb. 4, 2026
  • A tan and black monument sign with bold orange "Optum" lettering and the address "11000 Optum Circle" sits on a grassy lawn with low shrubs in front of a large, modern office building with glass windows and beige panels. Bare trees and a cloudy sky are in the background.
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    Alamy
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    Prices rise at surgery centers acquired by Optum: study

    The full financial impact of the price hikes could exceed $67 million each year in two dozen markets, according to the new study published in Health Affairs.

    By • Feb. 3, 2026
  • a physician sits at a desk with their head in their hands Explore the Trendline➔
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    Trendline

    Provider burnout

    Hospitals are still struggling with provider burnout, after the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated underlying staffing issues and prompted workers to quit their jobs.

    By Healthcare Dive staff
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    Telehealth flexibilities, hospital-at-home waivers lapse amid partial government shutdown

    The Senate passed a spending package Friday, but the measure is still awaiting House approval. House Speaker Mike Johnson said the partial shutdown should be brief.

    By • Feb. 2, 2026
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    Healthcare bankruptcies fall in 2025, but providers still face headwinds: report

    Bankruptcy filings dropped 21% compared to 2024, according to Gibbins Advisors. Still, the sector’s financial outlook is unsteady due to pressures from Medicaid cuts and other policy changes.

    By • Feb. 2, 2026
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    Courtesy of UnitedHealth Group
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    UnitedHealth revenue climbs in 2025, though profit continues to fall

    The healthcare behemoth posted its lowest profits since 2018 last year, largely thanks to continued Medicare Advantage challenges. Executives warned how regulators’ “disappointing” rate update might further contract MA.

    By • Jan. 27, 2026
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    Surprise Billing

    No Surprises disputes increasing even as arbiters catch up, CMS says

    The agency released new data on independent dispute resolution in the first half of 2025. Roughly 1.2 million cases were filed in that period, mostly by the same private equity-backed providers.

    By • Jan. 26, 2026
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    Alamy
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    31,000 Kaiser Permanente workers strike in California, Hawaii

    Kaiser workers are calling for increased staffing and wages, which the union argues haven’t kept pace with rising costs. The health system said a generous offer is already on the table.

    By • Jan. 26, 2026
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    MedPAC steps away from advocating doctor pay be tied to inflation

    The advisory group wants Congress to approve a 0.5 percentage point increase for doctors in Medicare next year. But some commissioners dissented over MedPAC’s about-face on underlying payment reform.

    By • Jan. 16, 2026
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    Doctors focused on scope of practice, Medicaid cuts in state legislatures this year: AMA

    The physician lobby surveyed 64 medical societies and found that most of them were worried about nurses, physician assistants and other practitioners getting more freedom to provide care this year.

    By • Jan. 12, 2026
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    Deep Dive

    Top healthcare provider trends in 2026

    Health systems that address costs, workforce planning and portfolio strategy may be better positioned as reimbursement headwinds intensify this year.

    By Michael Brady • Jan. 8, 2026
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    UnitedHealthcare raises bar for doctors to get paid for radiology services

    The change runs counter to the company’s broader efforts to pare back red tape for physicians amid widespread discontent with health insurers.

    By • Updated Jan. 9, 2026
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    CMS distributes rural health funds for 2026

    States received an average of $200 million to expand rural care access. Texas received the most money, while New Jersey received the least.

    By • Jan. 5, 2026
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    Courtesy of UnitedHealth Group
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    UnitedHealth commits to changes after independent review

    The healthcare behemoth released results of three highly anticipated external reviews that drilled down on a number of areas for improvement.

    By • Dec. 22, 2025
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    Alex Wong via Getty Images
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    Medicare unveils successor to ACO REACH

    The value-based care pilot will be replaced by ACO LEAD, a new model that providers and analysts say seems to address many of the problems posed by its predecessor.

    By • Dec. 19, 2025
  • CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz speaks during an announcement at the Department of Health and Human Services on December 18, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
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    Trump administration moves to bar hospitals from providing youth gender-affirming care

    Under new proposed rules, hospitals would lose federal funding if they offer treatments including puberty blockers, hormone therapy or surgical procedures to minors. 

    By • Dec. 18, 2025
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    Cencora takes majority stake in cancer care platform OneOncology for $5B

    The drug distributor has been steadily building up its specialty support assets as it looks to increase access to drugs.

    By • Dec. 16, 2025
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    Deep Dive

    Goliath v. Goliath

    A Medicare Advantage network spat between Optum and Humana in Washington state appears to be benefiting UnitedHealthcare at the expense of its biggest rival. Antitrust experts are alarmed.

    By • Dec. 16, 2025
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    Hospitals look to manage expenses as uncertainty looms: report

    Only 30% of hospital leaders expect balance sheets to improve next year as health systems grapple with costs and changes to federal healthcare policy, according to Kaufman Hall.

    By • Dec. 12, 2025
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    Provider groups urge Trump administration to drop proposed HIPAA update

    The proposed cybersecurity rule, released during the waning days of the Biden administration, would add “substantial new financial burdens” on providers, the groups wrote to the HHS.

    By • Dec. 11, 2025
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    Rebecca Pifer/Healthcare Dive
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    CVS to launch ‘engagement’ platform in gamble on consumer, industry interest

    CVS is bringing together its disparate businesses onto one platform, and giving its rivals the option to add their products and services as well. The goal is to improve consumers’ health engagement while generating more revenue.

    By • Dec. 10, 2025
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    CVS agrees to pay $38M to settle insulin fraud claims

    For a decade, CVS knew it was skirting rules meant to limit overprescribing but did nothing to stop, according to the Department of Justice.

    By • Dec. 3, 2025
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    Sponsored by Microsoft

    [Podcast] Beyond Documentation: Transforming Healthcare Workflows With AI

    This podcast explores how AI is transforming clinical care and reshaping how healthcare teams work.

    By Healthcare Dive's studioID • Updated Dec. 2, 2025
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    Family physicians are departing rural areas: report

    Between 2017 and 2023, the share of family physicians working in rural areas dropped 11%, according to a study published in the Annals of Family Medicine.

    By Susanna Vogel • Dec. 2, 2025
  • An illustration of a stethoscope in the shape of a dollar sign.
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    Why Medicare Advantage contract negotiations are getting heated

    “There’s simply more at stake in these negotiations for payers and providers than there used to be,” one expert said.

    By Michael Brady • Nov. 26, 2025
  • A stethoscope rests on a pile of $100 bills.
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    CMS finalizes 2.6% outpatient pay bump, site-neutral policies

    Hospitals lambasted the final rule as inadequate, arguing the sector is facing significant financial pressures.

    By • Nov. 24, 2025