Healthcare Payers / Providers

CMS’s preliminary guidance to states on its interpretation of the One Big Beautiful Bill’s  (OBBB) Medicaid provider tax provisions does not appear to tighten the screws on states, and thereby threaten hospitals [ARDT, CYH, HCA,…

President Trump’s Truth Social posts over the weekend, along with that of other Republicans, suggest an existential threat for Obamacare insurers [OSCR, CNC, ELV, MOH, UNH] and potentially other commercial health insurers [CI, CVS] while…

Listening to recent earnings calls held by various Medicare Advantage (MA) insurers and value-based care providers [HUM, ALHC, AGL, UNH, CVS, ELV] leaves us with the following thoughts on the MA regulatory policy environment for…

CMS’s final CY26 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), released late Friday, offered a split-screen picture for physicians, largely depending on whether they provide care in the office / freestanding center (positive) or in a facility…

Even amid a government shutdown, the remaining months of 4Q25 promises various policy catalysts across the health insurer and provider landscapes, informing company growth and revenue prospects for the year ahead. To help investors keep…

As the November 5 deadline approaches for state submissions to the highly anticipated $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), uncertainty remains about whether – or even how – these funds will reach hospitals [CYH,…

The Trump administration’s new guidance on employer-sponsored fertility benefits and deal with Merck KGaA’s (MRK.GY) EMD Serono to sell select fertility drugs at most-favored-nation (MFN) prices, which were announced Thursday, boosts visibility for companies like…

Policy headwinds facing pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) [CVS, CI, UNH, ELV] remain entrenched despite shifting details since this spring. Recent developments, like California’s PBM law, White House drug pricing efforts, and the FTC litigation, underscore…

We think this morning’s court ruling against Humana (HUM) in its Medicare Advantage (MA) Stars litigation is likely the end of the road in its efforts to secure a higher score for its 2026 payment…

We remain optimistic that home health companies [EHAB, PNTG, ADUS, BTSG, UNH, AVAH] will secure some mitigation in the final CY26 Medicare reimbursement rule, which may be released as early as month’s end and as…