Chemed Corp (CHE) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Chemed Corp reported mixed Q1 2026 results, with VITAS hospice admissions rising 6% to 17,419 but revenue growth and EBITDA margin lagging due to a shift toward higher‑margin hospital short‑stay patients. Roto‑Rooter saw residential revenue decline 3.1% and a 21% drop in adjusted EBITDA, driven by rising water‑restoration write‑offs and higher paid‑lead costs. Management highlighted the resolution of the Florida Medicare cap liability, a new certificate of need in Manatee County, and a transition to a new SEO provider for Roto‑Rooter. Guidance projects modest top‑line growth and margin recovery in the second half of 2026, with adjusted EPS expected between $23.25 and $24.25.
West Pharmaceutical Services Inc (WST) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
West Pharmaceutical reported net sales exceeding $3 billion with over 4% organic growth, driven by high‑value product (HVP) components and a 50% surge in GLP‑1 revenue. Fourth‑quarter revenue reached $850 million, up 7.5% reported and 3.3% organically, while adjusted EPS rose 12%...
HHS Still Developing Long COVID Biomarkers, Online Patient Resource Hub
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that HHS is still working to identify biomarkers for Long COVID and is creating an online patient‑physician resource hub. The effort follows criticism that the previous administration dismantled the...
RFK Jr. Defends Vaccine Guidance Changes and Health Spending Cuts
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified before the Senate, defending recent vaccine‑policy shifts and a sweeping health‑spending reduction. He highlighted a rapid response to the nation’s worst measles outbreak in decades and pledged transparency while asserting that the incoming...
How the DOJ Is Tackling Fraud in the ACA Marketplace
At a Las Vegas conference, the DOJ highlighted a growing fraud scheme in the ACA Marketplace that preys on homeless, unemployed and mentally‑ill Medicaid recipients. Street marketers falsify denials, open special enrollment periods, and become agents of record, repeatedly switching...
Can Doctors Discuss a President's Mental Health? Why Ethics and Public Risk Collide
The BMJ opinion piece by David Nicholl and Trisha Greenhalgh examines whether doctors can publicly discuss a U.S. president’s mental health. It reiterates that professional standards prohibit diagnosing without a direct clinical exam, especially for complex conditions like behavioral variant...
Paragon: Reforming Policies That Drive Hospital Costs Key To Tackling Health Spending
The Paragon Health Institute released a new report, "The Hospital Cost Crisis," identifying government policies as a primary driver of soaring hospital prices and consolidation. The think‑tank proposes 12 policy reforms, notably site‑neutral payment adjustments and changes to the 340B...
2027 Medicare Advantage – Part D Final Rule Summary
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a final rule on April 6, 2026 that overhauls Medicare Advantage (Part C) and the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (Part D) for coverage starting January 1, 2027. The rule implements changes mandated by the Inflation Reduction Act and...
‘They’ve Turned the Dial up on Denying Preauthorizations’: CHS Blames Payers for Volume Drop
Community Health Systems (CHS) reported a first‑quarter drop in same‑store inpatient admissions (‑1.3% YoY) and surgeries (‑2.2%), attributing the decline to aggressive payer pre‑authorization denials and macro‑economic anxiety among patients with high‑deductible plans. The pressure was most pronounced among commercial...
Interventional Radiology Procedure Offers Relief From Painful Blood-Clot Side Effect
A new NIH‑sponsored trial, C‑TRACT, evaluated catheter‑directed stent placement for patients with post‑thrombotic syndrome (PTS) after deep‑vein thrombosis. The study enrolled 225 participants across 29 U.S. centers and compared stenting plus standard care to anticoagulation and compression alone. Six months...
Vermont Hospital Partners with OB-GYN Group to Sustain Birthing Services
Northwestern Medical Center in St. Albans, Vermont, has teamed up with independent OB‑GYN practice Maitri Health Care to preserve local obstetric and gynecologic services. Birth volumes at the hospital have dropped from over 500 to roughly 300 deliveries per year,...
FDA Notification Regarding Dehydrated Alcohol
The FDA has issued a formal notice telling companies to stop distributing any dehydrated alcohol products that are not the FDA‑approved Ablysinol from Belcher Pharmaceuticals. Ablysinol, approved on June 21, 2018, is the only legally marketed dehydrated alcohol in 1 mL and 5 mL...
Hospital Margins Decline in 2026 as Expenses Outpace Revenue
Hospital operating margins slipped into negative territory in early 2026, with the median margin at –0.3% year‑to‑date after a –0.6% reading in January. Expenses outpaced revenue growth, driven by a 7.6% rise in drug costs and a 7.8% increase in...
E&C Comprehensive Data Privacy Bill Includes HIPAA Carveout
The House Energy & Commerce Committee released a draft national data privacy bill that explicitly carves out HIPAA‑covered entities from its preemptive framework. The exemption aligns with recommendations health groups submitted to the committee last year. By preserving state‑level health...
Cleveland Clinic’s Plan to ‘Flip’ the Medicare Advantage Model
Cleveland Clinic is reversing the trend of hospitals exiting Medicare Advantage by moving to the payer side, taking delegated premium risk to manage total cost of care. The health system entered three value‑based risk agreements and targets $1.4 billion in Medicare...
NDIS Cuts Threaten Everyday Support
Australia's federal government announced plans to cut at least 160,000 participants from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) by 2030, aiming to halve the scheme's annual growth rate from 10% to 5%. The NDIS, costing about $50 billion AUD (≈ $33 billion USD)...
DoD Seeks to Split Defense Health Program Into Two Accounts in Fiscal 2027
The Pentagon’s FY2027 budget proposes ending the single Defense Health Program and replacing it with two distinct accounts: Combat Operational and Medical Readiness (COMP) and a Private Sector Care Program (PSCP). The request totals $42.5 billion in discretionary spending—$20.3 billion for COMP...
At-Home Care Providers Prioritize Talent, Culture-First Acquisitions
Home‑based care providers are increasingly making cultural fit and talent alignment the cornerstone of acquisition strategies. Executives at Nova Leap, LifeCare Home Health and Arosa say that mis‑aligned culture can destroy value, while retaining strong leadership teams enhances post‑deal performance....
Raise a Glass: ‘Grandparents Happy Hour’ Law Passed In Minnesota
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed the “Grandparents’ Happy Hour” law, removing the requirement that nursing homes and assisted‑living facilities hold a liquor license to serve alcohol. The change permits organized happy‑hour events for residents, with safeguards that staff serving drinks...
Hope Dims for Trump’s Surgeon General Nominee: 4 Details
President Donald Trump’s nominee for surgeon general, Dr. Casey Means, a wellness influencer and entrepreneur, faces an increasingly uncertain path to confirmation after a contentious Senate HELP Committee hearing. The hearing highlighted her lack of an active medical license, incomplete...
Dr. Oz Announces a 50-State Audit of Medicaid Program Oversight
Dr. Mehmet Oz, CMS administrator, announced a nationwide audit requiring all 50 states to revalidate Medicaid providers within 30 days, expanding the federal anti‑fraud push beyond the states previously targeted. The audit focuses on high‑risk areas and follows recent errors in...
How Women Executives Are Rewriting Healthcare Leadership — 4 Takeaways
At Becker’s Hospital Review’s 16th Annual Meeting, four senior women leaders in healthcare discussed how they are reshaping leadership norms. They emphasized that clarity is a structural skill that resolves the “decisive but accommodating” paradox, and that sponsorship—providing access and...
Highest-Paid Payer CEOs in 2025
UnitedHealth Group chief Stephen Hemsley topped the 2025 list of highest‑paid payer CEOs, earning a total of $60.94 million, largely driven by a one‑time $60 million equity award. Former UnitedHealth CEO Andrew Witty placed second with $24.6 million, while Cigna, Elevance Health, CVS...
CMS Delays Part D Portion of BALANCE Model on Expansion of GLP-1 Access
On April 21, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that the Medicare Part D component of the Better Approaches to Lifestyle and Nutrition for Comprehensive Health (BALANCE) Model will be delayed until 2027 pending additional evaluation and data collection....
3 Female CFOs on Moments that Defined Their Careers
At Becker’s 16th Annual Meeting, three senior healthcare CFOs—Shelly Schorer of CommonSpirit Health, Judy Peek‑Lee of the University of Vermont Medical Center, and Monica Price of Texas Health Resources—shared the pivotal moments that shaped their careers. They highlighted how female...
Cognitive Decline May Begin Up to 8 Years Before CVD Events in Older Adults
A large nested case‑control analysis of the ASPREE trial found that older adults who later suffered a cardiovascular event experienced accelerated declines in global cognition, memory, processing speed and verbal fluency. The cognitive deterioration began three to eight years before...
Heart Failure Experts Agree: HFmrEF Should Not Be Ignored
Heart failure with mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF), defined by an ejection fraction of 41‑49%, accounts for up to 25% of global heart‑failure cases. The Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) released a scientific statement in the Journal of Cardiac...
3 Pillars Shaping the Future of Pharmacy
Penn Medicine is redesigning its pharmacy model around three pillars: patient‑centric access, clinical integration, and technology‑enabled care. The health system is moving services from fixed locations to home‑based and digital touchpoints, aiming to cut barriers like prior‑authorization delays and improve...
Washington Post Publishes AHA Letter in Response to Anti-340B Editorial
The American Hospital Association (AHA) President Rick Pollack wrote a letter to the Washington Post defending the 340B drug pricing program after an editorial called for its repeal. Pollack argues the program is vital for delivering free or low‑cost medications,...
GDUFA III Drug Master File (DMF) Review Enhancements
The FDA’s GDUFA III reauthorization adds a mechanism for early review of Type II API drug master files up to six months before an ANDA or prior‑approval supplement is filed. A draft guidance explains how DMF holders can request a “DMF prior...
UnitedHealthcare Expands Rural Care Initiatives, Including Home-Based Models
UnitedHealthcare announced a suite of rural care initiatives aimed at improving continuity and access, including a 50% acceleration of payments to rural hospitals and exemption from most prior authorizations. The insurer is promoting hub‑and‑spoke networks that combine mobile, virtual, and...
‘Turning Points’ in Successful Hospice Quality Improvement
Hospice providers are grappling with heightened regulatory scrutiny, staffing shortages, and rising patient acuity. Treasure Coast Hospice, part of Treasure Health, recently earned a five‑star quality rating by emphasizing coordinated staffing, compliance, and patient‑centered care. Chief Clinical Officer Jennifer Creel...
6 Questions That May Help Expecting Moms Choose Their Delivery Hospital
Choosing a delivery hospital involves more than proximity; expectant mothers should evaluate NICU capabilities, emergency C‑section readiness, specialist coordination, care philosophy, and postpartum resources. Inova Health System in Northern Virginia exemplifies a comprehensive approach, offering a nationally ranked Level IV NICU,...
Tandem Recalls Mobi Insulin Pumps over Software Malfunction
Tandem Diabetes Care issued a Class I recall for its Mobi insulin pump after a software defect was found to falsely detect motor failure, stopping insulin delivery and cutting communication with continuous glucose monitors and the mobile app. The FDA’s enforcement...
WHO Certifies the Bahamas for Eliminating Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV
The World Health Organization has certified the Bahamas for eliminating mother‑to‑child transmission (EMTCT) of HIV, making it the latest Caribbean nation to meet WHO’s stringent criteria. The achievement stems from universal antenatal care, an integrated laboratory network, and comprehensive treatment...
Highlights of the Administration’s FY 2027 Budget
The Trump administration released its FY 2027 discretionary health‑care budget on April 3, 2026, outlining a projected $85 billion in health‑related spending, a modest 4% rise over FY 2026. The Office of Management and Budget and HHS highlighted increased allocations for health‑IT modernization, pandemic preparedness,...
MAHA Institute Names Chief Data Strategist Focused On Interoperability Issues
The MAHA Institute, a policy hub backing HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s "Make America Healthy Agenda," has appointed health‑technology executive Jaime Bland as its chief data strategist. Bland’s mandate centers on improving patient access to medical records and establishing...
How Small Teams Can Implement Effective Cyber Defenses
Cyderes SVP Daniel Spitzer advises that rural health systems can strengthen cyber defenses by first mapping attack vectors and then leveraging a trusted security partner to scale protection. Small IT teams, often limited to a handful of staff, can focus...
RFK Jr. Says He Would Support a Potential Ban on Junk Food TV Ads
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he would support a potential ban on junk‑food television advertisements, though he prefers a voluntary approach for food companies. The proposal follows similar arguments used to curb tobacco advertising and comes amid...
AHA Releases Q1 2026 Health Care Plan Accountability Update
The American Hospital Association’s Q1 2026 Health Care Plan Accountability Update bundles several pivotal Medicare developments. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D rate announcement and a final rule reshaping policy and technical...
Speakers Sought for 2027 AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference
The American Hospital Association (AHA) is inviting speakers for its 2027 Rural Health Care Leadership Conference, scheduled for Jan. 31‑Feb. 3 in Orlando, Florida. Submissions must focus on on‑the‑ground perspectives, successful case studies, and cutting‑edge solutions that demonstrate how rural health organizations...
AHA Podcast Explores Treatment of Perinatal Trauma
Recent CDC data show the U.S. birth rate slipped 1% in 2025, extending a multi‑year decline. Maternal mortality fell slightly to 17.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2024, matching the prior year’s rate. The American Heart Association, together with...
RFK Jr. Won't Back CDC Director on Vaccines as Agency Scraps Positive Data
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declined to pledge non‑interference with the incoming CDC director, Erica Schwartz, raising concerns about political meddling in vaccine policy. At the same time, the CDC scrapped a peer‑reviewed study that showed a 50% drop in emergency‑room visits...
How to Choose the Best Video Systems for Health Care
Video systems are reshaping health‑care delivery by enabling real‑time telehealth, remote patient monitoring, and specialist collaboration across distributed teams. Selecting the right platform requires balancing HIPAA‑level security, seamless EHR integration, high‑definition video quality, and scalable architecture. Leading vendors such as...
Full Coverage: HIMSS26 European Health Conference & Exhibition
At HIMSS26, European health leaders emphasized that validation—not ambition—is the primary driver of digital health investment, as recent NHS maturity assessments demonstrate. Emerging clinical informatics roles such as CNIOs and digital midwives are bridging technology and bedside care, while Italy’s...
KUKA FLEX CBD May Be Harmful Due to Hidden Drug Ingredient
The FDA issued a safety alert after laboratory testing revealed that KUKA FLEX CBD, sold online and in some stores for joint pain, contains the prescription NSAID diclofenac, which is not disclosed on the label. Diclofenac can trigger cardiovascular events, serious gastrointestinal...
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Stark Integrity Podcast: Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Law & Compliance, and Compliance Program Effectiveness [Podcast]
The Stark Integrity podcast released a three‑part series on artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare law and compliance, hosted by Nelson Mullins partner Bob Wade and featuring partners Bob Coffield and Darren Skyles. Episodes explore how AI is already adding value, the...
Legislative Efforts to Curb Prescription Drug Prices Gain Momentum Across the U.S.
Virginia’s General Assembly is holding a special session to vote on the Affordable Medicine Act, a bipartisan bill that would extend Medicare‑negotiated drug prices to state‑regulated health plans. The legislation follows successful price‑cap measures in Maryland and Colorado, which have...
CFOs Feel Healthcare Pain Rising as GLP-1s Stretch Budgets: Mercer
A Mercer survey of 161 CFOs reveals that nearly three‑quarters now rank healthcare among their top five operating‑expense concerns, driven largely by soaring GLP‑1 weight‑loss drug costs. Employer‑sponsored health insurance expenses are projected to climb 6.7% in 2026, pushing average...
The Gold Rush Is Over: Navigating the 2026 Hospice Regulatory Crackdown
The hospice sector, once booming in California, faces a sharp regulatory reversal in 2026 as CMS and Congress intensify oversight. The Unified Program Integrity Contractor, Qlarant, is deploying predictive analytics to audit eligibility, length‑of‑stay, and live‑discharge patterns, with non‑compliance risking...