Modern Healthcare

UnitedHealth plans to invest $3 billion in artificial intelligence over 2026 and 2027, already claiming a 2-to-1 return.

UnitedHealth’s $3B AI push has bots calling doctors

Berkshire Partners, Warburg Pincus and Bon Secours Mercy Health will continue backing the company.

Thoreau Group to make strategic investment in Ensemble Health

Medicare Advantage insurers are in line for an estimated $428 million windfall when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recalculates quality scores across the sector.

Clover Health — whose successful lawsuit against the agency triggered the new ratings — and Humana will be among the health insurance companies that see the greatest increases in bonus payments through the Medicare Advantage Star Ratings program, according to an analysis Rex Wallace Consulting performed for Modern Healthcare.

That $428 million represents 2.3% of the $18.54 billion the agency will pay out in bonuses for the 2026 plan year, the analysis found. CMS announced the original scores in October.

Eighteen Medicare Advantage carriers will receive higher bonuses, according to Rex Wallace Consulting.

Medicare Advantage star ratings redo boosts Humana, Clover Health

Distalmotion CEO Greg RocheMore procedures are shifting from hospitals to ambulatory surgery centers, and the lower-reimbursement settings are driving demand for surgical robots that are more affordable and more agile.

Intuitive Surgical remains the dominant player in hospital-based, soft-tissue robotic surgery and is trying to gain a foothold in ambulatory surgery centers. Distalmotion, which announced the first U.S. sale of its Dexter Robotic Surgery System in March 2025, designed the robot with the outpatient setting in mind.

Dexter has been adopted by providers such as Altamonte Springs, Florida-based AdventHealth and Buffalo, New York-based Northtowns Ambulatory Surgery Center.

In an interview, Distalmotion CEO Greg Roche said all the robots it’s sold this year in the U.S. went to ambulatory surgery centers. Dexter’s compact footprint and mobility make it well suited for this environment, he said.said the company is benefiting from hospitals seeking to move more procedures to ambulatory surgery centers.

How outpatient surgery is opening the door for robot makers

The hospital sector called on federal authorities to intervene against Eli Lilly over the 340B Drug Pricing Program.

Lilly halts 340B drug discounts, triggers fury

Judge Donald Middlebrooks said none of The Leapfrog Group's arguments in its appeal were convincing.

Judge denies Leapfrog Group’s appeal of Tenet lawsuit ruling

Learn how payer organizations can assess credentialing operations, reduce inefficiencies and strengthen compliance with a data-driven framework.

Credentialing Framework Helps Payers Improve Efficiency and Compliance

Claims-based analysis shows fewer surgeries can reduce MSK spend and deliver 4.7x ROI for Medicare Advantage plans.

4.7x ROI for Medicare Advantage Plans

CMS is revising 2026 Medicare Advantage Star Ratings, restoring some bonus payments and reopening the 2027 bid process.

CMS is recalculating 2026 Medicare Advantage star ratings

Discover how intelligence-driven supply chain strategies help healthcare organizations improve resilience, forecasting and financial performance.

Healthcare Supply Chain Intelligence Transformation