Medicare Part D sponsors paid pharmacies $587.7 million for some over-the-counter drugs with obsolete prescription-only labels, despite CMS oversight. Medicare Part D does not cover OTC drugs. According to an Aug. 31 HHS Office of Inspector General report, Part D…

States are moving at markedly different speeds to deploy billions of dollars in new federal funding for rural healthcare. The $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program was established under HR 1 and is administered by CMS, which will distribute $10…

Hospitals are seeing more self-pay patients as coverage losses mount across both the ACA and Medicaid markets. In a study published Aug. 31, Epic Research found self-pay visits are increasing across hospital settings as Medicaid enrollment has fallen across the…

New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health recorded operating income of $76.1 million (1.4% margin) in the second quarter of 2026, down from $100.3 million (2% margin) in the same quarter last year, according to its Aug. 31 financial report.  Six…

California hospitals and health systems have seen a heavy year for layoffs, shedding hundreds of jobs tied to challenges like thinning margins, policy and economic headwinds and rising operating costs. Here are seven hospitals and health systems in California conducting…

Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare has eliminated a “small percentage” of positions across its corporate office and support functions, a spokesperson for the publicly traded for-profit system confirmed to Becker’s Sept. 2.  The spokesperson did not specify the exact number of…

New York City-based Mount Sinai Health System and EmblemHealth have come to an agreement that allows continued access for new patients with some government-backed coverage. “Based on recent productive discussions with EmblemHealth, we have decided to reopen our panels to…

Several of the nation’s largest health insurers rolled out reimbursement policy changes Sept. 1, ranging from new lab testing coverage limits at UnitedHealthcare to a billing overhaul at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan that has drawn pushback from providers. …

Federal lawmakers are beginning to return from their summer recess, with the House of Representatives resuming session Aug. 31 and the Senate scheduled to return Sept. 14.  With only a handful of legislative days remaining in the session, lawmakers are…

St. Louis-based SSM Health’s Southern Illinois region signed an operational support agreement with McLeansboro, Ill.-based Hamilton Memorial Hospital District, CBS affiliate KFVS reported Sept. 1.  The agreement does not change ownership or oversight of the Hamilton Memorial, according to the…