Health Care Union Elects A New Leader

Politico: Health Care Union President Ousted In Upset Election
Longtime labor leader George Gresham was toppled by his former lieutenants in a contentious race to lead the nation’s largest health care union. Gresham, who became president of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East in 2007, lost his reelection bid by a resounding margin to challenger Yvonne Armstrong, who leads the union’s long-term care division, according to data reviewed by POLITICO. (Kaufman, 5/5)

More health care industry developments —

Bloomberg: Cheap Healthcare Plans Use Obamacare Loophole, Sign People Up For Fake Jobs
Joe Strohmenger, a self-employed contractor in Rocky Point, New York, had never shopped for health insurance before. So last year, when he needed to, he did what a lot of people do: He Googled it. The internet search led him to a website that offered free quotes. He typed in his number, and his phone rang immediately. It rang hundreds of times over the next few days as telemarketers vied to reach him. (Mider and Faux, 5/5)

The New York Times: Cyberattack On UnitedHealth Leaves Medical Providers In Debt
Two independent medical practices in Minnesota once hoped to expand operations but have spent the past year struggling to recover from the cyberattack on a vast UnitedHealth Group payment system. Odom Health & Wellness, a sports medicine and rehabilitation outfit, and the Dillman Clinic & Lab, a family medicine practice, are among the thousands of medical offices that experienced sudden financial turmoil last year. The cyberattack against Change Healthcare, a division of United, paralyzed much of the nation’s health-care payment system for months. (Ryan, 5/5)

Modern Healthcare: Oregon Health And Science University, Legacy Call Off Merger
Oregon Health and Science University and Legacy Health have called off their merger. The health systems mutually agreed to end the deal, according to a Monday news release. "After careful consideration of the evolving operating environment, the organizations have determined that the best way to meet the needs of the communities they serve is to move forward as individual organizations," the Portland, Oregon-based systems said in a statement. (Hudson, 5/5)

Modern Healthcare: Aya Healthcare Names Emily Hazen As CEO
Staffing firm Aya Healthcare said Monday its CEO and founder, Alan Braynin, has died — a few days after the company announced he would be stepping into an advisory role and naming a successor. The company declined to answer when Braynin died. He founded Aya Healthcare in 2001. Emily Hazen, chief operations officer for workforce solutions and executive vice president of process optimization, will succeed Braynin as CEO, according to a news release Friday. (DeSilva, 5/5)

Bloomberg: Hims & Hers Health Taps Amazon Veteran Kabbani To Lead Operations
Hims & Hers Health Inc. is tapping former Amazon.com Inc. executive Nader Kabbani to be chief of operations as the telehealth company expands into new areas like blood testing. Kabbani led the acquisition of PillPack and the launch of Amazon Pharmacy during his nearly two decades at the e-commerce giant, before leaving in 2023 for stints at startups Flexport Inc. and Symbiotic Inc. He will replace Melissa Baird, who is stepping into an advisory role after more than seven years with Hims. (Muller, 5/5)

WLRN Public Media: Five Palm Beach County Hospitals Sue Leapfrog Group, Claim Safety Rankings Are Misleading 
Five Palm Beach County-based hospitals have filed a federal lawsuit against the nonprofit Leapfrog Group, accusing the watchdog group of publishing misleading safety rankings. According to the lawsuit, Leapfrog Group pressures hospitals to volunteer their data and pay for memberships. The claims indicate that Leapfrog's highest-rated hospitals are paying members, according to the Miami Herald. (Cooper, 5/5)