July 24, 2025

Hospital acquisition of physician practices has doubled over 2 decades and could be linked to higher prices and lower physician income, the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) finds.

Humana’s lawsuit was dismissed against CMS over its star ratings by a federal judge. It was ruled that the company filed prematurely before exhausting the administrative appeals process. This decision could cost the insurer up to $3 billion in 2026 due to reduced reimbursement.

Of the $1.1 trillion in projected healthcare spending cuts, $326 billion comes from implementing work requirements, $149 billion from limiting state-directed payments, and $191 billion from freezing provider taxes. These changes along with the large increase in the uninsured population are expected to significantly impact rural hospitals and providers that depend heavily on Medicaid reimbursement.

An analysis of 105 insurers across 19 states and D.C. shows that most are seeking premium hikes between 10–20%, with over a quarter requesting increases of 20% or more. Unlike previous years, these proposed rate hikes are driven primarily by policy uncertainty—especially the scheduled expiration of enhanced premium tax credits at the end of 2025 and rising costs due to tariffs on drugs, medical equipment, and other healthcare supplies.

A 2024 analysis showed that 2.8 million individuals were enrolled in multiple programs and fixing this issue could lead to a potential cost savings of $14 billion a year.