News Briefs
Appeals Court Set to Rehear No Surprises Case
An appeals court is set to rehear a case from providers trying to restrict what factors insurers consider in calculating a key metric that arbiters use to determine fair payment amounts in disputes over out-of-network bills. It's a win for providers after a panel of judges from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals previously sided with the federal government in the case -- and an unexpected one, given petitions for such rehearings are rarely granted.
(Source: Healthcare Dive, 2025-06-04)
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Hospital CEOs Get Creative to Boost Workforce Amid Shortages
In the face of ongoing workforce shortages and rising labor costs, hospital CEOs are revamping their approach to designing and building teams. Whether it's investing in education partnerships, strengthening nurse residencies, or responding to the evolving needs of younger generations, hospital leaders are thinking creatively about workforce sustainability.
(Source: HealthLeaders Media, 2025-06-06)
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Study Finds Healthcare Jobs Rebounded from Pandemic, Not Evenly
Healthcare jobs have not only rebounded from the COVID-19 pandemic, but now slightly exceed their pre-pandemic projections, according to a new study published in JAMA. Between the fourth quarter of 2019 and the second quarter of 2020, U.S. healthcare employment fell by nearly 1.4 million jobs, or 6.9 percent below projected levels. But by the third quarter of 2024, the workforce had returned to 24.4 million jobs, just 0.2 percent below where it would have been if growth trends had continued uninterrupted.
(Source: Medical Economics, 2025-06-06)
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Pause on New Visas Will Impact Already Dwindling Physician Supply
Newly minted M.D.s are among the thousands of students, trainees, teachers, and exchange visitors put in limbo after the Trump State department hit pause on new visa appointments, as it develops a plan to vet visa candidates' social media. For foreign-born and educated doctors who haven't snagged an appointment yet, the timing couldn't be worse -- most medical residencies officially begin July 1, with orientations for the newest M.D.s (known as interns or P.G. 1s) starting sometime in June.
(Source: Forbes, 2025-06-03)
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Student Loan Bill Could Worsen Physician Workforce Shortage
President Trump's proposed budget would make deep cuts in government health plans and medical research, and, critics say, could also make finding a doctor more difficult. It restricts loans that students rely on to pursue professional graduate degrees, making the path to becoming a physician harder even as doctor shortages loom and the American population is graying.
(Source: The New York Times, 2025-06-09)
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PBMs Going to Court to Battle Pharmacy Ownership Restrictions
Drug price middlemen are going to court to fight a first-in-the-nation effort to police their ownership of retail pharmacies as more state legislatures and Congress crank up scrutiny of their influence on the cost of medicines. Large pharmacy benefit managers like CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, and Optum Rx are increasingly being blamed for higher drug prices and the outsize role they play in the pharmaceutical supply chain.
(Source: Axios, 2025-06-03)
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Rural Providers Lack Resources to Strengthen Cyber Defenses
Increased attention by policymakers, industry leaders, and the public has put a spotlight on healthcare cybersecurity challenges, pushing providers across the U.S. to improve their cybersecurity programs. But for some organizations, such as rural and critical access hospitals, small physician practices, and federally qualified health centers, the resources needed to strengthen cyber defenses are few and far between. They often lack the funding, staffing, and support to defend against sophisticated cyberthreats consistently.
(Source: Tech Target, 2025-06-03)
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NIH Seeking Comment on New Artificial Intelligence Strategy
The National Institutes of Health is seeking comment from industry on a new artificial intelligence strategy for the agency. The forthcoming plan adds to the pro-AI stance of the administration and to explicit actions to center the use of the technology with the Department of Health and Human Services.
(Source: FierceHealthcare, 2025-06-06)
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Survey Suggests Health Organizations Not Ready to Implement AI
Healthcare professionals think generative artificial intelligence could help solve workforce and burnout challenges facing the sector. But many organizations aren't ready to fully implement the technology, according to a survey by information services firm Wolters Kluwer. Only 18 percent of respondents knew about formal policies at their healthcare organizations on overseeing generative AI, and just 20 percent said staff were required to take a structured training course, according to the report.
(Source: Healthcare Dive, 2025-06-05)
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19% of Healthcare Leaders Say Care Impacted by Cyberattacks
Cyberattacks are no longer a theoretical concern for healthcare leaders, they're a daily threat with real-world consequences. According to the 2025 Healthcare IT Landscape Report from Omega Systems, nearly one in five healthcare leaders (19 percent) say a cyberattack has already disrupted patient care within their organization.
(Source: Medical Economics, 2025-06-05)
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Nursing Home Staff Conflicts Bring About Safety Concerns
Nursing home staff remain split on whether their workplaces are safe environments for employees, with just 54 percent rating them very good or excellent, according to new results from federal Surveys on Patient Safety Culture. Elsewhere, 43 percent of respondents reported that their coworkers are rude or bully other staff.
(Source: McKnight's Long-Term Care News, 2025-06-05)
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