Risant Health’s first CEO to step down
Sydney Halleman / healthcaredive - Dr. Jaewon Ryu said he was stepping down to spend more time with his family. Risant is bringing out Dale Maxwell, a retired hospital executive, to serve as interim leader while it searches for a replacement.
AI Summary: Risant Health’s founding chief executive announced a departure and the board named an interim leader — a former Presbyterian health executive — to steer daily operations. The leadership change at a relatively new organization focuses attention on continuity, governance and executing strategy while a permanent successor is sought.
Wellstar Health System lays off 761 corporate, administrative staff
fiercehealthcare - The cuts translate to about 2% of the nonprofit system's headcount, and do not include frontline care roles.
AI Summary: Wellstar Health System eliminated 761 corporate administrative positions in a major restructuring aimed at cutting costs and improving financial footing. While executives frame the purge as fiscal discipline, the scale of the cuts risks disrupting administrative operations and staff morale as the system seeks smoother, leaner back‑office functions.
CMS locks in 2.3% inpatient hospital base pay increase, nudges back CJR-X Model start date
fiercehealthcare - The Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) final rule's base pay increase is slightly below what was proposed earlier this year, though the agency said it now expects the rule's changes to bring hospital payments hundreds of millions of dollars highe…
AI Summary: CMS finalized a 2.3% increase to the inpatient hospital base rate and pushed back the start date of the mandatory CJR‑X (comprehensive joint replacement) model, giving providers extra runway to adjust. The move eases short‑term reimbursement pressure and shifts timing for hospitals’ budgeting, reporting, and operational changes tied to the joint‑replacement mandate.
FTC sues Hims & Hers over alleged privacy violations, deceptive billing practices
Jill Hughes / healthcaredive - Regulators say the telehealth company illegally shared patient health data with advertisers and misled its customers. Hims & Hers hit back, calling the claims “baseless.”
AI Summary: Federal regulators have filed a lawsuit accusing telehealth and wellness firm Hims & Hers of improperly handling consumer data and engaging in misleading billing practices. The action alleges privacy violations and deceptive charges tied to subscription services, prompting scrutiny of digital health companies that promised convenience — and apparently delivered confusion instead.
CMS to end subsidies for Medicare drug plan premiums
Emily Olsen / healthcaredive - The CMS said the program, which went into effect last year to stabilize Part D premiums and enrollment, isn’t needed anymore. One researcher said some enrollees could see higher premium increases in 2027 as a result.
AI Summary: CMS will terminate its Part D premium stabilization subsidy, a program that helped blunt year-to-year premium swings for Medicare drug plans. The move removes a federal backstop aimed at keeping beneficiaries’ premiums lower, likely pushing costs onto enrollees and plan sponsors while igniting concerns about affordability for seniors and people on fixed incomes.
Centene boosts guidance amid $1.1B Q2 profit, ACA membership drop
Elizabeth Casolo / beckershospitalreview - Centene brought in a $1.1 billion profit for the second quarter of 2026, up from a $253 million loss at the same time last year, according to the company’s July 28 earnings report. Total revenue approached $53.6 billion for the quarter, up nearly 10% year…
AI Summary: Centene reported a dramatic Q2 turnaround, posting about $1.1 billion in profit and raising its 2026 guidance despite an ACA membership decline. Executives credited improved margins and operational adjustments for the rebound, signaling a healthier financial posture as the company navigates policy and enrollment headwinds.
Prediction Market Betting on Drug Trials and Approvals Sparks Concern About Undermining Research
Rebecca Robbins / nytimes - Prediction markets on Kalshi and Polymarket now let people wager money on drug approvals. Kalshi also plans to allow bets on clinical trial results.
AI Summary: Betting platforms have started offering markets on clinical trial outcomes and FDA decisions, stirring alarms among regulators and researchers. Critics warn these markets could incentivize insider trading, leak-sensitive information, or distort trial conduct, prompting calls for oversight and clearer rules to protect scientific integrity and participant safety — because apparently Wall Street needed another hobby.
Intermountain Health acquiring interests in 2 Idaho hospitals for $795M
fiercehealthcare - The nonprofit would become the sole owner of the 88-bed Idaho Falls Community Hospital and share ownership of the 38-bed Mountain View Hospital, It's been a minority investor in both since 2023.
AI Summary: Intermountain Health is acquiring Surgery Partners’ stake in two Idaho hospitals in a deal valued at roughly $795 million, expanding its regional footprint and consolidating local hospital operations. The transaction aims to stabilize services and investments in community care, though it will face the usual regulatory and integration headaches everyone pretends are quick.
ASCO Names 34 Oncology Leaders as 2027 FASCO Fellows
oncodaily - The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has recognized 34 oncology professionals with the 2027 Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology designation, honoring their sustained service, engagement, and […]
AI Summary: ASCO announced its 2027 FASCO fellows, recognizing 34 oncology leaders for sustained contributions in clinical care, research and education. The class includes clinicians and investigators receiving individual congratulations for their impact on cancer practice and policy—official recognition that translates into prestige, networking opportunities, and the occasional humble‑brag.
FDA Approves Belzutifan with Pembrolizumab for Adjuvant Treatment of Renal Cell Carcinoma
esmo - Evidence for efficacy is based on the results from the LITESPARK-022 study
AI Summary: Regulators have cleared the combination of belzutifan and pembrolizumab as adjuvant therapy for renal cell carcinoma at high risk of recurrence after nephrectomy. Clinical data showed improved disease‑free survival versus control, offering a new post‑surgery option intended to delay recurrence in patients with residual recurrence risk.
New treatment approach improves survival, reduces recurrence risk in muscle-invasive bladder cancer
medicalxpress - Researchers have found that a combination of enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab helps patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer live longer while reducing the risk that their cancer will return after surgery, according to an international phase 3 cli…
AI Summary: Practice‑changing data and a network meta‑analysis have clarified perioperative strategies for muscle‑invasive bladder cancer, showing that certain neoadjuvant and adjuvant approaches improve survival and reduce recurrence. Recent trial results and comparative evidence are prompting shifts in treatment sequencing for cisplatin‑eligible patients, moving the needle on standards of care.
- Biomarkers and AI Predict Immunotherapy Benefit and Toxicity (4)
- EV‑Pembrolizumab: New Perioperative Standard for Cisplatin‑Eligible MIBC (4)
- Neoadjuvant Combinations and Bladder Preservation Trials (4)
- Network Meta-Analysis Clarifies Optimal Perioperative Strategies (3)
- All Other Stories
Biomarkers and AI Predict Immunotherapy Benefit and Toxicity
EV‑Pembrolizumab: New Perioperative Standard for Cisplatin‑Eligible MIBC
Neoadjuvant Combinations and Bladder Preservation Trials
Network Meta-Analysis Clarifies Optimal Perioperative Strategies
All Other Stories
It has begun: Foxconn amassing army of workers for iPhone 18 Pro assembly
appleinsider - Months ahead of the fall launches, and historically right on time, Apple supply chain partner Foxconn has started to hire a small army of assemblers to build the iPhone 18 Pro.Workers at a Foxconn facility - Image source: FoxconnEach summer, the Apple sup…
AI Summary: Agenus has suspended the BATTMAN clinical trial and announced a follow‑on program called ROBBIN after strategic reassessment, a move that has raised questions about transparency and participant communication. The abrupt pivot highlights tensions between rapid corporate decision‑making and the need to maintain patient trust in oncology research.
US court rules abortion pill restrictions 'unlawful'
medicalxpress - A federal court in Virginia has ruled that restrictions imposed by the U.S. drug regulator on the abortion pill mifepristone are "unlawful" and ordered the Trump administration to reconsider them.
AI Summary: A U.S. court ruled recent restrictions on the abortion pill unlawful, reaffirming FDA regulatory standards and restoring broader access. Industry groups filed briefs backing FDA oversight, warning that legal uncertainty would harm patients and research. The ruling calms access for now while legal and policy debates continue.
Cardinal Health to buy Strive Medical, AdaptHealth's diabetes health business for $360M
fiercehealthcare - The pharmaceuticals and specialty products distributor plans to buy AdaptHealth's diabetes health business unit and medical supply provider Strive Medical in separate deals worth $360 million.
AI Summary: Cardinal Health agreed to buy AdaptHealth/Strive Medical’s diabetes health business for roughly $360 million and pursue additional acquisitions to expand its at‑home care portfolio. The moves aim to accelerate home‑based services and chronic disease support, reflecting a broader industry push to shift care out of hospitals and into patients' living rooms.
The AACR Rare Cancers Initiative: Uniting Researchers, Undoing Barriers, and Unleashing Progress
Steve Schneible / aacr - At the recent AACR Special Conference on Breaking Barriers in the Fight Against Rare Cancers, AACR Immediate Past President Lillian L. Siu, MD, FAACR, announced the AACR Rare Cancers Initiative. Learn more about how this new Initiative will marshal global…
AI Summary: The AACR has unveiled a Rare Cancers Initiative to coordinate researchers, streamline data sharing, and speed therapeutic development for uncommon tumor types. By pooling expertise, funding and networks, the program seeks to overcome the chronic scarcity of trials and resources that leave rare‑cancer patients waiting for attention that’s been hard to come by.
Breathalyzer can 'sniff out' when your body starts burning fat
medicalxpress - Researchers have developed a breath detector with a chemical sensor that sniffs out when your body is burning fat through a single exhale. Reporting in Device, the handheld, smartphone-assisted device measures acetone—a molecule that is released into the …
AI Summary: Engineers developed a breath-based detector that pinpoints when the body shifts to fat oxidation, and shrank it down to a phone-compatible breathalyser. The device measures volatile markers in exhaled breath to indicate metabolic state, enabling noninvasive, real‑time monitoring of fat burning for weight-loss or metabolic research — because your phone now judges your dinner choices.
DHS finalizes 4-year visa limit for international physician training
Paige Twenter / beckershospitalreview - On July 17, the Department of Homeland Security finalized a rule capping U.S. stays for international students and exchange visitors at four years, ending the open-ended “duration of status” framework for medical trainees. Here are six things to know: 1. …
AI Summary: The Department of Homeland Security finalized new visa policies that alter the duration and structure of certain training‑related visas for international physicians, decoupling program length from visa terms. The changes aim to tighten immigration controls while raising concerns about workforce planning and the pipeline of internationally trained clinicians in U.S. health systems.
AHRQ terminates dozens of patient care research grants: Report
Elizabeth Gregerson / beckershospitalreview - HHS’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has begun to terminate funding for research related to strengthening patient safety, care delivery, clinical practice and policy, and workforce training, according to a July 16 report from AcademyHealth. Aca…
AI Summary: The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has discontinued dozens of active research awards focused on patient care, citing programmatic changes and funding shifts. The abrupt terminations leave investigators scrambling and could slow progress on projects aimed at improving clinical practice and outcomes—proof that research pipelines are only as sturdy as their funding lines.
Molina Healthcare plans more marketplace exits as ACA segment falters
fiercehealthcare - Molina Healthcare is planning further reductions in its marketplace business as high costs continue to pressure that segment, the company's top brass told investors on Thursday morning.
AI Summary: Molina Healthcare announced plans to withdraw from additional Affordable Care Act marketplaces, citing financial challenges and market pressures. The move signals growing instability for some insurers in the ACA exchange space and could limit options for consumers in affected regions, while reigniting debates about market design and access.
- Hospitals and employers feel squeeze as uninsured rates climb (4)
- Insurers retreat from ACA exchanges, sparking debate over causes (4)
Hospitals and employers feel squeeze as uninsured rates climb
Insurers retreat from ACA exchanges, sparking debate over causes
Samsung launches beta version of AI-powered health assistant across US
fiercehealthcare - The tool, dubbed Samsung Health Assistant, allows users to ask questions and receive personalized guidance and recommendations in the Samsung Health app.
AI Summary: Samsung has launched a beta version of its AI‑powered health assistant across the United States, offering consumers an on‑device tool to track and manage health tasks. The rollout tests functionality and user engagement while reminding everyone that “beta” often means “expect surprises,” particularly when medicine and machine learning meet.