The Latest

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  Cybersecurity takes center stage at AHA annual meeting

  In the wake of the Change Healthcare attack, experts advised hospital leaders to increase their cyber defenses.

  Hospitals

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  Elevance partners with private equity firm on primary care

  The payer has inked a deal with Clayton, Dubilier and Rice to join their primary care assets as Elevance looks to catch up with peers like UnitedHealth and CVS in care delivery.

  Payer

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  Telehealth company Cerebral to pay $7M fine over data sharing

  The Federal Trade Commission alleged the digital mental healthcare company had provided sensitive data to third parties and maintained “sloppy” security practices.

  Health IT

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  Florida issues Medicaid managed care awards booting out UnitedHealth, CVS and Molina

  Meanwhile, Centene, Elevance and Humana held onto statewide contracts. The reprocurement was especially positive for Centene, which had been expected to lose market share, analysts said.

  Payer

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  VillageMD faces lawsuit over online tracking technologies

  The class action alleges the Meta Pixel embedded on VillageMD’s website allowed the primary care provider to disclose protected health information to third parties, including Facebook and Google. 

  Health IT

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  VA plans to resume Oracle EHR rollout by end of FY 2025, secretary says

  The agency needs a single electronic health record that’s more interoperable with the Department of Defense, VA Secretary Denis McDonough told lawmakers.

  Health IT

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  Medical Properties Trust selling spree continues, Utah deal closes

  The deal is expected to generate approximately $1.1 billion in in cash for the liquidity-strapped hospital landlord.

  Hospitals

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  Opinion

  No appointments available: America’s escalating primary care shortage

  Chronic disinvestment and inadequate training have created a shortage of primary care workers, according to leaders at the Milbank Memorial Fund, National Association of Community Health Centers and others.

  Hospitals

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  Medicaid redeterminations

  More than 20M disenrolled amid Medicaid redeterminations

  Nearly a quarter of adults removed from the safety-net program since early last year said they are uninsured, according to KFF.

  Payer

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  More than three-fourths of doctors are employed by corporations, report finds

  Rampant consolidation continues to threaten the existence of independent physicians, according to a new report from Avalere and the Physicians Advocacy Institute.

  Finances

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  Steward buy could add 3,000 doctors to Optum’s physician network, regulator says

  There’s a long way to go before the highly anticipated deal can close, as parties have yet to file the paperwork required to kick off Massachusetts' antitrust review process, a regulator said yesterday.

  Hospitals

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  US sues Regeneron, alleging false price reporting on Eylea

  The Department of Justice accused Regeneron of defrauding Medicare by knowingly inflating the average sales price for its top-selling eye drug.

  Government

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  Lawmakers mull telehealth quality, reimbursement as extension deadline looms

  Legislators worked to hash out details about Medicare telehealth policy as a deadline to continue pandemic-era flexibilities draws closer.

  Health IT

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  Medical Properties Trust offloads 5 hospitals to Prime Healthcare

  One of the nation’s largest hospital landlords will pay down its debt load with the proceeds, executives said.

  Hospitals

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  CMS proposes 2.6% payment increase for inpatient hospitals next year

  Regulators said payments to hospitals would increase $3.2 billion in 2025 under the proposed rule. However, the American Hospital Association called the hike “woefully inadequate.”

  Hospitals

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  Massachusetts lawmakers call on regulators to review Steward-UnitedHealth deal

  Antitrust agencies could be sympathetic toward the deal, given Steward’s financial distress and important hospital portfolio. But sympathy won’t shield the deal from scrutiny, an expert told Healthcare Dive.

  Government

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  VillageMD taps new COO amid clinic closures

  Former Centene executive Jim Murray will lead operations at the Walgreens-backed primary care chain, which has shut down 140 clinics in recent months.

  Medical Groups

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  Confusion about Medicaid skewing coverage estimates, study finds

  The number of people enrolled in Medicaid soared over the pandemic, but many enrollees may not have known their coverage had continued, new research suggests.

  Payer

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  Banner Health names new CEO

  Amy Perry, the current president, will take the reins from longtime chief executive Peter Fine beginning June 30.

  Hospitals

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  Tracker // Overturning of Roe v. Wade

  Tracking state abortion bans in the US

  Arizona's highest court ruled to uphold an 1860s-era near-total abortion ban. However, the law is on hold as a challenge works its way through a lower court.

  Updated April 10, 2024

  Government

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  Michigan divvies out Medicaid contracts, with Centene, Molina seeing minor losses

  However, the insurers could protest Michigan’s decision, potentially mitigating membership erosion.

  Payer

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  North Carolina county seeks damages in HCA Mission lawsuit

  Buncombe County is seeking to join a lawsuit from the state alleging HCA intentionally understaffed Mission’s emergency department, increased wait times and wasted taxpayer dollars.

  Hospitals

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  CMS caps broker payments in Medicare Advantage

  The final rule issued last week prevents insurers from paying brokers additional fees for steering beneficiaries to their plans.

  Payer

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  Trial shows Wegovy can ease heart failure symptoms

  Earlier testing resulted in expanded approval as well as broader Medicare coverage. Now, Novo Nordisk has proved Wegovy can benefit heart failure patients, too.

  Medical Groups

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  Digital health sees more deals with smaller checks in Q1: report

  Artificial intelligence scooped up 40% of the quarter’s investment total, according to Rock Health.

  Health IT

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