Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
AnMed Experiences Facebook Hack Amid Ongoing Cybersecurity Incident
Becker's Hospital Review: AnMed Hit With Data Theft Claim After Facebook Hack
Anderson, S.C.-based AnMed said unauthorized posts appeared on its social media accounts Aug. 11 as part of its ongoing cybersecurity incident. In a statement posted to its website, AnMed said it removed the content, disabled access to the platform and is working to secure its accounts. (Diaz, 8/11)
Healthcare Dive: DentaQuest Breach Exposes Data Of 15M People, A Record This Year
The health data of more than 15 million individuals was compromised after a hacker breached Massachusetts-based dental and vision benefits administrator DentaQuest this spring, according to a breach notice filed with federal regulators. It’s the largest health data breach reported to the government this year. DentaQuest, the second-largest dental benefits administrator in the U.S., has approximately 32 million beneficiaries across its dental and vision plans. The company discovered that hackers had accessed its computer systems from May 17 to May 20, according to the notice. (Hughes, 8/11)
More healthcare industry news —
Becker's Hospital Review: NLRB Revives Bid To Decertify SSM Health Hospital Nurses Union
The National Labor Relations Board on Aug. 4 revived a petition to remove the union representing about 563 nurses at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital in St. Louis, reversing the decision of a regional director who had blocked it. (Gooch, 8/11)
Modern Healthcare: Aidoc, 12 Health Systems Form Diagnostic AI Consortium
As clinical artificial intelligence becomes more common, designing workflows that ensure the tools can help clinicians detect diseases, and evaluating their efficacy, will be crucial to advancement. Aidoc, a company that offers tools for radiology, vascular, neurovascular and cardiology teams, sees an opportunity to work with health systems partners on that shared goal. The company has launched a diagnostic AI consortium with 12 health systems. (Famakinwa, 8/11)
Modern Healthcare: Molina Healthcare Loses Ground In ACA Marketplaces
Molina Healthcare CEO Joseph Zubretsky’s plan to keep membership in the Affordable Care Act health insurance exchanges “small, silver and stable” is faltering. Last month, the insurer announced it expects to lose money in the exchanges after too many healthy members fled and remaining enrollees used high-cost drugs that did not correspond to higher risk-adjustment payments. Its difficulties contrast with the positive second-quarter financial results reported by rivals Elevance Health, Centene and Oscar Health. (Tepper, 8/11)
Becker's Hospital Review: ‘Hospitals There Are Running Out Of Options’: Nonprofit Systems Expand Into Pennsylvania As For-Profits Exit
Pennsylvania is becoming an increasingly difficult place to own or operate a hospital. Of the 22 hospital closures Becker’s reported in 2025, four were in Pennsylvania — more than in any other state. (Condon, 8/11)
Modern Healthcare: Delaware’s Ban On Private Equity Hospital Buys May Be Just A Start
Delaware last month passed a two-year ban on for-profit acquisitions of hospitals amid wider scrutiny of private equity’s role in the healthcare system. Effective immediately, the law restricts the purchase of nonprofit acute-care hospitals to charities or other nonprofit organizations through July 1, 2028. State officials said the move was inspired at least in part by last year’s closure of the Springfield, Pennsylvania-based Crozer Health. The health system, which served Delaware, was owned by the private equity company Prospect Medical Holdings. (McAuliff, 8/11)
KFF Health News: Hospital Prepayment Requirements Add New Wrinkles To Patients’ Financial Responsibility
Thomas Zordani flew from his home in Denver to Phoenix for a consultation with a Mayo Clinic neurosurgeon, hoping to find out what could be done to treat his debilitating headaches after worrisome brain scan findings. When making the appointment, Zordani said, he’d been told the clinic was in his insurer’s network. Upon arrival, Zordani was summoned to the clinic’s financial office and told he had to make a $5,000 preservice deposit, because Mayo had since determined it did not accept his insurance. He was automatically designated “self-pay,” even though his plan had out-of-network benefits. (Appleby, 8/12)
Also —
Axios: Forget Air Taxis. Meet The Flying Medic
A paramedic responding to a 911 call in coastal North Carolina recently piloted a "Jetsons"-like personal aircraft to the scene, landing in the patient's yard to begin treatment roughly 20 minutes before ground ambulances arrived. (Muller, 8/11)
