Why 2026 Will Force Structural Change Across Healthcare
Rather than reacting to individual policy changes, organizations are forced to rethink their strategies more holistically. This convergence presents a challenging but powerful window for healthcare leaders to realign priorities and enact forward-looking roadmaps.
Withdrawal From WHO Raises New Questions for U.S. Healthcare Strategy
The United States has formally begun its withdrawal from the World Health Organization, ending nearly 80 years of membership and reshaping its role in global health governance. While the move is rooted in political and financial critiques, healthcare leaders are now assessing what reduced engagement with the WHO could mean for pandemic preparedness, data sharing, and global health security.
CMS Overpaid Many Hospitals After Change Healthcare Cyberattack, While Hundreds Missed Out
Researchers from the University of Minnesota examining the federal response to the incident found that CMS overpaid a significant portion of hospitals through its accelerated and advance payment program, while hundreds of other facilities that experienced significant financial losses did not receive assistance.
Kaiser Permanente to Pay $46M for Patient Data Breach
The Oakland-based health system will pay at least $46 million and as much as $47.5 million to settle a class action lawsuit filed by several patients who said their information was caught up in KP’s consumer-tracking programs, which can share data with Microsoft, Google, X (Twitter) and Adobe.
Providers Get Good News on Hospital at Home, Telemedicine Prescription Waivers
Advocates hailed the move as proof that the program, which enables health systems and hospitals to provide hospital-level care at home through platforms that include in-person visits, digital health and virtual care, is proving its value.
Study: Virtual Care Visits Dropped During the Shutdown
In a FAQ issued earlier this month, CMS has affirmed that it will reimburse providers for telehealth services used during the shutdown, which lasted from October 1 through November 13.
Should Nurse Practitioners Have Full Practice Authority?
Wisconsin was one of the most recent states to grant NPs full practice authority earlier in August. This means that APRNs will have their own licenses and be able to operate independently as certified nurse midwives, certified registered nurse anesthetists, clinical nurse specialists, and NPs.
Healthcare Leaders Are Hamstrung by On-Again Off-Again Telehealth Waivers
The CMS Acute Hospital Care at Home waivers, launched in 2020 at the height of the COVID pandemic, expired at the end of September, but were revived in last week’s Congressional action to reopen the federal government.
Waivers’ End Pushes Healthcare Leaders to Make Tough Decisions on Telehealth, Hospital at Home
Health system and hospital leaders are cutting telehealth and Hospital at Home programs following the expiration of pandemic-era CMS waivers, but that doesn’t necessarily mean those programs are gone for good.
3 Essential Trends that CMOs Must Follow in 2025
Key takeaways from the CMO Exchange include adoption trends for artificial intelligence tools in clinical care, advice for policy management and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reporting, and successful strategies for reducing physician burnout.