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Welcome to the Weekly Gist, where we distill the latest healthcare news, trends and our conversations with industry leaders into actionable guidance for CEOs and senior executives.
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March
15
The Weekly Gist: The Bomb Cyclone Edition
by Chas Roades and Lisa Bielamowicz MD
President Trump proposes big budget cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, a new Blues alliance is announced, a major insurer tightens up its PBM rebate policy, and we examine new data on Walmart's bundled payment program.
Reading time: 15 minutes
August
17
The Weekly Gist: The Queen is Dead Edition
by Chas Roades and Lisa Bielamowicz MD
Oscar charts a move into Medicare Advantage with a huge cash infusion from Alphabet, med students get a free ride from NYU, a turf war brews over a high-end surgery, and more insurer intrigue in California. Plus a new indie queen arises!
Reading time: 15 minutes
June
08
The Weekly Gist: The ALL CAPS Edition
by Chas Roades and Lisa Bielamowicz MD
Leadership change and ownership questions at a leading provider of electronic health records, and the roll-up of physician practices continues to gain steam. We take a look at a landmark antitrust case with big implications for the industry, share our thoughts on 401(k) healthcare, and celebrate an unlikely victory on the ice.
Reading time: 12 minutes
May
04
The Weekly Gist: The Star Wars Edition
by Chas Roades and Lisa Bielamowicz MD
Big deals afoot among health systems: one moves to acquire a leading health plan; another doubles in size by taking over a postacute chain. Meanwhile, we take stock of Medicare innovation pilots, and share our favorite healthcare blogs to follow. Plus: high art and civilization!
Reading time: 12 minutes
March
16
The Weekly Gist: The “It’s the Prices Stupid” Edition
by Chas Roades and Lisa Bielamowicz MD
Payers on the prowl for provider assets, a setback for single-payer healthcare in California, and definitive proof that prices, not utilization, are at the root of our high healthcare spending. And from the road: a health system exploring its own Amazon Prime-like membership model.
Reading time: 7 minutes
Tags: Aetna, Amazon, California, copays, CVS, Humana, Optum, postacute, prices, single payer, Theranos, UnitedHealth Group