Healthcare Payers / Providers

Despite reports this afternoon that a bipartisan compromise on enhanced Obamacare premium subsidies will not be ready this week and is now expected to slip to the week of January 26, we continue to expect…

With the start of the new year and holdover of some key issues from 2025, 1Q26 promises various policy catalysts across the health insurer and provider landscapes, informing company growth and revenue prospects for the…

Today’s news that four House Republicans joining House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ (D-NY) discharge petition for a straight three-year extension of the enhanced Obamacare subsidies – and with House GOP leadership narrowly passing its own…

The recent fits-and-starts for around a compromise to avert expiration of the ACA enhanced premium tax credits (eAPTCs) at year-end unsurprisingly remains stalled, with no meaningful concessions from either side’s leaders. As we head into…

Home health (HH) agencies [PNTG, EHAB, BTSG, ADUS, AVAH, UNH] received meaningful relief in Friday’s final CY26 Medicare HH reimbursement rule, which pares back the proposed aggregate spending cut and rate discounts. However, CMS signals…

Our read of the proposed Contract Year 2027 Policy and Technical Changes regulation for Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D (fact sheet here), confirms our expectations for a positive regulatory backdrop for 2027 for MA [HUM, ALHC,…

Media reports (here, here, here) indicate that an ACA compromise may be imminent, with President Trump reportedly offering to support extension of the enhanced premium tax subsidies (with limitations) while channeling a portion into health…

Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) [SGRY, AmSurg, THC, HCA, UNH] secured some policy wins in the final CY26 Medicare outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) rule, consistent with the July proposal (notably a broadened covered procedure list,…

CMS’s final CY26 Medicare payment rule for dialysis centers [DVA, FRE.DE, privately held American Renal] largely aligned with expectations. The rule delivers: A slightly higher YoY increase in aggregate spending, reflecting updated inflation and productivity…

This morning’s Senate Finance Committee hearing on rising healthcare costs did little to break the stalemate on Obamacare, but no one expected a breakthrough today. The hearing primarily served as a venue for both sides…