The Vitamin Shoppe launches telehealth service
Whole Health Rx connects users with licensed healthcare providers in real time and will initially focus on weight management solutions.
Steward’s landlord Medical Properties Trust posts $736M loss in Q1 as hospitals flounder
The real estate investment trust reported nearly $700 million in impairments related to Steward. However, executives said rental agreements are not what drove the troubled health system to bankruptcy.
CMS proposes mandatory kidney care model with financial risk for hospitals
The model, if finalized, will test whether putting hospitals on the hook for kidney transplant access and quality might improve the nation’s shoddy system of organ procurement and transplantation.
Ascension hit by cybersecurity incident affecting clinical operations
The major nonprofit health system detected “unusual activity” on some network systems Wednesday.
AstraZeneca withdraws COVID-19 vaccine, citing declining demand
The move ends a turbulent saga for AstraZeneca, which successfully developed a coronavirus shot but struggled to sell it amid competition and the emergence of rare but serious side effects.
House committee advances bill that would extend telehealth flexibilities
The legislation would extend a number of Medicare flexibilities through 2026. Lawmakers have until year-end to take action before the pandemic-era rules will expire.
Steward’s financing, hospital sales take center stage during bankruptcy hearing
During its first bankruptcy hearing, Steward’s attorney lamented delays to its physician group deal and warned the timeline for hospital sales was “not feasible.”
Yale New Haven sues to get out of Prospect hospital acquisition
Yale says Prospect allowed the conditions at three Connecticut hospitals — which it agreed to acquire in 2022 — to deteriorate. Prospect argues the lawsuit is an “11th hour attempt” to back out of the deal.
MA health assessments contribute to inflated coding intensity: study
Some limits on how the assessments are used might be justified to ensure Medicare Advantage plans aren’t overpaid, researchers wrote.
Private equity investing in healthcare continues to slow
Heightened antitrust scrutiny from state governments and regulators in Washington is having a chilling effect on deals, according to PitchBook analysts.