All articles tagged with #healthcare services
Bronson Healthcare has renamed its urgent care facility to QuickCare Plus to better reflect its services and address patient concerns about cost transparency, offering more affordable, hospital-based urgent care with shorter wait times and integrated follow-up care.
Urgent care clinics are rapidly expanding in the Capital Region, offering same-day care without appointments for minor ailments, sparking a competitive market. While they provide convenience, medical professionals caution that they are not a replacement for primary care physicians and do not offer preventive care or critical services, leading to patient uncertainty about which provider to see for specific needs.
Costco Wholesale is expanding its partnership with online healthcare services provider Sesame to offer weight-loss programs, including access to prescription drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, to its members. The program, priced at $179 for three months for members, involves clinician support for diet, exercise, and lifestyle modifications, with the possibility of medication subscription. Demand for GLP-1 agonists, a class of diabetes and obesity drugs, has been on the rise. This move comes as big-box retailers like Amazon and Walmart have been venturing into healthcare services, with Amazon offering virtual primary care and Walmart running primary care centers at its stores.
Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc reported a 6.3% increase in Q2 sales to $37.1 billion, but also a net loss of $5.9 billion due to non-cash impairment charges related to VillageMD goodwill. Despite the loss, the adjusted EPS of $1.20 exceeded estimates, and the U.S. Healthcare segment achieved positive adjusted EBITDA for the first time. The company faces challenges in the retail environment but is focusing on cost-saving initiatives and strategic shifts towards healthcare services for potential growth.
Providence and Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield have reached an agreement, ensuring that all Providence patients with Regence Health Insurance will continue to have in-network access to care at Providence facilities and clinics. Both parties expressed gratitude for the partnership and collaboration, with Regence acknowledging the need to achieve sustainable reimbursement rates. As the new contract is being finalized, Providence has rescinded its contact termination, providing assurance of continued care for Regence members.
CVS CEO Karen Lynch discussed the company's expansion into primary care, highlighting recent acquisitions of Signify and Oak Street Health. Lynch emphasized the importance of primary care as a cornerstone of CVS's health services, particularly for seniors, and mentioned plans to close 900 stores and remove self-checkout from some locations. She also touched on efforts to drive competition and lower costs through Caremark, the company's subsidiary managing prescription drug benefits for health insurers.
A study published in "The Lancet Global Health" reveals that more than one in three women globally experience lasting health problems after giving birth, including low back pain, pain during intercourse, urinary incontinence, depression, anxiety, fear of childbirth, and secondary infertility. These issues often go under-recognized and under-diagnosed, as postnatal care services typically only cover the first six weeks after birth. The lack of focus on postpartum complications can have long-term social and economic consequences. The study highlights the need for comprehensive and multidisciplinary healthcare services that extend beyond the six-week mark to promptly identify and address these conditions. Women are encouraged to seek help from healthcare providers and not suffer in silence.
Amazon is offering a discounted membership to One Medical for its Prime members, providing access to virtual care services and traditional doctors' offices across the US. One Medical offers telemedicine services and referral services for medical procedures. The membership includes free virtual care services, with in-office visits and subsequent care costs depending on the member's insurance. One Medical can diagnose and treat various non-life-threatening health problems virtually. Amazon also offers Amazon Clinic for basic primary or urgent care, as well as its own pharmacy and automatic coupon feature for drug discounts. Before signing up for any subscription health care service, it's important to consider other options and ensure the chosen company can meet your health needs.
Medicare is introducing new healthcare service programs for 2024, with a focus on mental health. Customers can apply for the plan that suits them until December 7th. The new services include expanded mental health coverage, with therapists and counselors now able to provide services. Medicare is also adding intensive outpatient care and improving peer support services for those with severe mental health issues. Additionally, there will be a lower out-of-pocket cost limit for some patients taking expensive drugs. Customers considering changing coverage should carefully review their options and have a beneficiary examine their coverage.
The University of Iowa has signed a letter of intent to acquire Mercy Iowa City, with plans to transition the hospital and its employees to UI Health Care. The acquisition aims to preserve the services, doctors, and employees of Mercy Iowa City. The hospital will file for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, following a downgrade in its credit rating and financial challenges. The goal is to avoid significant disruption and maintain local and regional access to quality healthcare and jobs.
CVS reported better-than-expected earnings and revenue for the second quarter but expressed caution about its future outlook as it shifts focus towards healthcare services. The company lowered its adjusted earnings per share guidance for 2024 and indicated that guidance for 2025 would also be revised. CVS cited various challenges, including uncertainty in Medicare Advantage, a potentially weakening consumer environment, decreased contributions from its COVID-related business, and plans to accelerate healthcare service growth through acquisitions. CEO Karen Lynch highlighted the positive impact of recent acquisitions and outlined plans to expand joint CVS pharmacy and Oak Street Health locations. To manage expenses, CVS announced layoffs of 5,000 non-consumer-facing employees and aims to achieve cost savings of $700 million-$800 million in 2024.
Allegheny Health Network and Cigna Healthcare have reached a one-year contract agreement, ensuring that Cigna customers in Western Pennsylvania will continue to have in-network access to AHN's clinical programs, hospitals, and affiliated sites. The two companies are also working on finalizing a longer, multi-year contract. This agreement benefits over twenty thousand Cigna-insured individuals in the region who rely on AHN for their healthcare needs.
Washington Health System (WHS) and UPMC have signed a non-binding letter of intent to negotiate an affiliation agreement that would integrate WHS into the UPMC system. The affiliation would help ensure continued high-quality care that patients in the WHS community have come to expect over the past several decades. WHS and UPMC have collaborated in several areas to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care, including cancer treatment, pediatric services, vascular surgery services, neonatal care, and senior care services. The affiliation is subject to customary regulatory filings, and WHS and UPMC leaders hope to complete the affiliation as soon as possible.
Experts warn of a global surge in cancer cases due to an aging population, but breakthroughs in medical research offer hope. The American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual meeting in Chicago discussed new treatments described as "thrilling", "groundbreaking" and "game-changing". However, healthcare services may not be ready for the impending "tsunami" of cancer cases.
CVS Health announced it will pause its recent acquisition spree to focus on integrating healthcare service provider Signify Health and primary care provider Oak Street Health. The company may look at additional opportunities in technology for home or health services in the longer term. CVS cut its full-year profit forecast to account for transaction and integration costs related to the two deals, and its shares fell 3%. However, the company beat Wall Street estimates for first-quarter profit and revenue as a recovery in medical procedures boosted sales of prescription drugs.