Wakefield, Massachusetts-based Optum, owned by UnitedHealth, has agreed to a $2.3 billion cash and stock deal to buy Surgical Care Affiliates (SCA) and its 190 surgical hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers.

A Forbes article by Reenita Das takes a look at healthcare technology. Whether its connecting patients to physicians near or far, reconstructing the foundation of healthcare or the introduction of robots, Das believes this year see the pros outweighing the cons.

AMGA, an association representing medical groups and integrated systems of care, today announced the addition of three new members to its Board of Directors, beginning their tenure in January 2017. Joining the AMGA Board are the following:

Between 2010 and 2015, payments for Medicare Part D catastrophic coverage tripled to $33 billion, thanks to increased prices for drugs, according to a report from HHS’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG).

Houston’s MD Anderson Cancer Center will try to combat $50 million in recent operating losses by cutting payroll by 1,000 people, including up to 900 layoffs.

While many drugs, such as buprenorphine, are effective in treating opioid addiction, little is understood about what contributes to patients failing to continue treatment in the long term. In a study published in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, researchers evaluated characteristics of patients who stuck with a buprenorphine treatment program beyond the one-year point.

With more than 40,000 reported Zika virus infection cases in the U.S., researchers and physicians are working harder than ever to find treatments for the dangerous virus.

The healthcare industry would suffer the greatest job losses due to the loss of federal funds if parts of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are repealed, according to an analysis from the Commonwealth Fund.