Healthcare

Healthcare

Centene's recent stock drop is closely linked to a combination of higher-than-expected medical costs amid challenging trends in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) market and anticipation of the scheduled end to enhanced ACA subsidies at the end of 2025. While shares jumped earlier this week after Centene affirmed its guidance, which was higher than analysts' estimates, it faces an uncertain road ahead.

Retirement remains a far-off - and in some cases, unattainable - goal for many Americans. About one in four adults over age 50 said they expect to never retire, according to an AARP survey. That's perhaps not surprising given that Americans believe they'll need $1.26 million to retire comfortably, per Northwestern Mutual. Related: Are You on Track for Your Age? Here's When You Should Save for Retirement, Make 6 Figures and Buy a Home, According to a New Survey.

NHS England said many more patients were coming forward for treatment and a doctors' strike in July left 50,000 appointments cancelled. The Royal College of Surgeons said the system was coming under severe strain and called for more money for new operating theatres in the autumn budget. "Crumbling hospital buildings are leading surgeons to have to compete for space, directly contributing to delays and leaving patients waiting for the care they need," said the organisation's vice president Prof Frank Smith.

Richard Brodsky, the founder of software company Sandata and founder and chairman of Mobile Health, saw a problem when it came to hiring more home care aides. It took time to clear them medically and get approvals from their doctors. So in true entrepreneurial spirit, he rolled out mobile and then fixed clinics to test prospective aides, getting results within two days while developing CareConnect, a company to train aides, so those who qualify could get to work.

include avatars and [non-player characters] for things like peer support, for things like in-vivo exposure therapy.

In May, 11-year-old Nathan Jachimiek's son Ian broke out in a rash. "He's never had anything like this before so this was new for us as parents," said Jachimiek. The couple gave him Benadryl and brought him to the Good Samaritan Emergency Room in San Jose out of an abundance of caution. Jachimiek says a doctor never evaluated his son, they just sort of waited, and while they did, Ian seemed to be getting better. Enough so, that the family tried to leave the ER.

This recently acquired knowledge is due to the fact that Williams was announced as the new "celebrity patient ambassador" for direct-to-consumer telehealth company Ro on Aug. 21. The goal of this multiyear campaign is to "destigmatize weight loss medication," Saman Rahmanian, co-founder and chief product officer at Ro, told Healthcare Brew. Williams was a patient first and then wanted to share her story with others, he added.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) took a break from dismantling the US public health system this week to announce plans to take "an active enforcement stance" against health care actors [PDF] that "restrict patients' engagement in their care by blocking the access, exchange, and use of electronic health information," the agency said in a press release. "Patients must have unfettered access to their health information as guaranteed by law," acting HHS Inspector General Juliet Hodgkins said in an agency press release.

Top Boy star and rapper Dave spoke with pride after his mother's meaningful mission to help elderly patients was expanded across hospitals in south London. The scheme has now been launched at Epsom Hospital in Surrey where scores more vulnerable people will be aided. Brit Award winner Dave, 27, real name David Omoregie, was born in Brixton and plays terrifying gangster Modie in the gritty Netflix crime drama.

If you've ever daydreamed about the best places to retire in the US, you're in good company. If you're like most people, career demands dictate where you plant your roots for most of your life-then, once retirement rolls around and you no longer have to worry about a daily commute or company requirements, the possibilities are suddenly endless. Now it's time to choose your next address, but where to start?

In a post-pandemic world, healthcare facilities navigate a complex landscape of security challenges that were unimaginable just a decade ago. Protecting patients while safeguarding pharmaceuticals, managing visitor access while ensuring staff safety, and maintaining compliance while operating efficiently - all these challenges demand a level of coordination that traditional security approaches simply cannot provide. The answer doesn't lie in deploying more cameras or hiring additional staff, but rather in creating intelligent, integrated systems where every component works together.

Dolores devoted over 35 years to caregiving, working in private in-home care and assisted living settings. She provided emotional, physical and medical support to countless elders, earning a reputation for her patience, empathy and exceptional communication skills. She often went above and beyond preparing nourishing meals tailored to clients' needs, organizing nature walks, and accompanying them to appointments, social outings and even family visits out of state.

Retta Jacobi stepped onto a metal platform that lifted her to an entrance on the side of a custom-designed semitrailer. Once inside, she lay down on a platform that technicians slid into an MRI machine. Jacobi hoped the scan would help pinpoint the source of the pain in her shoulders. The mobile MRI unit visits Southwest Healthcare Services, the hospital in Bowman, North Dakota, each Wednesday.

Medi-Cal is California's version of Medicaid. It's a program that helps people with lower incomes cover healthcare costs-like trips to the doctor, hospital stays, or even long-term care. It's a big deal for anyone who needs support to afford medical expenses as they get older. But heads up: some changes are coming to Medi-Cal that could affect you or your loved ones, so let's talk about what's happening and how you can get ready.

"Money is not the only answer," said Jason Griffin, managing director at consulting firm Nordic Global.

June Molloy, the Communications and Public Affairs Manager for the HSE Dublin and North East, said that "in the course of our quality assurance process in the hospital, we commissioned an independent look back of all histopathology slides across various specialties in relation to one consultant, focusing on a period from February to November 2024. "This review is underway and any patients in relation to whom any findings are relevant will be contacted directly by the hospital. HSE Dublin and North East has provided necessary information to the HSE in line with the National Patient Safety Briefing Protocol."

CMS announced the start of the "Crushing Fraud Chili Cook-Off Competition" on Aug. 19, calling it "a market-based research challenge" to identify emerging technologies that can "detect anomalies and trends in Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) claims data that can be translated into novel indicators of fraud." The agency said it is "prioritizing the use of innovative, data-driven approaches, including explainable AI/ML" that can analyze large datasets to "uncover unusual patterns, anomalies, or trends that may signal fraudulent activity."

The layoffs, which are set to take effect in October, will eliminate 41 nursing positions and one art therapist role at Kaiser's San Rafael Medical Center, according to Monday WARN filings with California's Employment Development Department (WARN documents are generally required by the state for significant layoffs). The staff reductions also include two employees in Oakland, one in Pasadena, four in Corona and eight in Pleasanton, mostly in IT consultant, engineer and environmental health specialist roles.

At Bask Health, we once forced every new patient to download a separate app just to upload their ID. Only 40% of them made it through. Six weeks of development, thousands of dollars spent, and we called it a funnel. That one decision cost us more patients than any Facebook ad ever brought in. Turns out, healthcare has a cart abandonment problem, just like ecommerce. But instead of a forgotten pair of sneakers, it's unbooked visits, lost revenue and patients who still need help.

Among all the weight loss drugs, Ozempic has become a phenomenon. With as much as $17 billion in sales in 2024 and over $10 billion in the first half of 2025, it shows no signs of slowing down, much to the delight of its Danish manufacturer, Novo Nordisk A/S ( NYSE: NVO). This Scandinavian economic behemoth is one of the highest-valued companies in Europe at over $500 billion, which exceeds Denmark's entire gross domestic product.

Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) has quickly emerged as one of Wall Street's biggest winners, fueled by explosive demand for its new generation of weight-loss and diabetes treatments. The company's GLP-1 drugs, including Mounjaro and the newly approved Zepbound, have turned into blockbuster products, generating billions in sales and reshaping the pharmaceutical landscape. As a result, Eli Lilly's stock surged more than 50% year-to-date in 2024.

Innovation in medical technology is vital for sustaining economic growth; breakthroughs, including a cancer vaccine, an Alzheimer's blood test, and advanced exoskeletons, are being developed.

The platform, which is being piloted at Chelsea and Westminster NHS trust, extracts information from medical records, including diagnoses and test results.

Healthcare spending in the US reached $5.1 trillion in 2024, accounting for 18.2% of GDP, and is projected to rise to $7.2 trillion by 2031.

Dr. Robert Grossman emphasized the importance of ambition and knowledge with his advice to graduates, stating that it doesn't matter where you come from, but how high you aim.

In the study, investigators treated 15 patients with primary aldosteronism with baxdrostat, a new drug designed to block the overproduction of aldosterone with high specificity.