Today's Healthcare Pulse
Abridge teams with Eli Lilly and Nvidia to expand AI scribe platform
Abridge announced a partnership with Nvidia to build a foundation model for clinical conversations and secured a strategic investment from Eli Lilly to boost evidence‑based care. The AI scribe provider now serves more than 300 health systems and is extending its platform to integrate with payers.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Kardigan targets $1.4B valuation in US IPO
Federal Telehealth Policy in 2026: What the Medicare Extensions Mean
Congress approved the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026, extending key Medicare telehealth flexibilities through Dec. 31 2027. The extension preserves waivers for in‑person visits, home‑based originating sites, audio‑only services, and broader clinician eligibility, while renewing the Acute Hospital at Home program to 2030. Permanent changes already exist for behavioral health telehealth, allowing unrestricted home delivery and audio‑only options. Stakeholders are now urging stand‑alone telehealth legislation to replace temporary funding‑tied measures.
STS Spells Out Training Pathway for Robotic Surgery
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) unveiled a five‑phase training pathway to standardize robotic cardiac surgery adoption, covering prerequisites, baseline team training, initial clinical use, efficiency gains, and mastery. The guideline mandates at least three years of attending experience or...
US Stalls Flu Vaccine, Lags China on Nasal COVID
Not only has the US blocked a significant advance for a flu vaccine, but it has done nothing, unlike China, to advance a nasal Covid vaccine that achieves mucosal immunity to block infections https://t.co/FXnaWjxkWV https://t.co/WABn5324U8
Both Low-Fat and Low-Carb Diets Tied to Less Heart Disease
A large prospective analysis of three U.S. cohorts found that both low‑carbohydrate and low‑fat eating patterns can reduce coronary heart disease risk when they emphasize nutrient‑dense, plant‑based foods. In contrast, versions of these diets high in animal fat, animal protein,...
ICE Enables Accurate Senescence Detection From Sparse Single‑Cell Data
ICE: robust detection of cellular senescence from weak single-cell signatures using imputation-based marker refinement https://t.co/PDp6oK5s3W https://t.co/8cPgIQEuID
ICYMI: Patients Vs. Profits, Exposing the Insurance Middlemen (The Chad Prather Show)
In this episode of The Chad Prather Show, host and health‑care writer discuss the recent congressional hearing on big‑insurance CEOs, exposing how insurers have built vertically integrated conglomerates that drive up premiums, deductibles, and Medicare Advantage denials. They highlight the...
Steven Posnack Leads Panel on Transparency, Affordability
At the @HHS_TechPolicy Annual Meeting #astp2026 and Steven Posnack @HealthIT_Policy is leading a panel on #transparency and #affordability https://t.co/6yn7f8LbPC
Women Show Greater Dementia Risk Reduction From Shingles Vaccine
A retrospective cohort study of Kaiser Permanente members aged 65 and older found that receiving two doses of the recombinant zoster vaccine (Shingrix) was associated with a 51% lower incidence of dementia. The protective effect was observed across age, racial,...
Industrial and Medical AI Drive Real Profits, Not Hype
Flashy AI tools make headlines, but industrial or medical AI often generates the real profits. https://t.co/phSUIEUOy5
Real Talk if You’re Looking for a Job at a Health Tech Startup | Out-Of-Pocket
The article offers candid advice for professionals targeting health‑tech startup jobs, emphasizing the trade‑off between flashy titles and actual compensation. It stresses the need for candidates to be opinionated, self‑aware of their performance level, and to leverage AI tools for...
ACE Inhibitors Linked to Reduced Mortality in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
A large UK observational study published in Chest found that angiotensin‑converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor use is linked to an 18 % relative reduction in all‑cause mortality among idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients, with a hazard ratio of 0.82. The analysis covered...
NIH Researchers Identify Four-Marker Blood Test That May Improve Early Pancreatic Cancer Detection
NIH‑backed researchers reported a four‑marker blood test that improves early detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The panel combines CA19‑9, THBS2, ANPEP and PIGR, achieving 91.9% overall accuracy at a 5% false‑positive rate and 87.5% sensitivity for stage I‑II disease. The study...
The ACA’s 2027 Overhaul: What the NBPP Proposed Rule Actually Means for Health Tech Entrepreneurs
The episode breaks down the CMS‑9883‑P proposed rule for the 2027 ACA payment notice, highlighting transformative provisions such as State Exchange Enhanced Direct Enrollment (SBE‑EDE), the certification of non‑network Qualified Health Plans, the repeal of standardized plan options, a lower...
New Medicaid Work Rules Likely To Hit Middle-Aged Adults Hard
Starting in January, new Medicaid work requirements will compel about 20 million low‑income adults in 42 states to log at least 80 hours of work, volunteering, or schooling each month to retain coverage. The rules disproportionately affect middle‑aged adults, especially women...
End of Enhanced Obamacare Subsidies Puts Tribal Health Lifeline at Risk
Tribal health‑insurance programs that rely on ACA premium subsidies are facing a funding crisis after the enhanced tax credits expired at the end of 2025. Premiums have surged, forcing tribes like Fort Peck and Blackfeet to limit enrollment and risk...
BioRestorative Concludes Phase II BRTX-100 Trial Enrolment for cLDD
BioRestorative Therapies announced completion of patient enrollment for its Phase II BRTX‑100 trial in chronic lumbar disc disease, enrolling 99 subjects at 15 U.S. sites. The double‑blind, sham‑controlled study randomizes participants 2:1 to receive an autologous hypoxically cultured mesenchymal stem cell...
Eight Biotech Companies Spearheading the Antibody Drug Conjugate New Wave
A new wave of eight biotech firms is redefining antibody‑drug conjugates (ADCs) by pursuing unconventional targets, advanced linker chemistries, and novel cytotoxic payloads. Companies such as Adcendo, Adcentrx, and Tubulis are advancing phase 1/2 programs that address sarcoma, Nectin‑4, NaPi2b, and...
Healthcare Before Medicare: Your Options
In this episode of The Retirement Answer Man, Roger Whitney walks listeners through the three primary health‑care options available before Medicare eligibility: COBRA continuation coverage, ACA marketplace plans, and part‑time employer group insurance, while also noting other alternatives like private...
A One Two Gene Therapy Punch to Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer
The episode explores EnGene's experimental gene therapy, detalimogene, for treating non‑muscle invasive bladder cancer, a condition affecting half a million new patients annually. Ron Cooper, EnGene's CEO, explains how the therapy uses a non‑viral vector to deliver a dual payload...
ACI’s 22nd Annual Paragraph IV Disputes: Elevate Your 2026 Hatch-Waxman Strategy
The American Conference Institute will host its 22nd Annual Paragraph IV Disputes Conference on April 21‑22, 2026 in New York’s Times Center. The two‑day forum gathers brand‑name and generic drug stakeholders to discuss Hatch‑Waxman litigation strategies, recent case law, and evolving PTAB practices. Featured...
Avoiding ‘Stacking’ Consequences: Top Home-Based Care Employment Law Considerations
Home‑based care providers are confronting a fragmented employment‑law landscape, prompting a Polsinelli webinar that outlines urgent compliance steps. Within the next three to six months firms should audit wage, leave and worker classification, verify salary‑range postings, and evaluate AI‑driven recruiting...
Amazon One Medical Introduces Health Insights to Help Patients Better Understand Their Lab Results
Amazon One Medical launched Health Insights, a beta tool that converts routine bloodwork into personalized health information. Developed with Lifeforce, the feature evaluates over 50 biomarkers and delivers a wellness score, domain‑specific analysis, and evidence‑based lifestyle recommendations at no extra...
3-Day Hospital Stay Rule for Nursing Homes Fails to Improve Outcomes, Cut Costs, as Researchers Question ‘Rigid’ Thresholds
A JAMA Internal Medicine cohort study of more than 600,000 Medicare hospitalizations found that reinstating the three‑day inpatient rule lengthened stays but did not curb skilled nursing facility (SNF) discharges, improve 30‑day outcomes, or lower Medicare spending. The rule increased...
Dr. Oz Says Drinking Is a ‘Social Lubricant.’ Some Experts Worry About That.
Dr. Mehmet Oz described alcohol as a “social lubricant” while the U.S. dietary guidelines were revised to eliminate the traditional one‑drink‑for‑women, two‑drinks‑for‑men cap. The updated recommendations now only advise Americans to drink “less,” despite evidence that even low‑level consumption raises cancer...
CMS Proposes 2027 ACA Marketplace Changes to Address Rising Premiums
CMS released a proposed rule for the 2027 ACA marketplaces aimed at curbing rising premiums and stabilizing enrollment after enhanced subsidies expired in 2026. The rule would allow non‑network plans to sell on the exchanges, extend catastrophic coverage terms up...
A Conversation About Nighttime Itch with Gil Yosipovitch, M.D., Dermatology Professor at Miller School of Medicine at the University of...
Researchers at the Miami Itch Center, led by Dr. Gil Yosipovitch, found that nocturnal pruritus spikes due to circadian shifts in cytokines, increased skin permeability, and a modest rise in skin temperature. The study links chronic itch to chronic pain,...
New Grants Fuel Psychedelic End-of-Life, Palliative Care Innovation
Healing Hearts Changing Minds (HHCM) announced a $566,260 grant program called Walking Each Other Home, supporting seven hospice, palliative and psychedelic care organizations across the United States. The funding will enable clinical trials of psilocybin for brain‑tumor patients, ketamine‑assisted psychotherapy...
MDMOM: Innovating Around Maternal Health in Maryland
The Maryland Maternal Health Innovation Program (MDMOM), funded with $15.8 million from HRSA, is coordinating data, quality improvement, workforce development, and community engagement across all 32 birthing hospitals in the state. Led by Dr. Andreea Creanga, the initiative has instituted statewide...
AdvaMed Names New EVP of Technology and Regulatory Affairs
AdvaMed announced Melissa Torres as its new executive vice president of technology and regulatory affairs, succeeding long‑time leader Janet Trunzo. Torres arrives with more than two decades of FDA leadership, most recently as associate director for international affairs at CDRH....
Getting Smart With Virtual Assistants in Healthcare
Mayo Clinic launched an in‑house Nurse Virtual Assistant, a generative AI tool that instantly curates patient records and policy information for nurses. The initiative demonstrates a problem‑first approach, targeting clinician workflow inefficiencies rather than shoehorning technology. The article expands the...
Florida Law Models What Genetic Disease Testing Could Be
Florida enacted the Sunshine Genetics Act, creating the nation’s first state‑backed newborn whole‑genome sequencing program. The five‑year pilot will offer free opt‑in testing to 100,000 infants, funded by a mix of private and state resources, and establishes a new Institute...
Respiratory Care, Stroke Care, and Women’s Health: Philips CMO on the Exciting Possibilities in Digital Health
Philips Chief Medical Officer Dr. Carla Goulart Peron outlined the company’s push into digital health, emphasizing expanded CPAP and respiratory solutions integrated with consumer wearables. She highlighted AI’s role in early detection, especially for stroke and women’s heart disease, while...
Hawley and Warren Introduce “Break Up Big Medicine Act” To Force Separation of Insurers, PBMs and Providers
Senators Josh Hawley and Elizabeth Warren introduced the Break Up Big Medicine Act, a "Glass‑Steagall"‑style bill that would prohibit common ownership of health‑care providers with insurers, PBMs, or drug/medical device wholesalers, forcing divestiture within a year. The legislation targets vertically...
Iterative Mindset versus AI and GLP-1s: Why Shortcuts Weaken the Brain
The article warns that reliance on AI tools and GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs creates shortcut mentalities that weaken the brain’s motivation circuits. Behavior‑change expert Kyra Bobinet argues that these “easy buttons” prevent the iterative learning process that builds lasting competence. She...
Baxter Cuts Roughly 90 Jobs at IV Solutions Plant that Recovered From Hurricane Helene
Baxter International announced it is cutting roughly 90 positions at its Marion, North Carolina IV solutions plant, representing about 3% of the site’s workforce. The facility, which supplies roughly 60% of U.S. IV fluids, recovered from Hurricane Helene damage but...
Oracle Expands Cloud SCM Capabilities to Address Complex Needs of Process Manufacturers
Oracle announced new capabilities in its Fusion Cloud SCM suite tailored for process manufacturers. The updates introduce AI‑assisted recipe synchronization, dynamic batch sizing, and granular yield modeling to handle blending, mixing, and batch‑based production. Enhanced traceability features include lot‑specific unit‑of‑measure...
Listen to the Latest ‘KFF Health News Minute’
The KFF Health News Minute, a weekly health‑policy briefing, highlighted a range of pressing issues in February. It noted that the expiration of extra Affordable Care Act subsidies is leaving American farmers vulnerable, while hospitals are launching their own Medicare...
CommonSpirit Health at Home’s ‘Aggressive’ Hospice Growth Strategy for 2026 and Beyond
CommonSpirit Health at Home announced an aggressive hospice growth plan through 2026 and beyond, prioritizing de novo site launches and selective acquisitions. Leveraging its extensive health system network, the organization will shift upstream by using EHR‑based eligibility triggers to identify...
DDW Highlights: 10 February 2026
In this 15‑minute episode, DDW host Bruno Quinney recaps five major stories from the past week, highlighting breakthrough cancer therapies that promise greater efficacy and safety, and new research aimed at enhancing brain function in Alzheimer’s patients. He also touches...
Health First’s Carr Weaves Tapestry for Integrated Payer-Provider Platform
In this episode, Michael Carr, VP and CIO of Health First, discusses the organization’s integrated payer‑provider platform built on Epic’s suite, including the provider rollout and the Epic Tapestry health‑plan implementation. He highlights how consolidating nine disparate systems into a...
CDC's National Firefighter Registry for Cancer Is Now the Largest in the Nation
The episode announces that CDC’s National Firefighter Registry for Cancer (NFR) has surpassed 40,000 participants, making it the nation’s largest firefighter cohort for studying occupational cancer risk. It explains how the registry gathers detailed work histories and links them to...
The “R” In CRO: How and Why CROs Should Harness Open-Source R Software
Open‑source R is reshaping statistical programming in clinical trials, offering CROs a cost‑effective, flexible alternative to traditional licensed tools. Its extensive package ecosystem, combined with RMarkdown and Shiny, enables rapid automation, interactive reporting, and reproducible workflows. While sponsors are increasingly...
The ASC Sale-Leaseback Opportunity
Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) owners are increasingly using sale‑leasebacks to unlock the equity tied up in their buildings. By selling the property to an investor and signing a 10‑15‑year triple‑net lease, physicians retain operational control while converting real‑estate assets into...
Enhancing Health Data Sharing: Sequoia Project Publishes Guides for Automated Consent & Privacy Alignment
The Sequoia Project released two practical guides on February 9, 2026 to accelerate automated, computable patient consent across the United States. One guide provides model legislative language to align state‑level sensitive health‑data laws with national technical standards, while the second offers...
‘The New Normal’: Nursing Home M&A Is Being Shaped by Regional Operators, REITs, and Private Capital
The skilled‑nursing sector entered 2026 with strong occupancy and higher state reimbursements, restoring profitability for many facilities. Financing remains robust, but activity has shifted toward acquiring and refurbishing existing homes rather than new construction. Regional operators are snapping up underperforming...
💊 Hims & Hers: When the Growth Story Runs Into the Regulator
In this episode Edward Corona dissects the sudden 16% plunge of Hims & Hers Health (HIMS), linking it to a dual blow from GLP‑1 hype‑driven expectations and mounting legal and FDA scrutiny. He explains how lawsuits and regulatory pressure are...
Skilled Nursing Dealbook: Arizona Nonprofit Sells for $30M-Plus, Viventium Acquires Apploi
Evans Senior Investments brokered the sale of the nonprofit Glencroft Center for Modern Aging in Glendale, Arizona, fetching $30.15 million—about $134,000 per bed—despite a 47% occupancy rate and a 1‑star CMS rating. The deal doubled the seller’s expected proceeds by creating...
FDA’s New Guidance on Consumer Wearables Makes the Medtech Market More Complex
The FDA’s new guidance clarifies, rather than rewrites, the line between general‑wellness wearables and regulated medical devices, emphasizing intended use as the decisive factor. By allowing sensor‑rich products to remain unregulated if they avoid medical claims, the agency reduces regulatory...
A Guide to Cloud Cost Optimization in Healthcare
Healthcare providers are grappling with rising, unpredictable cloud costs as AI‑driven workloads expand. Experts from AWS and Trend Micro stress a hybrid approach, placing latency‑critical patient data on‑premises while leveraging cloud elasticity for analytics and AI training. Successful cost control...
Maine: Preliminary 2026 Open Enrollment Data Shows Rising Affordability Challenges for Mainers' Health Coverage
Maine’s state‑run CoverME.gov marketplace reported its lowest enrollment since launch, with 58,523 consumers signing up in 2026 – a 9.5% drop from the previous year. New customer registrations fell 24%, while the share of enrollees receiving Advance Premium Tax Credits...