The Latest

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  Kaiser raises operating income in Q2 but eyes looming headwinds

  The nonprofit said it’s feeling growing pressure from higher utilization in its health plan and heightened care delivery costs. It’s also preparing to face fallout from policy changes in Washington.

  Hospitals

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  Hospitals prepare for $149B cut to Medicaid state-directed payments

  New limits to the program could force hospitals to slash capital spending while bracing for millions of newly uninsured patients.

  Hospitals

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  Physicians are working more but reimbursement isn’t keeping pace, report finds

  Physicians are working harder now than in past years, but they’re getting less for that work, according to new research from Kaufman Hall. The situation could worsen as more Americans lose health insurance.

  Hospitals

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  Depressed volumes hounded for-profit providers in Q2

  Executives at major for-profit hospital chains gave conflicting explanations for the softer volumes in the second quarter, from flagging consumer confidence to lower Medicaid admissions. 

  Hospitals

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  Vinay Prasad, in surprise reversal, to rejoin FDA after abrupt departure

  Less than two weeks after stepping down, Prasad will return to lead CBER “at the FDA’s request,” an HHS spokesperson said. It's the latest twist in an unusual run to lead the FDA office overseeing vaccines and gene therapy.

  Updated Aug. 11, 2025

  Government

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  Omada grows revenue, membership in public earnings debut

  Drivers of revenue growth included more customers using multiple chronic condition programs as well as strong adoption of GLP-1 offerings. 

  Health IT

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  Deep Dive

  UnitedHealth, Amedisys merger appears set to close post-DOJ settlement

  Thursday’s settlement is weaker than at least one antitrust expert expected based on the severity of the DOJ’s concerns. But it means the $3.3 billion merger is very likely to close next year.

  Payer

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  CHS to take another stab at selling its Pennsylvania hospital portfolio

  Tenor Health Foundation signed a letter of intent to purchase the hospitals from Community Health Systems. The proposed deal comes nine months after a separate sale collapsed.

  Hospitals

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  UnitedHealth and Amedisys reach settlement with DOJ over $3.3B merger

  The settlement filed with the Maryland district court on Thursday requires UnitedHealth and Amedisys to divest 164 home health and hospice sites to placate the DOJ’s concerns that the merger is anticompetitive.

  Updated Aug. 7, 2025

  Payer

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  Democrat senators probe UnitedHealth over nursing home care denials

  Sens. Ron Wyden and Elizabeth Warren are seeking more information from the beleaguered healthcare behemoth after The Guardian found it was incentivizing nursing homes to reduce hospital transfers.

  Payer

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  Amwell wins military health contract extension

  However, the new deal excludes the telehealth vendor’s behavioral health and automated care programs, leading Amwell to cut its revenue guidance for the year following its second-quarter earnings.

  Health IT

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  The great Medicare Advantage contraction appears set to continue

  Insurers plan to keep sacrificing MA growth for profitability next year, after second quarter results for Humana and CVS showed the success of the strategy.

  Payer

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  ACA plans want to hike premiums by median of 18% next year: KFF

  The KFF’s projection is steeper than an older analysis that relied on less complete data. It’s the largest increase that ACA insurers have asked for in more than five years as payers brace for membership turmoil.

  Payer

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  FTC moves to block Edwards’ JenaValve acquisition

  Edwards Lifesciences and JenaValve said they remained committed to completing the deal and would defend the case in court.

  Government

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  Healthcare bankruptcies dipped to 3-year low in the second quarter

  Although fewer companies are expected to file for Chapter 11 protections in 2025 relative to last year, significant headwinds remain on the horizon, according to a new report from Gibbins Advisors.

  Hospitals

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  HHS abandons mRNA vaccine research

  One vaccine expert called the move, which cancels some $500 million in messenger RNA research contracts, a “giant step backward for science.” 

  Government

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  More urban hospitals dually classifying as rural under Medicare: study

  Dually classifying allows urban facilities to benefit from rural health programs, even as many rural facilities struggle financially and are at high risk of closure, researchers wrote.

  Hospitals

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  Hinge Health beats Wall Street expectations on revenue in first public earnings

  The digital musculoskeletal care company hit the public markets in May, one of just a few digital health firms to complete an IPO in recent years.

  Health IT

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  Trump administration illegally axed NIH grants, government watchdog says

  The Government Accountability Office can file a lawsuit in an attempt to restore the grants. However, the agency has not opted to do so during the second Trump administration.

  Government

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  Incoming UnitedHealth CFO steps down from Centene’s board

  A clause in Wayne DeVeydt’s new contract prevents him from participating in activities that compete with UnitedHealth. That’s standard for senior executives.

  Payer

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  Gates Foundation pledges $2.5B to women’s health research

  The investment, which the foundation says is its largest in women’s health, will support research in maternal health, obstetric care and sexually transmitted infections, among other areas.

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  More than half of patients report health insurance denied drugs for chronic or rare diseases: poll

  The survey also found high rates of alternative funding programs, controversial arrangements in which employers outsource access to pricey specialty drugs to third parties.

  Payer

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  States sue to stop ‘unconstitutional pressure campaign’ on gender-affirming care

  A coalition of 16 states and Washington, D.C., argue the Trump administration is trying to ban gender-affirming care for minors without going through Congress.

  Hospitals

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  Trump administration finalizes health IT rule on prior authorization, electronic prescribing

  The regulation should enable workflow automation to limit paperwork burdens on providers, regulators said.

  Health IT

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  Physicians saw a 3.7% bump in pay last year — but it wasn’t distributed equally

  Women and pediatricians were likely to receive lower compensation relative to their peers, according to Doximity's 2025 physician compensation report.

  Medical Groups

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