Google Cloud debuts Gemini for healthcare

The Latest

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  4 states sue HHS to stop Medicaid work requirements

  Four states have filed a lawsuit asking the court to delay implementation of Medicaid work requirements less than 60 days ahead of the implementation deadline.

  Payer

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  Sponsored by Eide Bailly

  How rural healthcare organizations are turning AI investments into measurable performance improvements

  Better data, stronger governance and targeted use cases are driving results in rural healthcare.

  Hospitals

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  Workers will likely have to shoulder more of their healthcare costs, employers say

  As companies try to offset accelerating costs, employees face higher out-of-pocket expenses and the loss of some generous coverage options, a WTW survey found.

  Payer

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  Hospitals write off $132B as AI fails to move the needle with finances

  Hospitals are losing more money from bad debt and write-offs despite investing billions into automation to improve financial performance and remain competitive in the AI arms race.

  Hospitals

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  CMS postpones RPM payment halt for 2 years

  The agency is delaying the end of Medicare payments for third-party remote patient monitoring services until 2029 following outcry from the virtual care industry.

  Hospitals

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  AWS pledges $100M in cloud, AI credits to close health equity gaps

  Amazon Web Services will distribute the funds as credits rather than cash to organizations working on care access, women's and children's health and food insecurity.

  Health IT

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  12% of U.S. hospitals are owned by private equity

  As scrutiny over cost and quality at private equity-backed hospitals persists, a new tracker shows that PE hospital ownership has expanded nationwide and is concentrated among a handful of firms.

  Hospitals

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  Humana expects another year of Medicare Advantage membership growth in 2027

  More seniors than expected signing up for Humana’s plans in 2026 was a major concern for investors. But Humana is in a much better position to absorb future growing pains, executives said.

  Updated Nov. 6, 2026

  Payer

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  Top healthcare conferences to attend in 2027

  These are the best industry events for digital health, provider and payer leaders to attend next year.

  Hospitals

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  CMS ousts 2 No Surprises arbiters as critics question impartiality

  The Trump administration denied recertification requests from Island Peer Review Organization and Network Medical Review Company. Insurers cheered the decision, though both arbiters said they could appeal.

  Payer

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  Judge sides with ACA brokers, lifts moratorium on new registrations

  A federal judge agreed with brokers’ arguments that the freeze, instituted by the CMS to combat fraud on the exchanges, would cause irreparable harm to agents.

  Payer

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  Deep Dive

  The hospital hiding in a strip mall

  Mon Marion Neighborhood Hospital in West Virginia is part of a burgeoning trend of micro-hospitals, diminutive facilities with less than 50 beds. The hospitals are stemming rural care gaps across the country.

  Hospitals

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  New CMS rule ties Medicare billing privileges to owner conduct

  Regulators have expanded powers to revoke providers’ Medicare certification, including for parent companies that violate federal rules.

  Payer

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  Mayo Clinic Platform launches AI tool to streamline clinical decision-making

  Clinicians can now query an AI chatbot built on Mayo Clinic's medical knowledge base to help with diagnosis and care decisions across more than 35 specialties.

  Health IT

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  Cigna boosts 2026 outlook as insurance, specialty pharmacy profits climb

  Executives touted the quarter as evidence that Cigna is well positioned for another year of profitable growth in 2027. Though, its pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts is a drag.

  Payer

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  Medicare finalizes physician pay cut for 2027

  Regulators trimmed doctors’ Medicare payments and hammered out other policies to reduce duplicative reimbursement. Providers slammed the cuts, saying they would further destabilize the sector.

  Hospitals

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  Medicare will cut billions from 340B, expand site-neutral payments in 2027

  Regulators finalized a rule that would slash payments for drugs in the controversial 340B program and equalize some payments between care sites. Hospitals railed against the rule.

  Hospitals

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  CVS to split into two companies in stunning strategic about-face

  The breakup, which will separate Aetna and Caremark from CVS’ retail pharmacies, is an indictment of the dogma that bigger is always better in the healthcare industry.

  Payer

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  Patients want a human in the loop for AI healthcare tools

  Patients are open to doctors using AI for more administrative tasks, but they’re less enthusiastic about using it for diagnosing or claims adjudication, according to a new survey.

  Health IT

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  Medicare spends more on hospices owned by private equity firms, study finds

  Medicare is footing a bigger bill for hospices bought by private equity firms, spending nearly $1,000 more per stay. Researchers said PE firms may be boosting inappropriate admissions to maximize reimbursement.

  Payer

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  MultiCare, Samaritan complete merger

  The nonprofit health systems officially combined on Sunday following approval from state regulators. Tacoma, Washington-based MultiCare will invest $700 million over the next decade in Samaritan’s facilities and technology.

  Hospitals

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  How should the FDA regulate generative AI in medtech? Here are 5 takes

  Patients, providers and medtech firms submitted hundreds of comments to the Food and Drug Administration on how the agency should approach generative AI in medical devices.

  Health IT

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  Medicare Part D premiums are spiking 50% on average next year, KFF finds

  The health policy think tank urged seniors to shop carefully for prescription drug coverage during Medicare open enrollment, given skyrocketing premiums and wide variance in costs between plans.

  Payer

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  AI vendors, health systems join physicians in liability for clinical AI: AMA

  The AMA's new issue brief assigns distinct responsibilities to physicians, developers and healthcare organizations, arguing that protecting patients requires accountability from all stakeholders.

  Health IT

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  Judge strikes down CMS ‘medical frailty’ policy for Medicaid work requirements

  It’s a victory for more than two dozen states that had sued to block the definition, along with providers, consumer advocates and other critics that had opposed it. The CMS could still appeal the decision.

  Payer

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  CHS lowers 2026 earnings forecast on uninsured volumes, surgery snags

  The hospital chain slid into red during the third quarter as more uninsured patients previously on Affordable Care Act plans sought out care and others deferred elective surgeries.

  Hospitals

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