The Latest

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    Centene swings to loss but predicts stabilization in 2026

    Centene outperformed in the fourth quarter, while predicting earnings growth in 2026 — a rarity among managed care companies’ generally dour outlooks.

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    Tata Communications via Adobe AI

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    Sponsored by Tata Communications

    Harnessing the forces that are reshaping healthcare

    How healthcare CIOs should navigate complexity, AI readiness and care-critical reliability.

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    Courtesy of Hims & Hers
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    Hims cancels plans to sell compounded GLP-1 pill after FDA backlash

    Following escalating legal threats from federal regulators regarding plans to sell an unapproved form of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy pill, Hims said it “decided to stop offering access” to the treatment.

    Updated Feb. 9, 2026
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    HHS scraps 340B rebate pilot in win for hospitals

    The Trump administration agreed to drop a controversial pilot that would have allowed drugmakers to give post-sales rebates on some drugs instead of upfront discounts.

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    Nathan Howard via Getty Images
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    White House’s online service for drug sales debuts with limited impact on prices

    Select products from Pfizer, Eli Lilly and others will be sold at a discount, although the lower costs won’t be felt by many Americans whose medications are covered by insurance.

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    Julia Rendleman via Getty Images
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    Cigna posts ‘low-drama’ fourth quarter following major FTC settlement

    Cigna is hoping the settlement it reached with regulators paired with recent legislation will mollify calls to reform PBMs — without affecting Express Scripts’ profitability.

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    Leigh Vogel via Getty Images
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    Express Scripts reaches ‘landmark’ settlement with FTC in insulin suit

    The agreement includes sweeping changes for Cigna’s PBM, including no longer preferring expensive drugs over cheaper equivalents on standard formularies and reshoring its controversial rebate aggregator.

    Updated Feb. 4, 2026
  • Epic's logo on top of its booth at HIMSS23.
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    Rebecca Pifer/Healthcare Dive
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    Epic rolls out AI charting tool as scribe market heats up

    The vendor could prove a significant competitor in the AI notetaking space, given Epic’s leading market share in electronic health records.

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    Primary care physicians’ EHR work persists after reducing patient visits: study

    Visit volume for physicians who scaled back on appointments declined nearly 33%, but their EHR time only fell 21%, according to a study published in Health Affairs.

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    Win McNamee via Getty Images
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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.

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    Alex Wong via Getty Images
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    CMS presses ahead on accelerated Medicare Advantage audits

    The agency quietly released a memo updating MA plans on how it’s approaching risk adjustment data validation audits after a Texas judge’s ruling last year threw the expanded reviews into doubt.

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    Deep Dive

    Health insurers brace for impact in 2026

    Profits will start to tick up after reaching trough levels. Washington will play nice. M&A and AI adoption will accelerate. We asked experts to look into their crystal balls on what the coming year means for a beleaguered industry.

  • A pen rests on top of a health insurance claim form.
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    One-quarter of Medicaid doctors don’t actually treat Medicaid patients: study

    The new research published in Health Affairs adds to concerns about low physician participation in the safety-net insurance program, especially among mental health practitioners.

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    Top healthcare conferences to attend in 2026

    These are the events healthcare leaders should plan for this year, covering topics like digital health, rural care and financial management.

    Updated Jan. 30, 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.

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    Genetic testing takes greater share of Medicare Part B test spending: OIG

    Spending on the tests, which analyze genetic material from both people and pathogens, rose 20% year over year in 2024, the analysis found.

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    Neiu20001 via Getty Images
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    Humana deploys AI support tool for call centers

    Agent Assist, developed with Google Cloud, summarizes conversations between workers and beneficiaries while highlighting relevant information, like enrollees’ benefit and eligibility details.

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    Medicare Advantage prior authorization requests rise in 2024: report

    Nearly 53 million prior authorization requests were sent to insurers in 2024, compared with nearly 50 million in the prior year, according to KFF. Almost 8% of those requests were partially or fully denied.

  • A tall, modern office building with a facade made up mostly of reflective blue glass windows. The “Tenet Health” logo is displayed near the top corner of the structure. The sky is clear and blue, enhancing the building's sharp, corporate appearance.
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    Alamy
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    Tenet regains full ownership in RCM subsidiary Conifer as CommonSpirit exits

    CommonSpirit, angling to insource its revenue cycle management functions, is offloading its minority share in Conifer back to Tenet. Tenet said the deal will create almost $2.7 billion in value.

  • The top of the U.S. Capitol Building's dome is pictured on a cloudy day.
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    Win McNamee via Getty Images
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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.

  • A Chapter 11 bankruptcy court document, with a pen under the word "bankruptcy."
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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.

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    JHVEPhoto via Getty Images
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    Labor Department wants to strong-arm PBMs into being more transparent with employers

    The DOL proposed a rule that would force pharmacy benefit managers to share a broad range of pricing and compensation information with their employer clients, calling it the most significant proposed PBM reform in decades.

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    Healthcare industry outlook for 2026: Providers, insurers, IT companies look to stability

    Companies are hoping to reshore finances and double down on efficiency initiatives this year as several policy sea changes threaten to upend the industry.

  • Text of the word 'Medicaid' in the middle of a U.S. dollar bill
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    CMS finalizes rule cracking down on Medicaid provider taxes

    The rule puts limits on states levying higher taxes on Medicaid businesses. The CMS argues the tax arrangements allow states to shift costs onto the federal government, but providers say they’re integral for covering the cost of care.

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    Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
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    Medicaid contractors strike deals with CMS to help states execute work requirements

    Ten Medicaid systems vendors have agreed to provide low- or no-cost services to states over the next two years. The Trump administration said the agreements would save $600 million.

  • A sign reading OBAMACARE hangs outside a storefront.
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    ACA enrollment backslides to 23M in 2026

    That’s down 5% from last year. But it’s not the nosedive some market watchers predicted, and a handful of states — notably, Texas — saw robust growth.