Our top 10 ECONOMICS stories of the past 30 days

If the budget makes it through Congress intact as submitted—a big if even with the president’s party in the majority in both chambers—healthcare is in for some strict belt-tightening. 

In the three or so years since it burst into healthcare, ambient AI scribe technology has run away with the win in the market-uptake race. What has been the return on investment in all those software packages? 

MGMA says Trump’s immigration policy combined with Congress’s unwillingness to fund additional medical residency positions is a primary driver accelerating the growing U.S. healthcare staffing shortage.

Like a mirror image on a USA map folded in half vertically, the four best states for nurses are two nextdoor neighbors in the upper Northeast and two in the Pacific Northwest. 

The insurance giant has been piloting a program to speed up reimbursement to hospitals in 10 states, reducing delays by roughly 50%. Now, the company said it will work to lift prior authorization barriers on patient care delivery. The intent is to roll out these changes nationwide by the end of 2026, UnitedHealthcare confirmed.

As this midterm-election year barrels toward decision day, health insurers continue taking punches from both political parties. The piling-on might be as unfair as it is understandable.  

The idea was floated as part of a proposed budget for the state released by Democrats in the Senate. If passed, only the top 2% of corporations in California would be impacted. The levy would generate $5 billion to $8 billion annually for Medicaid. 

An exclusive interview with Scott Steiner, CEO of Phoebe Putney—a nonprofit health system that serves Southwest Georgia. 

The American Medical Group Association explains why it has issues with the payment adjustment for Medicare Advantage plans, arguing it fails to keep pace with the real-world costs.

The four best states for pediatric healthcare are bunched together geographically. The four worst are nowhere near each other.