Berlin, Germany – Federal Minister of Health Nina Warken (CDU) โคhas firmly ruledโ out reintroducing a flat-rate “practice fee” โfor doctorS visits, a policy
Washington D.C. โค- As Congress races against aโ September 30th deadline to avertโ a government shutdown, the โฃfuture of key healthcare policies โขhangs in the balance. Decisions made in theโข comingโ weeks could dramatically reshape hospital and health system strategies for years to come, impacting everything โfrom patient access toโ financial stability.โ
House Republicans are currently preparing a โฃshort-term continuing resolution to fund the government thru November 20th. However, Democrats are signaling they will notโค support any dealโ that fails to address critical healthcare provisions, โespecially the extension of enhanced affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits, โset to expire at the endโ of 2025.
Beyond the ACA credits,โค a series of โregulatory changes from the Department of Health and Human โServicesโ (HHS)โ and the potential fate of pandemic-era flexibilities are adding further complexityโฃ to the landscape.Here’s a breakdown ofโข the key issues hospital and โhealth โขsystem โleaders must monitor this month:
ACA premium Tax Credits: A Potential Coverage Crisis
The expiration ofโค the enhanced ACA premium tax credits poses an immediate โand meaningful threat. These credits have fueled โa surge in marketplace enrollment, reaching over 24 โmillion in 2025, with theโ vast majority of enrollees receiving financialโ assistance.
Without anโฃ extension, insurers โขare already preparing for a substantial increase in premiums. Proposed rate hikes for 2026 average 18%, with many already approved as open enrollment approaches. The American Hospital Association (AHA) warns that losing these credits will overwhelm emergency departments, โขworsen provider burnout, andโ exacerbate health disparities as more individuals โฃdelay or forgo care. The AHA estimates this could lead to a $28 โbillion reduction in hospital spending over the next decade.
While a bipartisan effort is underway to extend the credits – the Bipartisan Premium Tax Credit Extension Act would extend them through January 1, 2027 – its fateโค remains uncertain. Theโ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proactively preparing for a potential lapse by expanding eligibility โขfor โคcatastrophic health coverage in 2026.
HHS Funding Cuts on the Horizon
The Houseโข Appropriations Committee recentlyโฃ advanced a funding bill that proposes a 6% reduction in HHS’s budget for โขfiscal year 2026,โค bringing it to $108 billion. This cut will โคlikely impact a wide range of programs and โinitiatives crucial to hospitals and health systems. Details on specific program cuts are still โคemerging, but leaders shouldโ anticipate potential โimpacts to areas like publicโฃ health funding, research grants, and support for safety-net hospitals.
Pandemic Flexibilities: Permanentโ or Temporary?
Two bipartisan bills โare currently under consideration that could determineโ theโ future of key pandemic-era flexibilities:
* Medicare Telehealth: Expanded telehealth coverage, which proved vital โคduring the pandemic, is set to expire. Legislation is being debated to make these changes permanent, allowing for continued access to remote care.
* Hospital-at-Home Waiver: This waiver allows hospitals to provide acute care services in patients’ homes. โคโ Its future is also uncertain, with lawmakers weighing whether to โฃextend or sunset the program.
What This Means for Hospitals
The coming weeks will be critical. Hospital and health system leaders โฃshould:
* Engage with โฃpolicymakers: Advocate for policies that protect access toโค care and ensure financialโ stability.
* Monitor legislative developments: Stay informed about the progress of the โcontinuing resolution, theโ ACA tax credit extension, and โthe โHHS funding bill.
* โข Prepare for potential scenarios: โ Develop contingency plans to address potential changes in coverage,โฃ reimbursement,โข and program funding.
The decisions made inโฃ Washington this month will have far-reaching โconsequences for the healthcare industry. World-Today-News.com willโ continue to provide updates as this critical situation unfolds.
Sources:
* Politico
* โ Becker’s Hospital Review – ACA Subsidyโ Expiration
* Becker’s Payer – ACA Enrollment Data
*[Becker[Becker[Becker[Becker
BRASILIA – Brazil’s health insurance sector is facing mounting criticism as operators report soaring profits while simultaneously imposing whatโ consumer advocates call “abusive readjustments” to planโฃ costs. recent data reveals a โฃstark contrast between industry financial gains andโ the increasing financial strainโค on policyholders, notably the elderly and those requiring continuousโ treatment.According to figures released by the National Supplementary Health Agency (ANS),the sector’s profits reached billionsโค in the first half of 20251,yet consumers are grappling โฃwith rate increases often lacking transparent justification. While collective adhesion plans are not directly limited โbyโ ANS indices, RN 509/22 mandates operators demonstrate the necessity of any adjustments throughโข detailed actuarial calculations. Though,reports โขindicate operators frequentlyโ apply arbitrary percentages without providing the required technical basis,effectively transferring risk onto consumers.
The required transparency,as outlinedโค by โฃlegislation,demands operators provide detailed documentation including the technical criteria for readjustments,a complete calculation memory,the observation period โคused,and โthe methodology and data employed.โข Despite these requirements, transparency remains a meaningful issue.
The situation is exacerbated by the dwindlingโ availability of individual health plans2,โข leaving many consumers with limited options – accept theโข increases or risk losing โcoverage. This vulnerability hasโข prompted concerns about “reverse predatory litigation,” as warned by STJ Minister Herman Benjamin, where large companies disregard judicial decisions and legal mandates.
“Regulatory failures โexpose consumers โto abusive price increases, reaching the elderly population moreโ dramatically,” the Federal Court of Auditors recently observed.
Advocates argue thatโ health โcoverage should notโข beโ treated solely as a commodity driven byโ profit, and are calling for urgent regulatory correction to address the imbalance โขand ensure fair readjustments. The struggle,โข thay say, is not merely a โคlegalโข dispute, but โฃa matter of โsocial justice.
1 https://www.gov.br/ans/pt-br/assuntos/noticias/numeros-do-setor/ans-divulga-dados-economico-financeiros-do-1deg-semestre-de-2025
2 โข https://oglobo.globo.com/economia/defesa-do-consumidor/plano-de-saude-individual-mais-raro-caro-15848792
Did You Know? Parkview Health‘s expansion into West Lafayette signifies a notable investment in the region’s healthcare infrastructure.
Parkview Health, based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, has unveiled ambitious plans to construct a $200 million full-service hospital and accompanying medical building in West Lafayette, Indiana. This significant progress aims to enhance healthcare access and services for the community.
Pro Tip: Early planning and community engagement are crucial for triumphant large-scale healthcare projects like this.
The new facility will encompass a 200,000-square-foot hospital with 40 inpatient beds. It is indeed designed to feature a complete 24/7 emergency department, alongside specialized care units, surgical and procedural suites, and outpatient services.The hospital will also include integrated lab and imaging capabilities, with additional shell space allocated for future expansion, ensuring adaptability to evolving healthcare needs.
The medical office building, which will house primary and specialty care services, is anticipated to open its doors before the main hospital. Construction for the hospital is scheduled to commence in early 2026, with an expected opening in 2028. This project is projected to generate approximately 250 new healthcare positions, encompassing both clinical and nonclinical roles, thereby boosting local employment opportunities.
Parkview Health is collaborating with key partners for this transformative project. These include
G. Duncan Finlay, MD, a former physician and the esteemed CEO of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, has died at the age of 85. his extensive career left a significant mark on the healthcare institution and the community it serves.
G. Duncan Finlay, MD, a former physician and the esteemed CEO of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, has died at the age of 85.His extensive career left a significant mark on the healthcare institution and the community it serves.
Dr. finlay began his tenure at Sarasota Memorial Health Care System in 1972, joining as a pulmonologist. His dedication and leadership quickly became apparent, leading him to serve as chief of staff during the 1980s.
he later advanced to hold positions such as vice president of medical affairs and chief medical officer. In 2000, Dr. Finlay assumed the role of president and CEO, a period marked by significant “turmoil and change” for the health system, according to a July 25 news release.
Sarasota Memorial CEO David Verinder expressed profound gratitude for Dr. Finlay’s contributions. “Dr. Finlay was a brilliant
Grand Forks, N.D.-based altru Health System is nearing the completion of its acquisition of Devils Lake Hospital in North Dakota. The critical access hospital is currently owned by Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health. However, the finalization of the deal hinges on one crucial step: approval from the Vatican.
Derek Goebel, Chief Financial Officer for Altru health System, shared in a recent Becker’s CFO+Revenue Cycle Podcast episode that all transactional documents between Altru and CommonSpirit have been finalized. The delay in execution is due to CommonSpirit health’s Catholic affiliation, which requires Vatican approval for such transactions.
“We’re eagerly awaiting the result from the Vatican to execute the transaction, and both sides are anxious to see that come to fruition,” Mr. Goebel stated. “It’s going to be a realy great thing for the community.”
Altru Health System signed a nonbinding letter of intent to acquire Devils Lake Hospital from commonspirit Health in late June 2024. If the acquisition is approved, Tanner White is slated to serve as the CEO of the 25-bed facility. Altru already operates a clinic adjacent to the hospital, offering primary care and outpatient services, including renal dialysis. This acquisition is expected to facilitate more streamlined care across both entities.
“The next step is actually the transition of the staff and the providers from devils Lake onto the Ultra team,” Mr. Goebel explained. “We’ve got some onboarding planned. We’ve got [an] Epic implementation expected [at the hospital] basically the next moment we have that acquisition done.โฆ We’ve worked through the transaction documents and details, and [are] ultimately waiting for that final piece. It should be a very quick transition.”
This strategic move aligns with Altru’s overarching objective to maintain local healthcare services and preserve its operational independence. The health system recently became part of the Rough Rider Network, a collective of 23 rural hospitals located across North Dakota, as indicated on its website.
“We’ve explored a lot of different avenues to cut cost from healthcare, but continue to keep independence and to serve the population that we need,” Mr. Goebel added.
The acquisition of Devils Lake Hospital by Altru Health System highlights the complex regulatory and organizational structures within healthcare, particularly for faith-based institutions. CommonSpirit Health, as one of the largest catholic health systems in the United States, operates under specific governance protocols that can influence its strategic decisions, including hospital sales.The involvement of the Vatican in approving such transactions underscores the deep integration of religious mission and operational management within these organizations. This process can introduce unique timelines and considerations compared to secular healthcare acquisitions. furthermore, Altru’s stated goal of preserving local healthcare and independence, coupled with its recent integration into the Rough Rider Network, reflects a broader trend of rural healthcare systems seeking collaborative models to ensure sustainability and continued service delivery in underserved areas.
Q: Why does the Vatican need to approve the acquisition?
A: CommonSpirit Health is a Catholic health system, and its affiliation requires Vatican approval for meaningful transactions like the sale of a hospital.
Q: what services does Altru Health System currently offer in the Devils Lake area?
A: Altru operates a clinic with primary care and outpatient services,including renal dialysis,connected to the Devils Lake Hospital.
Q: who will be the CEO of Devils Lake Hospital if the deal is approved?
A: Tanner White is expected to serve as the CEO of the 25-bed hospital.
This article provides information on a healthcare business transaction and does not constitute financial, legal, or health advice. Readers should consult with qualified professionals for advice specific to their situations.
What are your thoughts on this unique acquisition process? Share your insights in the comments below and subscribe to World Today News for more updates on the healthcare industry!
