Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Healthcare Costs Likely To Get Much Worse For Employers Next Year: Report
The Wall Street Journal: Exclusive: U.S. Workers Are Paying More For Healthcare, And Next Year Will Be Worse
Surging healthcare costs are walloping U.S. workers, and they will only worsen next year. For 2027, employers may be facing the biggest health-insurance increase in at least two decades. Americans with workplace coverage are expected to spend an average $5,297 this year on healthcare, $388 more than 2025, according to a new estimate from benefits-consulting firm Aon. The spending represents a combination of payroll deductions for premiums and out-of-pocket charges like deductibles and copays. (Wilde Mathews and Loftus, 8/20)
More on the high cost of healthcare —
Modern Healthcare: Centene To Cut Some Medicare Advantage Plans, Exit 3 States
Centene is scaling back its Medicare Advantage presence next year as the health insurance company looks to cut costs. The insurer plans to completely withdraw from Oklahoma, Tennessee and Hawaii, according to a notice the company distributed to third-party marketing organizations last week. (Tepper and Broderick, 8/20)
Becker's Hospital Review: Mount Sinai Receives Cease-And-Desist Demand From Insurer Over New Patient Policy
EmblemHealth issued New York City-based Mount Sinai Health System’s independent practice association a cease-and-desist letter regarding its decision to stop accepting new patients from some of the insurer’s government-backed plans. The insurer sent Vincent Tammaro, Mount Sinai’s executive vice president and CFO, the letter Aug. 19. Politico first reported that an archived version of Mount Sinai’s website said the health system stopped accepting some new patients with government-backed health plans — including EmblemHealth’s Medicaid plan, Essential Plan, Health and Recovery Plan and Child Health Plus offering — Aug. 1. (Casolo, 8/20)
KFF Health News: Watch: Mark Cuban Says You Can’t Fix Healthcare Until Every Price Is Known
The ongoing debate over the U.S. health system shouldn’t be based on whether the government or the private sector is the dominant player, billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban said this week. The bigger issue, he said, is whether the system’s participants are transparent about what they charge and what they pay. “I’m not opposed to single-payer or universal healthcare at all,” Cuban said Aug. 18 in an interview with KFF Health News. But “when you don’t know all the costs, when there’s no transparency, it’s impossible to determine if it’s a better solution or not,” he said. (Rovner and Norman, 8/21)
In other healthcare industry developments —
CBS News: Drug Mix-Up At Nashville Hospital Causes Complications In 4 Patients
Tennessee authorities are investigating after a drug mix-up at a Nashville hospital caused patients to experience complications during what should have been routine surgeries. The error occurred at Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown on Friday, Aug. 14. CBS affiliate WTVF reported that four patients had received doses of potassium instead of standard pain drugs while undergoing joint replacement operations. All of the operations were supposed to be outpatient procedures, WTVF reported. (Breen, 8/20)
Modern Healthcare: Cityblock To Acquire Homeward Health
Cityblock Health said it plans to acquire a rural provider in Michigan and has raised another $116 million to fund its growth. The longtime Medicaid-focused provider has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Homeward Health in an all-stock transaction. The deal is expected to close in the next few weeks, a Cityblock spokesperson said Thursday. Financial terms were not disclosed. (Hudson, 8/20)
MPR News: Minnesota Group Homes Run By Sekou Dukuly Shut Down Due To Fraud Allegations, Safety Risks
The Minnesota Department of Human Services is suspending payments to all group home companies affiliated with a high-ranking government official in Liberia, citing “credible allegations of Medicaid fraud,” following an MPR News and APM Reports investigation this week. The Department of Health says it will shut down three group homes he managed and will transfer their residents to other facilities. The investigation published Monday found that Sekou Dukuly, the managing director of Liberia’s National Port Authority, had been the director at three Golden Touch Health Care group homes since 2025. (Peak, Roth, Lu and Euzet, 8/20)
Modern Healthcare: Epic UGM 2026: 4 Takeaways On AI Strategy, TEFCA
Thousands of health system executives came together this week for Epic Systems’ annual user group meeting, as the electronic health record vendor faces numerous obstacles, including high-profile leadership changes and a reported antitrust investigation. The four-day event offered attendees a look at Epic’s research and development road map, insight into the role artificial intelligence will continue to play at the company, the vendor’s regulatory wish list and more. (Famakinwa, 8/20)
