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    Top healthcare conferences to attend in 2026

    These are the events healthcare leaders should plan for next year, covering topics like digital health, rural care and financial management.

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    Medicare unveils successor to ACO REACH

    The value-based care pilot will be replaced by ACO LEAD, a new model that providers and analysts say seems to address many of the problems posed by its predecessor.

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    Deep Dive

    Goliath v. Goliath

    A Medicare Advantage network spat between Optum and Humana in Washington state appears to be benefiting UnitedHealthcare at the expense of its biggest rival. Antitrust experts are alarmed.

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    ChristianaCare, Virtua Health end merger talks

    The providers said they can best serve their communities by operating independently. The deal would have created a health system with more than $6 billion in annual revenue.

  • CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz speaks during an announcement at the Department of Health and Human Services on December 18, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
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    Trump administration moves to bar hospitals from providing youth gender-affirming care

    Under new proposed rules, hospitals would lose federal funding if they offer treatments including puberty blockers, hormone therapy or surgical procedures to minors. 

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    House passes Republican health bill without ACA subsidy extension

    The legislation makes no mention of the financial assistance, setting the subsidies up to lapse in just a few weeks.

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    Optum Rx says 100% of network community pharmacies in cost-based contracts

    PBMs are pivoting reimbursement models to protect pharmacies from what they say is an unsustainable status quo.

  • U.S. President Donald Trump displays a signed executive order as U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and White House artificial intelligence and crypto czar David Sacks look on in the Oval Office of the White House.
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    Trump AI order introduces ‘unstable regulatory landscape’: analysis

    The executive order opens a “pandora’s box of not only constitutional issues, but also issues pertaining to the EO’s interpretation and scope,” legal analysts said.

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    Healthcare services M&A could rise in 2026: PwC

    Dealmaking in the sector is poised to increase next year after a lull in 2025, as companies use technology, like artificial intelligence, to attract buyers, according to the report.

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    Federation of American Hospitals names CEO to replace retiring veteran

    Chip Kahn is stepping down after almost 25 years at the for-profit hospital association. He’ll be replaced by Charlene MacDonald, who leads lobbying and public affairs for the FAH.

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    Humana taps ex-Amazon executive as incoming insurance head

    George Renaudin, who has been with Humana for almost 30 years, is retiring, the insurer announced Tuesday. Aaron Martin, previously Amazon’s vice president of healthcare, will take his place.

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    FDA gets mixed feedback on performance monitoring for AI

    Medtech industry groups said the FDA should use existing regulatory and quality tools to monitor performance, while medical groups said device manufacturers should be responsible for monitoring AI.

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    Lawmakers worry about new VA Oracle EHR rollouts

    Thirteen medical centers are scheduled to go live with the Oracle records system next year. But the embattled project hasn’t fully implemented most recommendations from the Government Accountability Office.

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    Cencora takes majority stake in cancer care platform OneOncology for $5B

    The drug distributor has been steadily building up its specialty support assets as it looks to increase access to drugs.

  • Sen. Ron Wyden speaks to reporters following a regular Democratic policy luncheon on April 8, 2025. Wyden is holding up the nomination of Sean Plankey to become director of CISA.
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    Wyden pushes EHR vendors to adopt data privacy features

    The influential senator pressed 10 health IT and EHR firms to implement features that give patients more control over the flow of their health data.

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    Lawmakers say advanced nursing should count as a ‘professional degree’

    A bipartisan group of lawmakers are pushing back against new reforms from the Trump administration that would lower borrowing caps for advanced nursing degrees, arguing they would exacerbate an existing workforce shortage.

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    Trump calls for federal policy framework preempting state AI laws

    States will face evaluation of their AI laws under the executive order, as well as potential restrictions on funding if their laws are found to be burdensome.

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    FDA needs more staff, authority to oversee device recalls, watchdog finds

    “FDA's challenges — such as insufficient staffing — can create inefficiencies in the process and potentially put lives at risk,” the U.S. Government Accountability Office said.

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    Senate rejects competing health bills, setting up ACA subsidy lapse

    The failure of both bills means enhanced subsidies for Affordable Care Act plans will likely expire at the end of the year. Healthcare groups urged lawmakers to extend the subsidies, noting premiums could skyrocket.

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    Texas sues Epic over alleged EHR monopoly

    The suit also accuses Epic of restricting parents’ access to children’s medical records. Epic called the complaint “flawed and misguided.”

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    Hospitals look to manage expenses as uncertainty looms: report

    Only 30% of hospital leaders expect balance sheets to improve next year as health systems grapple with costs and changes to federal healthcare policy, according to Kaufman Hall.

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    Democrats’ ACA subsidy extension adds $83B to deficit, boosts insured: CBO

    The plan to extend the more generous financial assistance for three years is expected to go up for a vote in the Senate Thursday, alongside a Republican alternative that would replace the subsidies. 

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    CHS appoints Kevin Hammons as CEO

    Hammons has served as interim CEO of the hospital operator since October. Also on Wednesday, Jason Johnson, previously CHS’ chief accounting officer, was appointed CFO.

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    Ex-Pfizer executive joins Elevance’s board as insurer pursues pharmacy experience

    Amy Schulman is the second veteran of the pharmaceutical industry that Elevance has added to its board this year.

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    FDA pilots allowing digital health devices access to CMS payment program

    Companies can ask the FDA to waive premarket authorization and investigational device requirements while they collect real-world data in a CMS program.