Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Medline Plans Price Hikes, Layoffs As Inflation Worries Loom
Modern Healthcare: Medline Plans January Price Hikes As It Decides Inflation Isn’t Going Away Soon
Medline Industries will pass higher price increases on to hospitals and other customers in January after concluding that inflation, which has already cut into its profit, will last through 2027. The Northfield-based healthcare supplier reported third-quarter sales growth and raised its 2026 guidance this morning, while announcing a $1 billion share repurchase program and plans to invest in capacity in 2027 and beyond. (Asplund, 11/4)
Chicago Tribune: Northfield-Based Medline Laying Off 304 Workers
Northfield-based medical supply company Medline is laying off 304 workers, according to a notice filed with the state — a reduction that comes almost a year after it became a publicly traded company. (Schencker, 11/4)
More news from the health sector —
Stat: Doctors Love AI Chatbots. Should Health Systems Block — Or Buy In?
Earlier this year, Patrick Woodard had to have a talk with one of the hundreds of clinicians that work at Monument Health, where he is chief information officer. The South Dakota and Wyoming-based health system had decided to block access to OpenEvidence, the popular free artificial intelligence tool, and Woodard had gotten a few objections. (Palmer, 11/5)
Modern Healthcare: PBM Transparency Rules Push CVS, Optum, Cigna To Adapt
Employers, pharmacies and alternative pharmacy benefit managers succeeded in their push to force market-leading drug middlemen to transform their business practices. How much that matters is less clear. Critics spent years of political capital urging enforcement agencies and federal and state lawmakers to stop perceived abuses. PBMs’ lobbying efforts failed to stem that push. (Tong, 11/4)
Modern Healthcare: CVS Health Q3 Earnings Lifted By Aetna Medicare Gains
Aetna’s Medicare business helped propel CVS Health in the third quarter, but the company’s results were overshadowed by the healthcare behemoth’s announced breakup. CVS Health recorded $2.17 billion in net income, a 154% jump from the year-ago period. The company logged $1.68 diluted earnings per share, reversing a $3.13 per share loss when CVS Health disclosed a $5.7 billion goodwill impairment last year. The company raised its yearly outlook to at least $8.20 per share, up from a range of $7.90 to $8.10. (Tong, 11/4)
Modern Healthcare: CommonSpirit Health To Sell 3 Hospitals To Altru Health
Altru Health System has signed a definitive agreement to acquire three North Dakota hospitals from CommonSpirit Health. The deal involves CHI St. Alexius Health hospitals in Bismarck, Turtle Lake and Garrison in the state. It is expected to close early next year, pending regulatory approval, according to a Wednesday news release. (Hudson, 11/4)
Chicago Tribune: Roseland Community Hospital Files For Bankruptcy
Roseland Community Hospital filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy on Wednesday following years of financial struggles. The filing in federal bankruptcy court is intended to allow the safety-net hospital to restructure its debt while continuing to operate normally, the Far South Side hospital said in a news release. (Schencker, 11/4)
Modern Healthcare: Inova Health System’s J. Stephen Jones Eyes Growth Without Big M&A
Bigger isn’t necessarily better at Fairfax, Virginia-based Inova Health System. President and CEO Dr. J. Stephen Jones said he isn’t interested in major mergers and acquisitions. To him, growth at the nonprofit health system should be mostly organic, and deals shouldn’t be large multistate affairs. Instead, Inova is putting more than $2 billion into a two-site project spanning roughly 1.4 million square feet that will replace Inova Alexandria Hospital. (Hudson, 11/4)
KFF Health News: Listen To The Latest ‘KFF Health News Minute’
The "KFF Health News Minute" brings original healthcare and health policy reporting from our newsroom to the airwaves each week. (11/5)
Also —
The Daily Southtown: Orland Park's Treasure Chest Foundation Expands Nationwide
The new executive director of the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation, a nonprofit based in Orland Park, is using her background in both business and theater to help bring more toys and joy to children with cancer. (Neumann, 11/4)
