Hospitals and health systems across the U.S. are increasing cybersecurity budgets, and C-suite executives anticipate spending even more this year.

Less than one year prior to laying off about 1,000 employees, Pittsburgh-based UPMC began leasing a jet for business-related travel. The cost to lease the jet was not disclosed, but a 2023 Bombardier Global 6500 runs at a pre-owned purchase price of $52 million, according to AVBuyers. 

Fitch downgraded Porterville, Calif.-based Sierra View Local Health Care District's rating to "A-" from "A."

The Labor Committee of Mass-Care has unveiled a white paper detailing three key steps that can be taken to prevent Dallas-based Steward Health Care from closing its nine Massachusetts hospitals. 

Chicago-based CommonSpirit plans to lay off workers at hospitals in Oregon and Tennessee in the wake of a $365 million operating loss for the quarter ending March 31. 

 Portland-based Oregon Health & Science University has cut a telehealth nursing unit that launched at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting 21 jobs. 

Emory Smyrna (Ga.) Hospital, part of Atlanta-based Emory Healthcare, has shared plans to phase out its limited services and close Dec. 29.

Palo Alto, Calif.-based Stanford Health Care and Blue Shield of California went out of network on June 29 in Santa Clara and Alameda counties.

As the Federal Trade Commission celebrates another victory in challenging a hospital merger, a policy advisor from Stanford University argues that U.S. policies intended to limit healthcare costs by restricting the supply of hospitals are actually exacerbating the very issue they were meant to address.

Connecticut, Maryland, and Vermont will be the first states to participate in CMS's new population health-focused payment model aimed at addressing chronic disease, behavioral health and overall improvement of care management for states' populations.

Four of the largest for-profit health systems saw operating margins improve year over year for the first quarter, but margins remain volatile for much of the nonprofit hospital sector. 

Hospitals may see more lawsuits related to reimbursement regulations after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Chevron doctrine on June 28, overturning the precedent of deferring to federal agency interpretations during disputes, according to Moody's Investor Services.

Gov. Roy Cooper and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services are using the state's Medicaid program to push hospitals to relieve $4 billion in medical debt for about 2 million low and middle-income people.

From HFMA announcing the 2024 MAP Award winners to three health systems naming new leaders, here are 10 RCM headlines to know from June: 

Chicago-based Howard Brown Health is laying off 43 employees, representing 7 percent of its workforce.

Miami-based Cano Health has emerged from Chapter 11 as a reorganized private company focused on providing quality care in the Florida market.

Median hospital margins increased to 5% year to date in May, but long term trends show persistent month over month instability, according to Strata Decision's Monthly Healthcare Industry Financial Benchmarks.

The board of directors for Portland-based Oregon Health & Science University has approved a 2025 fiscal year budget that moves forward plans to cut more than 500 positions, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting.

Renton, Wash.-based Providence has agreed to pay $12.3 million to support women's health, behavioral health and community benefit services in Southern Sonoma County instead of reopening the family birthing center at its Petaluma (Calif.) Valley Hospital. 

Since January 2005, 192 rural hospitals have closed or converted, according to data compiled by the University of North Carolina's Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research.