Walmart said on Tuesday it would begin to help drug companies and research firms identify and recruit individuals to fill their clinical trials, pitting it against rivals Walgreens and CVS Health Group.
The fall for CVS can be attributed to a downgrade in its largest health insurance plan for Medicare patients, with 1.9 million members. The reduced rating implies the plan's ineligibility for performance-based bonus payments from the government in 2024.
Arizona will serve as a national test case when voters are asked to approve a ballot measure that backers say is intended to protect consumers from bankruptcy and poverty because of medical debt.
Providers and payers are skeptical that the program will improve the quality of care for those not enrolled — including access to doctors, one of the biggest challenges for Medi-Cal patients in South Los Angeles.
North Carolina hospitals, especially those in rural areas, have yet to bounce back from the pandemic–with a large percentage continuing to experience negative operating incomes.
