The NHS has started using a new rapid genetic test that can diagnose brain tumours in approximately two hours while patients are still on the operating table, compared to the previous wait of up to eight weeks. The test uses DNA analysis to identify which type of tumour a patient has, allowing doctors to begin treatment much sooner.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is preparing to reset Medicare laboratory payments in 2027, citing new private-payer data indicating the program currently pays substantially more than necessary for lab services.
Academic health systems are accelerating hospital acquisitions at an unprecedented pace, driven by financial pressures including staffing shortages, aging infrastructure, heavy Medicare and Medicaid dependence, and mounting payer denials affecting hundreds of facilities.
Mayo Clinic and Thermo Fisher Scientific are forming a new company called Precure to generate population-scale molecular data that will inform the development of diagnostics, therapies, and other healthcare products.
Novo Nordisk announced its experimental drug CagriSema achieved 12.4% average weight loss in diabetes patients, surpassing Eli Lilly's rival treatment. Meanwhile, Eli Lilly reported 700,000 new seniors have begun GLP-1 treatments since Medicare coverage for obesity drugs launched in July, with 70% choosing Lilly medications.
Sudan's medical infrastructure is deteriorating amid spreading disease and epidemics, doctors warn, as Egypt, Sudan and US officials meet to discuss ending the ongoing conflict that has devastated the country's healthcare system.
Multiple telehealth companies offering quick prescriptions for sensitive conditions like weight loss, sexual health, and mental health are repeatedly exposing customers' private medical data due to gaps in U.S. health privacy regulations. The FTC has filed suit against Hims & Hers over data practices and prescribing standards.
Nearly $12 billion in Medicaid funding has been restored to Texas hospitals, resolving a nearly year-long dispute with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The hospitals had been slated to lose $27 million per day during the standoff.
Patrick Velliky, HaloMD's chief external affairs officer, maintains the No Surprises Act is reducing out-of-network spending despite contradictory research, while responding to criticisms of both his analysis and the company.
HHS Office of Inspector General audits found that Humana and UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans exaggerated the health needs of members through upcoding practices, resulting in nearly $180 million in overpayments between 2020 and 2021.
Nearly four-fifths of minority ethnic managers in England's NHS have experienced racism, exclusion and discrimination during their careers, with one in five now planning to leave their positions, according to a new report.
Newly released records show Medicare's controversial AI-based prior authorization pilot program experienced lengthy treatment delays, technical problems, backlogs, and early warnings about contractor readiness issues.
A new modeling study published in The Lancet suggests that US Medicare's most-favored-nation pricing policy, which ties Medicare payments to prices in other high-income countries, could reduce US spending on brand-name drugs but incentivize pharmaceutical companies to increase prices or delay launches in lower-price markets like Europe.
A study by the Urban Institute found that new work requirements and frequent eligibility checks in the Big Beautiful Bill could cause up to 2.3 million young adults to lose Medicaid coverage. The disenrollment risk is particularly high for young adults who move frequently and work in gig economy jobs, making it difficult to prove continued eligibility.
A group of Democratic lawmakers called for suspension of a new surveillance program quietly launched by the Trump administration to collect personal and identifiable health data from Americans who visit emergency rooms.
South Africa's Eastern Cape province will receive 197 additional ambulances as health officials work to address a persistent crisis in emergency medical services, though authorities acknowledge the new vehicles alone will not resolve the underlying issues.
Thirty-eight doctors at Dora Nginza Hospital in Gqeberha, South Africa have issued a collective warning that conditions in their obstetrics and gynaecology department pose an 'unacceptable risk' to mothers and babies. Their letter details failing electrical infrastructure, broken resuscitation equipment, and staff shortages following a maternal death.
UK health innovation minister James Frith has raised concerns about Palantir's work with the NHS, as new figures reveal tens of thousands of patients have withdrawn their data from use in research projects.
Bereaved parents in Sussex are being encouraged to participate in public meetings as part of a major independent review into maternity and neonatal services. The review follows cases like that of Susan Cacciacarro, whose daughter Chiara died in 2021 at nearly 37 weeks of pregnancy.
The House Veterans Affairs Committee voted unanimously to subpoena Oracle Health executives Larry Ellison and Mike Sicilia after the VA's electronic health record contract costs nearly tripled from $10 billion to $27 billion.
NHS care boards and local councils are preventing disabled people from using their care funding outside the UK, effectively blocking them from international travel. Campaigners are raising concerns about these restrictions that limit the mobility and freedom of disabled individuals who rely on public care support.
A non-invasive urine test being trialled by the NHS has been found to detect more than nine in ten bladder cancer cases in a study of 964 patients across seven NHS urology centers. The test, led by the University of Birmingham and Nonacus, could help reduce reliance on cystoscopies and waiting lists.
Seriously ill children across England are being denied the chance to die at home due to widespread gaps in NHS end-of-life care provision, with reports highlighting staffing shortages forcing treatment in corridors and temporary spaces. Critics say the NHS is flouting its legal duty to provide adequate palliative care in many areas.
Insurance broker Aon forecasts U.S. employer healthcare costs will jump 9.5% in 2027 to over $19,000 per employee on average, driven by increased medical utilization and high-priced drug spending, representing potentially the largest increase in two decades.
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that insurers cannot include ghost rates or exclude bonus payments when calculating the qualifying payment amount used to determine reimbursement for out-of-network bills, a major win for healthcare providers that could increase their payments.
The Trump administration finalized a rule prohibiting Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program from covering gender-affirming surgeries and hormone treatments for transgender minors, threatening to pull federal funding from states that continue such coverage.
Médecins Sans Frontières reports that one in two children screened in displacement sites in Baidoa, southwest Somalia, are acutely malnourished, with one in four severely malnourished. The crisis has been exacerbated by an 80% drop in funding for malnutrition response programs this year, alongside ongoing drought and conflict.
Governor Moore and the Maryland Department of Health announced the first round of awards totaling $80 million for the Rural Health Transformation Program, aimed at improving healthcare access and infrastructure in rural areas of the state.
Healthcare facilities in Canada, the UK, India, Australia, and the US are grappling with critical staffing shortages, leading to reduced patient care, bed closures, and workforce burnout. The crisis spans from intensive care units operating short-staffed to mental health facilities struggling with junior staff burnout and courts ordering governments to fill vacant positions.
More than two-thirds of NHS mental health providers in England are planning to cut services, with half expected to eliminate jobs, threatening to increase wait times for millions of adults and children seeking mental health care.
Physicians for Human Rights Israel released a report warning that the Palestinian public healthcare system in the occupied West Bank is on the brink of collapse, citing Israel's withholding of tax revenues from the Palestinian Authority as pushing hospitals and clinics to crisis point.
Global investment firm KKR has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Medicover India, the Indian hospital business of Stockholm-based Medicover, in a deal valued at approximately $1.3 billion (₹10,000-14,250 crore). The acquisition marks KKR's largest healthcare deal in India and includes a 24-hospital network, with plans for additional investment of ₹3,000-4,000 crore for expansion.
CVS Health exceeded second-quarter earnings and revenue estimates and raised its full-year guidance, driven by better-than-expected medical costs in its Aetna insurance business. The results signal improvement in the struggling insurance division.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services finalized a 2.3% payment increase for inpatient hospitals in fiscal year 2027 and introduced the first nationwide mandatory payment model for joint replacements starting in 2028. Hospital groups criticized the raise as inadequate and objected to the mandatory nature of the new model.
NHS England has issued an apology and acknowledged that employees from Palantir and other suppliers have access to identifiable patient data, contradicting previous transparency claims that only NHS staff could view such sensitive information. The admission has prompted NHS England to revise how it evaluates the controversial £330 million Palantir platform deal amid staff concerns.
More than 200 members of the American Diabetes Association are calling for two leaders to resign following the controversial expulsion of five diabetes experts from the organization's meeting last month.
The Trump administration has paused over $1 billion in federal Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota, with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. citing suspected fraud and noncompliance. The states must provide documentation to receive the withheld funds.
HCA Healthcare lowered its annual profit forecast on Tuesday, citing a rise in uninsured patients and increased uncompensated care costs driven largely by Americans dropping coverage under Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) plans.
The NHS has announced a long-term strategy to reduce sepsis deaths through earlier detection using wearable technology, remote monitoring, and rapid intervention. The initiative aims to prevent thousands of deaths from the life-threatening condition by 2035.
Health insurers offering Affordable Care Act plans are requesting a median 14% premium increase for 2027, marking the second consecutive year of double-digit hikes and intensifying affordability concerns that have already caused millions to drop coverage.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has proposed cutting Medicare payments for drugs purchased under the 340B Drug Pricing Program in its 2027 rule, reigniting a long-standing dispute between safety-net hospitals and federal regulators over the program designed to help vulnerable populations access medications.
New federal data reveals steep declines in Affordable Care Act coverage across multiple states over the past year, with Ohio and Oklahoma each experiencing losses of nearly one-third of their enrollees.
Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood is resuming after being cut off for most of a year. The restoration of funding ends a prolonged period during which the organization was unable to receive reimbursements through the federal health insurance program for low-income Americans.
The Trump administration has proposed a new regulation through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services targeting hospitals in the 340B Drug Pricing Program, aiming to prevent markups on discounted drugs for Medicare patients and potentially save consumers $1.1 billion next year.
Lawsuits over vision loss risks from Saxenda (liraglutide) emerge as Medicare begins covering GLP-1 medications for seniors over 65, raising questions about proper usage and safety in older populations.
The Trump administration has frozen federal funding for New York's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, with HHS Inspector General Thomas March Bell citing insufficient criminal indictments as the reason for the suspension.
The World Health Organization reported on June 30 that Venezuela's healthcare system is facing significant strain following deadly twin earthquakes, with damaged hospitals, missing staff, and growing concerns about infectious disease outbreaks and food shortages among survivors.
Elevance Health has paid the federal government more than $342 million to settle allegations that it overcharged Medicare Advantage for years. The payment comes amid an ongoing billing probe into the major insurer, which covers approximately 2 million Medicare Advantage beneficiaries.
A coalition of 25 Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit in federal court in Boston challenging a Trump administration rule that implements new Medicaid work requirements and narrows exemptions for medically vulnerable people.
Massachusetts filed a lawsuit against a UnitedHealth insurance unit, accusing it of defrauding the state's Medicaid program (MassHealth) by more than $100 million through inflating patient risk scores to make older patients appear sicker than they were.
New CDC data shows approximately 8% of Americans lacked health insurance in 2025, maintaining recent lows. However, experts warn the uninsured rate could increase as the Trump administration implements sweeping changes to health policy.
Federal officials have imposed a Medicaid funding freeze on California and are threatening similar action against other states, representing a significant escalation in federal-state healthcare policy conflicts.
Medicaid cuts stemming from Republicans' 2025 tax law are now projected to be significantly larger than originally forecast, with estimates reaching $775 billion. This represents a major expansion of expected reductions to the federal health insurance program for low-income Americans.
The Trump administration disclosed plans to reduce Medicaid state directed payments to providers even more than Congress already slashed, setting up a probable confrontation with healthcare provider groups.
ACA Marketplace deductibles hit a record 37% increase in 2026 following the expiration of enhanced tax credits, pushing millions of enrollees toward cheaper, higher-deductible bronze plans. Premium payment rates have also dropped sharply across multiple states.
Multiple states are experiencing significant drops in Affordable Care Act enrollment, with Georgia seeing a 28% decline in premium payments in April compared to the previous year. The trend suggests rising costs from reduced subsidies are causing people to skip payments or drop coverage entirely.
Hundreds of hospitals nationwide face potential closure following Medicaid cuts from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, prompting state lawmakers to explore emergency loans and financial assistance programs to prevent healthcare access disruptions.
A Bloomberg investigation revealed that state health insurance marketplaces, including those in Virginia and Washington, D.C., shared users' personal information including citizenship and race data with advertisers through embedded ad trackers. Virginia and D.C. paused the data collection and sharing following the report.
Atrium Health, one of the nation's largest hospital networks, has proposed acquiring the Raleigh-based WakeMed system. State and local officials are pressing for a delay on the deal, which became public on May 1.
The Department of Justice has announced the creation of a new West Coast Health Care Fraud Strike Force to investigate fraud targeting Medicare and other government health programs in western states including Nevada, responding to criminals following retiree migration patterns.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that its temporary BALANCE model program to cover GLP-1 drugs for obesity in Medicare will not launch as scheduled in January, effectively extending the current coverage approach.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and FDA announced a new pathway to streamline Medicare coverage for breakthrough medical devices, cutting red tape and providing predictability for device manufacturers and faster patient access to life-changing technologies.
CVS Health's Caremark pharmacy benefits unit reached a settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to curb controversial rebate practices in the pharmacy benefits market. The agreement requires Caremark to count consumer purchases from Trump's TrumpRx program toward insurance deductibles, mirroring a similar settlement previously reached with Cigna.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued new guidance implementing limits on federal Medicaid and CHIP funding for certain noncitizen populations, representing a significant policy shift in immigrant healthcare coverage.
Jefferson Health filed a lawsuit against Aetna claiming its policy of reducing reimbursement for certain inpatient hospital stays violates federal law and their reimbursement contract. Aetna disputes Jefferson's claims.
A provision in the GOP's One Big Beautiful Bill Act will make an estimated 100,000 lawfully present immigrant seniors ineligible for Medicare coverage, ending benefits for individuals who paid into the system for years.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services finalized Medicare Advantage rates for 2027 with an $18.6 billion increase and reduced Star Ratings measures, leading to significant stock gains for major Medicare Advantage insurers.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services finalized its Contract Year 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D rule, scaling back the number of measures used to grade health insurers while providing an extra $18.6 billion to plans. The rule promises simpler plan choices, better drug coverage, and lower costs for beneficiaries.
A Public Citizen analysis found 446 hospitals at high risk of closing or cutting services due to roughly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts from the "Big Beautiful Bill." Services most at risk include mental health, maternal care, and rural emergency care, with some major health systems already laying off staff.
A new analysis finds that proposed Medicaid cuts could jeopardize hundreds of hospitals across the United States that collectively provide care for approximately 7 million patients, raising concerns about access to healthcare services.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that 23.1 million people selected health insurance plans through the Health Insurance Exchanges during 2026 open enrollment, maintaining near-record enrollment levels and demonstrating continued stability in the marketplace.
States are implementing plans for a $50 billion congressional fund intended to improve rural health care, but the funding structure may paradoxically incentivize rural hospitals to reduce services or close facilities in some states.
A Harvard-backed study found that the Inflation Reduction Act's drug provisions are helping Medicare beneficiaries stay on their medications. However, the reforms have not yet reduced overall healthcare costs or financial anxiety for beneficiaries.
President Trump announced that all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico have agreed to participate in his administration's 'most favored nation' drug pricing initiative for Medicaid programs, which aims to lower prescription drug costs by tying prices to those paid in other countries.
Health insurance premiums for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans are projected to rise by a median of 14% in 2027 according to preliminary insurer filings analyzed by KFF, marking the second straight year of double-digit increases and creating significant cost pressures for middle-income Americans.
