The Gist Healthcare Podcast

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina moves to buy FastMed urgent care centers in the state. More than nine million people have been removed from state Medicaid rolls six months into the redetermination process. And, new analysis looks at how many rural hospitals have switched to the new Rural Emergency Hospital designation. That’s coming up on today’s episode of Gist Healthcare Daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Congressional committees have weighed legislation over the past months that would further regulate pharmacy benefit managers, if passed. But these bills may not have a significant impact on drug spending, and could even have the opposite of their intended effects, according to new analysis from the Brookings Institution. On today’s episode of Gist Healthcare Daily, Matthew Fiedler, Joseph A. Pechman Senior Fellow in Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution and senior fellow with the Brookings Schaeffer Initiative on Health Policy, joins to talk more about what he and his team found. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Walgreens and startup health insurer Alignment Health partner on Medicare Advantage plans for 2024. Amazon’s One Medical quietly rebrands its Iora Health senior care clinics. And, new analysis finds that family premiums rose an average of 7% for employer-sponsored health coverage this year. That’s coming up on today’s episode of Gist Healthcare Daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CMS has removed amyloid PET scan restrictions for Medicare beneficiaries. Novo Nordisk stops its Ozempic trial for treating kidney failure following early signs of the drug’s success. And, a new study finds that healthcare providers continue to leave the field in droves. That’s coming up on today’s episode of Gist Healthcare Daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hundreds of physicians at Allina Health vote to unionize. California raises the minimum wage for healthcare workers. And, Walgreens moves to close 60 VillageMD locations in an effort to cut costs. That’s coming up on today’s episode of Gist Healthcare Daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kaiser Permanente and the unions representing its healthcare workers who recently went on strike reach a tentative new contract agreement. National retail pharmacy chain Rite-Aid files for bankruptcy. And, the number of Medicare Advantage plans rated four stars or more drops for the 2024 plan year. That’s coming up on today’s episode of Gist Healthcare Daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In early October, Providence Health unveiled Praia Health, its fourth, incubated technology. Praia utilizes what the Digital Innovation Group calls a digital flywheel to keep patients engaged with their care by personalizing individuals' health journeys and seamlessly connecting them to the right services, products and resources. On today’s episode, we hear the second half of JC’s conversation with Sara Vaezy, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Digital Officer for Providence, where they talk more about Praia’s value proposition to hospitals and the future of the health system’s digital strategy. You can listen to the first part of our conversation here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UnityPoint Health and Presbyterian Healthcare Services call off their proposed merger. California is one step closer to establishing universal health coverage for residents. And, AmSurg will officially split from parent company Envision, amid Envision’s bankruptcy restructuring. That’s coming up on today’s episode of Gist Healthcare Daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Walgreens names former Cigna executive Tim Wentworth as its next CEO following the departure of its former chief executive Roz Brewer last month. And, some final updates from HLTH, including Walmart’s decision to expand its virtual primary care pilot to all of its employees and their families. That’s coming up on today’s episode of Gist Healthcare Daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An estimated 10,000 people descended on Las Vegas this week to attend HLTH23, a three-day conference that brings together healthcare stakeholders from around the world. The conference reflects some of the biggest changes happening in health and tech, including this year’s star: artificial intelligence. That’s coming up on today’s episode of Gist Healthcare Daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.