Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente says the 30 percent price hike Salem (Ore.) Health is seeking for Kaiser insurance members in the Salem market is too steep. Salem Health argues the increase is justified, according to The Lund Report. 

Penalties for up to 31 percent of hospitals in CMS' Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program were misclassified last year, according to a study published in JAMA Cardiology.

The financial challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have forced hundreds of hospitals across the nation to furlough, lay off or reduce pay for workers, and others have had to scale back services or close. 

Select Specialty Hospital-Muskegon (Mich.), a 31-bed long-term acute care provider, will close by the end of October, according to MiBiz. 

Here are 10 updates on HCA Healthcare, a 186-hospital system based in Nashville, Tenn., reported by Becker's Hospital Review since Sept. 1. 

UnitedHealth Group recorded higher revenue and $3.2 billion in profit during the third quarter of 2020 as the company saw care volumes move closer to pre-pandemic levels.

Hospitals can't use COVID-19 provider relief grants to repay Medicare advance payments issued earlier this year, according to an FAQ document published by HHS. 

Four rural hospitals in Kentucky have shut down since 2009 and up to 28 others are vulnerable to closure, according to a report from the Kentucky Hospital Association. 

Lake Charles Memorial Health System recently laid off 205 workers, or about 8 percent of its workforce, as a result of damage sustained from Hurricane Laura, according to The Acadiana Advocate.

Intermountain Healthcare, a 24-hospital health system based in Salt Lake City, is eliminating 250 business function positions to reduce costs and improve healthcare affordability, the health system announced Oct. 13.