FTC requires Ascension divestitures in $3.9B AmSurg deal

Ascension needs to sell seven surgery centers if it wants the deal to close, regulators said. Ascension, which is pursuing the AmSurg acquisition as part of a larger financial turnaround, said it was pleased with the compromise.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • June 2, 2026

Eli Lilly issues data sharing ultimatum to 340B hospitals

Select hospitals have refused to share data to prove they’re not double-dipping drug discounts, Lilly said. Hospitals, which have until Monday to comply, are urging the government to intervene.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • June 2, 2026

Explore the Trendline➔

Surprise Billing

Federal legislation banning surprise bills has hit a barrage of roadblocks, complicating efforts to protect consumers from unexpected out-of-network charges.

By Healthcare Dive staff

‘A missed opportunity’: Payers lash out against surprise billing final rule

A highly anticipated rule finalized Thursday meaningfully improves how insurers and providers settle disputes over out-of-network bills. But payers say it doesn’t go far enough to curb alleged provider abuse.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • May 29, 2026

Judge dismisses BCBS Texas’ surprise billing lawsuit against HaloMD

It’s the fourth federal court in six weeks to reject insurer attempts to relitigate No Surprises determinations, HaloMD said. The dismissals have thrown cold water on insurers’ efforts to contest alleged profiteering.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • May 28, 2026

Trump administration reforms surprise billing dispute resolution

The industry has been waiting for regulators to finalize the rule amid snowballing concerns about how insurers and providers settle out-of-network claims. The regulation is aimed at making that process more efficient.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • May 28, 2026

UHS, George Washington University ink deal to stabilize struggling physician group

UHS will establish a new nonprofit to absorb financial responsibility of GW University’s debt-ridden physician practice group. Executives said the deal should help maintain clinical operations in the D.C. region.

By Sydney Halleman • May 28, 2026

CVS sues to challenge new Tennessee PBM-pharmacy breakup law

The law, which would prohibit PBM conglomerates from owning or operating pharmacies, illegally boots out-of-state companies from Tennessee’s pharmacy market, CVS argued in a suit filed Friday.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • May 27, 2026

Lawmakers mull Medicare physician pay reform to tamp down consolidation

Physician pay hasn’t kept up with the costs of providing care, pushing independent practices to sell to health systems and likely increasing costs, witnesses said during a House subcommittee hearing.

By Emily Olsen • May 21, 2026

Physicians skeptical of insurer pledges to reform prior authorization: survey

Only 33% of physicians surveyed by the American Medical Association said they believed voluntary pledges made by major insurers last year to reform prior authorization would result in any meaningful difference to the industry.

By Sydney Halleman • May 14, 2026

Supreme Court temporarily restores mail-order access to abortion drug

On Monday morning, the Supreme Court paused a lower court’s decision that effectively banned the mailing of mifepristone, after makers of the abortion drug asked the nation’s highest court to intervene.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Updated May 4, 2026

Health system CEOs in hot seat over their role in raising healthcare prices

During a high-profile congressional hearing on Tuesday, one lawmaker said hospitals charge "an insane amount" for care. Still, the CEOs largely passed the buck, arguing their prices are justified.

By Anuja Vaidya • April 29, 2026

Surgeries are moving to ASCs. Distalmotion wants its robot to drive the shift.

CEO Greg Roche says ambulatory surgery centers have largely lacked access to robots for performing soft tissue procedures, until now.

By Susan Kelly • April 29, 2026

Frequency of medical liability lawsuits is declining, but risk remains for doctors: AMA

The risk of being sued is higher among certain specialties like surgeons, and increases the longer doctors practice medicine, according to the medical association's new report.

By Sydney Halleman • Updated April 29, 2026

FTC, US Anesthesia Partners reach settlement in Texas price collusion case

The private equity-backed anesthesia provider bought and bullied its way to market dominance in Texas, driving up prices for patients, the FTC alleged. The parties have now reached a deal, though USAP will not admit liability.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 24, 2026

Providers push back on 340B rebate model

Hospitals and clinics told regulators that switching to rebates in the 340B drug discount program would impose costs that would outweigh the program’s benefits.

By Sydney Halleman • April 21, 2026

Physician burnout is improving but some specialties lag, the AMA finds

The influential physician association surveyed thousands of doctors and found that burnout last year was lower than in 2024 or 2023. Still, certain specialties, especially those on the front lines of care, face an elevated risk of burning out.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 20, 2026

California judge tosses Elevance’s surprise billing suit in win for providers

It’s a major victory for controversial billing intermediary HaloMD, which cheered the court’s decision. Elevance said it plans to appeal.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 14, 2026

AI scribe adoption linked to modest reductions in EHR, documentation time: study

Clinicians’ use of an AI scribe was associated with 13 fewer minutes each day inside electronic health records and 16 fewer minutes on documenting patient care, according to the research published in JAMA.

By Emily Olsen • April 2, 2026

Restoring balance to the No Surprises Act

In response to an opinion piece from the American Hospital Association, Dr. Catherine Gaffigan, president of health solutions at Elevance, defends the company’s new facility administrative policy.

By Catherine Gaffigan • March 30, 2026

Cencora to buy EyeSouth’s retina business for $1.1B

The proposed acquisition is Cencora’s latest push into retina services as the company looks to expand its specialty support business. Cencora doesn't expect the deal to close before the end of September.

By Sydney Halleman • March 24, 2026

CMS sets standards for electronic transfer of claims documentation

The rule standardizes the electronic exchange of medical records and other documents requested by payers to support claims. It should cut out outdated methods like faxes and snail mail, the CMS said.

By Emily Olsen • March 23, 2026

Balancing AI innovation and risk: 5 takeaways from HIMSS26

The healthcare sector will increasingly adopt autonomous agents this year, but it’ll have to consider how to adapt governance structures and manage cybersecurity risks as AI evolves, experts said in Las Vegas last week.

By Emily Olsen and Jill Hughes • March 16, 2026

Safety-net providers tackle AI adoption as Medicaid cuts loom

Artificial intelligence tools could help safety-net organizations close gaps created by massive cuts to Medicaid signed into law last year, experts said at the HIMSS conference.

By Emily Olsen • March 12, 2026

AMA creates new maternity care coding system

The doctors’ association is blowing up the U.S.’ decades-old coding system for recording pregnancy services and starting fresh next year, bowing to calls from OB-GYNs and other maternity specialists.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • March 2, 2026

Kaiser Permanente workers end monthlong strike in California, Hawaii

The workers’ union said “significant movement” at the bargaining table led to the end of the strike. But according to Kaiser, union leadership accepted the wage increase that the health system already offered in October.

By Emily Olsen • Updated Feb. 24, 2026