Government
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Colin Campbell/Healthcare Dive
Senators show bipartisan support for reforming 340B during HELP hearing
Lawmakers called for more transparency about how hospitals are using 340B revenue, including audits of participating facilities.
By Susanna Vogel • Oct. 24, 2025 -
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CMS calls back furloughed employees to help with Medicare, ACA enrollment periods
Roughly 3,000 employees are coming back to work on Monday, funded by user fees as the shutdown drags into its fourth week.
By Rebecca Pifer • Oct. 24, 2025 -
Trendline
Labor
Hospitals are navigating persistent labor shortages with the need to cut costs — a source of contention that could leave patients caught in the middle.
By Healthcare Dive staff -
Courtesy of HLTH 2025
HLTH25Top RFK aide lashes out against healthcare industry for profiting off of illness
Calley Means stopped short of accusing hospitals, insurers and drug companies from actively working to keep Americans sick, but said it was an "economic fact" that the companies benefit financially when people are ill.
By Susanna Vogel • Oct. 22, 2025 -
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AHA urges tariff exceptions for certain PPE, medical devices
The American Hospital Association warned future tariffs arising from the Trump administration’s Section 232 investigation could disrupt access to an array of tools and personal protective equipment.
By Susan Kelly • Oct. 21, 2025 -
Susanna Vogel/Healthcare Dive
HLTH25Mark Cuban says Cost Plus Drugs will partner with TrumpRx
Cost Plus Drugs is sharing pricing data with TrumpRx, the administration’s new direct-to-consumer prescription drug website set to launch next year.
By Susanna Vogel • Oct. 20, 2025 -
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HHS says it can still fire workers despite judge’s order pausing shutdown layoffs
The 982 HHS employees who received reduction-in-force notices are not represented by the unions that are plaintiffs in the case, the department’s head of personnel argued in a court filing.
By Rebecca Pifer • Oct. 20, 2025 -
Ned Pagliarulo/Healthcare Dive
CMS slows technical support for rural health fund despite looming deadline
States have just weeks to submit their applications for the new Rural Health Transformation Program, but the CMS says its ability to provide support may be delayed due to the government shutdown.
By Susanna Vogel • Oct. 17, 2025 -
Rebecca Pifer/Healthcare Dive
Oz reiterates need to improve Medicare Advantage payment accuracy
The CMS administrator’s comments at an industry event in D.C. reflect the difficult tightrope regulators in the Trump administration walk as they pursue MA reform.
By Rebecca Pifer • Oct. 15, 2025 -
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California passes laws targeting PBMs, private equity
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an array of healthcare bills into law last week that crack down on pharmacy benefit managers and beef up the review process for deals involving private equity firms.
By Susanna Vogel • Oct. 15, 2025 -
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Senate Finance Committee probes Medicaid contractors over faulty systems
Top Democrats are airing related concerns that the IT chassis underpinning states’ Medicaid operations may not be robust enough to withstand the added pressure from looming work requirements.
By Rebecca Pifer • Oct. 15, 2025 -
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Humana loses Medicare Advantage stars lawsuit for a second time
A federal judge ruled in favor of the CMS on Tuesday, one day before the start of Medicare open enrollment. A spokesperson for Humana said the insurer is considering “all available legal options.”
By Rebecca Pifer • Oct. 14, 2025 -
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Top Democrat questions Medicare Advantage insurers on AI claims denials
The letter from Sen. Richard Blumenthal comes one year after a Senate investigation criticized major MA payers for using predictive technology to deny post-acute care.
By Emily Olsen • Oct. 14, 2025 -
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Trump administration moves to fire HHS employees amid shutdown
Upwards of 1,000 HHS employees were affected. However, the department has rolled back some of the layoffs at the CDC, where the brunt of the terminations were concentrated.
By Rebecca Pifer • Updated Oct. 14, 2025 -
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Winners and losers from 2026 Medicare Advantage star ratings
The CMS quietly released anticipated star ratings data Thursday night. Humana and Aetna saw enrollment in highly rated plans fall, while Elevance’s and Centene’s stars improved and UnitedHealthcare’s stayed stable.
By Rebecca Pifer • Oct. 10, 2025 -
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California is the latest state to enact tougher restrictions on private equity in healthcare
The new law prohibits financial firms from having a hand in medical decisions, including determining how many patients clinicians see per hour or what diagnostic tests are appropriate.
By Susanna Vogel • Oct. 10, 2025 -
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Pharmacy groups defend Iowa PBM law amid legal challenge
The state passed the law in June in a bid to protect independent pharmacies from certain harmful pharmacy benefit manager practices, but it was quickly tied up in litigation.
By Rebecca Pifer • Oct. 9, 2025 -
Permission granted by Aspen Institute
Oz speaks out about shutdown, Medicaid cuts, Medicare Advantage audits and more
Six takeaways from the CMS administrator’s appearance at a D.C. think tank — including why he supports a clean funding bill to reopen the government.
By Rebecca Pifer • Oct. 7, 2025 -
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Supreme Court hears challenge to Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy
The plaintiffs argue that speech in certain healthcare settings ought to be protected by the First Amendment. Critics say that sets a dangerous precedent, where providers can offer debunked or harmful medical advice with impunity.
By Susanna Vogel • Oct. 7, 2025 -
Win McNamee via Getty Images
No Surprises dispute resolution remains operational despite shutdown
However, a prolonged lapse in funding could affect other activities underpinning implementation of the law that holds consumers blameless for unexpected out-of-network bills.
By Rebecca Pifer • Oct. 6, 2025 -
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Medicaid enrollees at risk of disenrollment report multiple chronic conditions: study
About 41% of beneficiaries who could lose coverage due to federal work requirements signed into law this summer have three or more chronic conditions, according to new JAMA research.
By Emily Olsen • Oct. 6, 2025 -
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Sponsored by ECHOPayment fraud in healthcare is getting harder to detect. Here’s how to fight back.
Fraudsters are raising the stakes. Explore why they’re harder to catch and how to strengthen your defenses across every claim payment.
By Brian Young • Oct. 6, 2025 -
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Humana’s Medicare Advantage star ratings slip for 2026
Humana is giving investors an early look at stars data after a CMS slip-up led some information to be inadvertantly shared online. The results are in line with expectations but still unsatisfactory, Humana said.
By Rebecca Pifer • Oct. 2, 2025 -
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UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Aetna scale back Medicare Advantage plans for 2026
The coverage landscape for the privatized Medicare plans will look significantly different next year, giving smaller players a chance to snap up market share but likely creating confusion for seniors.
By Rebecca Pifer • Updated Oct. 3, 2025 -
Alamy
FDA seeks feedback on monitoring real-world performance of AI devices
The agency is looking for ways to detect, assess and mitigate changes to the performance of AI-enabled devices over time.
By Nick Paul Taylor • Oct. 1, 2025 -
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ACA premiums could rise 114% if enhanced subsidies lapse: KFF
Extending the more generous financial assistance is at the center of a funding fight between Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill that shut down the federal government this month.
By Emily Olsen • Oct. 1, 2025
