HE homepage

Trending
FDA clears new AI model for pulmonary hypertension
DOJ accuses New York health system of engaging in anticompetitive business practices
Patient injected with acid instead of saline earns undisclosed settlement
FDA sees promise in voice-based AI model for heart failure
Software errors lead to major insulin pump recall—manufacturer shares a fix
Hospital gurneys
Lawsuit dropped against squatter patient who refused to leave hospital room for 5 months

It’s unclear why Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare dropped its lawsuit, but it did so with prejudice, meaning the hospital cannot refile. There are many unanswered questions surrounding the unusual case, including how common incidents like this are and whether or not the hospital can technically bill for the time the room was occupied.

UnitedHealthcare Avery AI Application
UnitedHealthcare launches generative AI ‘companion’ for patient care coordination

The new agentic program, called “Avery,” is now available to millions of UnitedHealthcare members through insurer's existing app. The company said the model will help patients find providers, understand their benefits, get updates on claims and more.

The U.S. Congress is working on healthcare legislation to fix medicare reimbursements and end annual cuts to physicians.
Report: GOP looking to cut healthcare to offset $200B Iran war spending

Republicans are said to be considering cuts to cost-sharing programs through the Affordable Care Act as a means to save money and fund the U.S. Department of War, which is looking for $200 billion to cover not only the conflict in Iran but also domestic immigration enforcement.

mail-1048452_960_720.jpg
Apology letters sent to 531 patients after MaineHealth declares them dead

The initial condolences were mailed out as a result of a computer error, a hospital spokesperson said. The recipients were never marked as deceased on any official records. 

Report: CMS sent states lists of names for impromptu Medicaid eligibility check

President Donald Trump’s administration wants states to check to see if hundreds of thousands of residents are enrolled in Medicaid illegally. CMS provided a specific list of people it suspects are undocumented.

Medicare physician fee schedule final rule 2026.
Medicare Physician Fee Schedule cuts cardiologist pay because CMS says doctors should be more efficient

The new, negative 2.5% efficiency adjustment will be applied to the vast majority of Medicare payments for physician services. It was opposed by cardiology and most other medical societies. 

Medicare Money
CMS 2026 physician fee schedule emphasizes chronic disease management, includes pay raise

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced a 3.26% reimbursement increase for all providers, with those enrolled in alternative payment models seeing a higher rise.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a new draft guidance designed to help applicants add clinically relevant information about QTc interval prolongation to the labeling of non-antiarrhythmic drugs
Contractor for clinician-focused addiction recovery program sued over ‘punishingly expensive’ practices

The plaintiffs, 10 nurses and one doctor, are all enrolled in the state-mandated initiative for clinicians with past substance abuse issues. The rules require monitoring and regular drug testing to prove sobriety; however, the lot argues that the contractor in charge, Maximus, is being dishonestly punitive.

cleveland clinic settles for failing to disclose research funding
Class action lawsuit over 5.6M breached records at Yale New Haven settled for $18M

The settlement fund is being established for victims of the March 8 data breach, with a hearing to finalize the agreement scheduled for March 2026. Yale New Haven Health System denies any wrongdoing.

Around the web

Radiology Business
Bipartisan bill would cap radiologist pay cuts in Medicare program

Lawmakers led by Rep. Greg Murphy, MD, R-N.C., are reintroducing the Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, which is endorsed by the AMA and MGMA.