Why 131 Hospitals Are Suing HHS Over Alleged Underpayment

Katie Adams / medcitynews - A group of 131 hospitals has sued HHS over a CMS policy they say improperly reduces Medicare disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments. The lawsuit is the latest in a decade-long legal battle over how the agency counts patient days and calculates pay…

AI Summary: One hundred thirty‑one hospitals have filed suit challenging HHS’s 2023 Disproportionate Share Hospital calculation, arguing the agency’s formula undercounts uncompensated care and systematically underpays safety‑net providers. The plaintiffs seek to overturn the rule and recover alleged shortfalls, warning that ongoing underpayment threatens hospital finances and patient access.

CMS finalizes Medicare Advantage star ratings overhaul, sending billions of dollars more to insurers

Rebecca Pifer Parduhn / healthcaredive - Regulators cut almost a dozen metrics that factor into the quality ratings and reverted back to an older and more generous bonus system. MA plans will get more than $18 billion in additional payments over the next decade as a result.

AI Summary: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services locked in a sweeping overhaul of Medicare Advantage star ratings that will shift billions of dollars in payments and alter plan incentives. The ruling adjusts rating calculations and enrollment provisions, prompting industry and provider concerns about downstream effects on access, plan behavior, and provider-network stability.

E.P.A. Targets Microplastics and Drugs in Drinking Water

Hiroko Tabuchi and Maxine Joselow / nytimes - The move drew praise from leaders of the Make America Healthy Again movement who had recently criticized the agency’s handling of toxic chemicals.

AI Summary: Federal agencies are moving from polite warnings to action on contaminants people actually drink. The EPA is targeting microplastics and trace pharmaceuticals in drinking water, while ARPA‑H is pouring funding into health-impact studies, and other agencies are considering formal contaminant designations to force testing, cleanup and new standards. Small particles, big headache.

Group sues CMS for details on Medicare AI prior authorization pilot

Andrew Cass / beckershospitalreview - Digital rights advocacy organization the Electronic Frontier Foundation has filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against CMS seeking information on how the AI algorithms work in its traditional Medicare prior authorization pilot. CMS’ Wasteful and I…

AI Summary: A coalition of tech and privacy groups has sued CMS seeking detailed records about a Medicare pilot that uses AI to automate prior authorization decisions. Plaintiffs argue the agency failed to provide transparency on algorithms, data inputs and patient safeguards, demanding documents to assess legal, safety and fairness risks before the program expands.

CMS: This year's open enrollment brought fewer signups, higher premiums

fiercehealthcare - The administration's official numbers on the 2026 Open Enrollment Period outlined drops in new customers and automatic re-enrollment, the latter of which CMS said stemmed from its crackdown on improper enrollments. Average monthly premiums also increased …

AI Summary: CMS data show this year's ACA open enrollment produced fewer new signups while benchmark premiums climbed, nudging many consumers into higher‑deductible plans. Enrollment sits near 23.1 million for 2026, but the mix of coverage is tilting toward cost‑sharing over comprehensiveness, raising concerns about affordability and surprising out‑of‑pocket shocks for vulnerable families.

Teens are driving the demand for online abortion pills via telehealth

medicalxpress - Teens in the U.S. are obtaining medication abortion pills through telehealth, and young people aged 18 to 24 are ordering medication abortion at much higher rates than older adults.

AI Summary: Telehealth provision of medication abortion has surged, reducing travel for many and prompting a noticeable uptick in online requests from teenagers. Reports show virtual care is reshaping access patterns and forcing healthcare systems and regulators to confront new realities around remote prescribing, confidentiality, and youth access to reproductive services.

Global study estimates over 250,000 meningitis deaths in 2023, with young children bearing a heavy toll

medicalxpress - In 2023, 259,000 people died from meningitis and 2.5 million people were infected with the disease globally, suggests a study published in The Lancet Neurology. Although death and infection rates have declined significantly since 1990, progress is insuffi…

AI Summary: A worldwide mortality analysis estimates more than 250,000 deaths from meningitis in 2023, with young children bearing the heaviest toll. The findings underline gaps in vaccination, surveillance and outbreak preparedness, and call for accelerated prevention efforts—particularly on campuses and in high‑risk populations—before the predictable heartbreak rolls around again.

Two States Sue Cord Blood Bank Over False Advertisements

Sarah Kliff and Azeen Ghorayshi / nytimes - The attorneys general of Texas and Arizona contend that Cord Blood Registry, which stores umbilical cord cells, profited from misleading new parents.

AI Summary: Two state attorneys general filed lawsuits alleging a cord‑blood bank made false or misleading claims about the future therapeutic value of stored units. The actions seek consumer remedies and penalties, challenging marketing that regulators say may have led families to pay for services based on overstated promises about potential medical uses.

UK government recommends maximum two hours of screen time for younger children: What the evidence says

medicalxpress - New UK government guidance recommends that screen time for children under two should be avoided, except for shared activities such as video calls. For children aged two to five, a maximum of an hour a day is suggested. The guidance also outlines that watc…

AI Summary: The UK government updated child‑health guidance recommending strict limits on young children’s screen time, citing evidence linking excessive use to delayed development and poorer sleep. The guidance urges parents and caregivers to prioritize interactive, non‑screen activities and age‑appropriate limits while acknowledging modern practicalities for families.

Population-based lung cancer screening can reduce mortality in people who have never smoked, study shows

medicalxpress - New evidence from a Chinese cohort presented at the European Lung Cancer Congress (ELCC) 2026 shows that one-time low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening can significantly reduce lung cancer mortality in a non–risk based population, including indivi…

AI Summary: A large population‑based study found organized lung cancer screening reduced mortality even in people who never smoked, demonstrating the benefits of expanded CT screening criteria and systematic outreach. The results suggest screening programs can detect lethal disease earlier across broader risk groups, prompting reconsideration of current eligibility rules.

Justice Department sues NewYork-Presbyterian in second hospital antitrust case this year

Sydney Halleman / healthcaredive - Federal regulators accused the health system of using its market power to force insurers into “all-or-nothing” contracts. The Justice Department filed a similar lawsuit against OhioHealth last month.

AI Summary: The Justice Department filed suit alleging NewYork‑Presbyterian engaged in unfair contracting and anticompetitive practices that harmed hospitals, physicians, and patients by restricting competition and raising prices. The complaint signals intensified federal scrutiny of hospital consolidation and contractual arrangements that may lock out rivals and drive up healthcare costs.

Why Providence Wants to Sell Its Health Plan

Katie Adams / medcitynews - Providence announced its intent to sell its health plan, exiting the “payvider” model as rising costs and operational complexity weigh on smaller regional insurers. The move reflects a broader trend of health systems refocusing on core care delivery and e…

AI Summary: Providence Healthcare is actively weighing the sale of its health insurance arm as mounting fiscal pressures force leaders to consider dramatic options. The move would reshape the system’s payer-provider footprint, potentially easing balance‑sheet strain while unnerving patients, employers and regulators who’ll suddenly have a stake in the decision.

New EPA rule could loosen limits on medical device sterilization gas emissions

medicalxpress - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to loosen limits on emissions of ethylene oxide, a gas used to sterilize many medical devices that is also linked to cancer.

AI Summary: The Environmental Protection Agency proposed easing limits on ethylene oxide — the gas hospitals use to sterilize medical devices — arguing the change protects the medical supply chain. Public‑health experts and community advocates warn long‑term exposure raises cancer risks and say rolling back 2024 safeguards could shift the burden onto nearby residents.