TTA Ides of March countdown 3.1: Change/Optum cyberattack starts to resolve, Oracle Cerner goes live at Lovell, Dexcom’s OTC CGM clears, WebMD buys, Centene sells–maybe, NHS Dumfries cyberattacked, more!

 

 

 

 

A lighter week with the Change hacking starting to recede (pharmacy back up on Wed 13 March) and most industry types at HIMSS, we caught up with the first VA go-live in a year, Dexcom’s cleared OTC CGM, WebMD doubles down on health ed with Healthwise buy, Centene may sell abandoned HQ building. And Friday’s news is on a big cyberattack of an NHS Scotland region.

Weekend roundup: NHS Dumfries (Scotland) cyberattacked; delisted Veradigm’s strong financials; One Medical NY patients’ coverage clash; Suki voice AI integrates with Amwell; Legrand and Possum extended; Zephyr AI’s $111M Series A

News roundup: Cerner goes live at VA, DOD Lovell Center; WebMD expands education with Healthwise buy; Dexcom has FDA OK for OTC glucose sensor; Centene may have buyer for abandoned Charlotte HQ (Back to normal news!)
Updates on Change cyberattack: UHG’s timeline for system restorations, key updates around claims and payments in next weeks (updated) (Saving the analysis for later)

The Change Healthcare/Optum cyberattack entered a second week with no restoration of services in sight; how providers and pharmacies are coping without their primary means of processing patient claims and furnishing care–and the psychological toll; and the uncertain future of Walgreens, WBA, and the rapid downsizing of their provider arm, VillageMD. To add further insult to UHG, now DOJ is putting them under antitrust scrutiny.

Is BlackCat/ALPHV faking its own ‘death’? (updated) HHS and CMS come to Change affected providers’ assistance with ‘flexibilities’
Update: VillageMD lays off 49 in first two of six Village Medical closures in Illinois
Reality Bites Again: UHG being probed by DOJ on antitrust, One Medical layoffs “not related” to Amazon, the psychological effects of cyberattacks
Facing Future: Walgreens CEO moves company into strategic review–will he get WBA board alignment? (‘Go big’ now in reverse)
Week 2: Change Healthcare’s BlackCat hack may last “for the next couple of weeks”, UHG provides temp funding to providers, AHA slams it as a ‘band aid”–but did Optum already pay BlackCat a $22M ransom? (updated) (When will it end? Providers. staff, and patients are hurting)

Three major stories lead this packed week. Change Healthcare’s and Optum’s week-long struggle to get 100 or so BlackCat hacked systems up and running again for pharmacies and hospitals–no end in sight. Walgreens keeps closing Village MD locations–up to 85. But the funding freeze seems to be thawing, with M&A and lettered funding rounds suddenly poking through like daffodils–though the structure of one (Dario-Twill) is puzzling and another may be contested (R1 RCM). And Veradigm finally delists–while buying ScienceIO.

BlackCat is back, claims theft of 6TB of Change Healthcare data (Latest breaking news)

Breaking: VillageMD exiting Illinois clinics–in its home state–as closures top 80 locations (Something not good in the Village)
Short takes on a springlike ‘defrosting’: Redi Health’s $14M Series B, Dario Health buys Twill for ~$30M (About time for a Spring thaw)
Roundup: Walgreens’ new chief legal officer; Digital Health Collaborative launched; fundings/M&A defrosting for b.well, R1 RCM, Abridge, Reveleer; Veradigm likely delists, buys ScienceIO–mystery? (updated)
Change Healthcare cyberattack persists–is the BlackCat gang back and using LockBit malware? BlackCat taking credit. (update 28 Feb #2) (100 systems down, BlackCat’s back)

A few surprises at week’s end, with what appears to be a cyberattack taking down Change Healthcare’s systems and Walgreens’ VillageMD exiting Florida. There’s life in funding and stock buybacks but Oracle Cerner’s in the same-old with the VA. Teladoc on slow recovery road, telemental health coming back, LockBit busted, Musk’s Neuralink implant, and a few thoughts on AI. 

Weekend reading: AI cybersecurity tools no panacea, reality v. illusion in healthcare AI, RPM in transitioning to hospital-at-home, Korean study on older adult health tech usage (AI obsession?)
Breaking: Walgreens’ VillageMD shutting in Florida; Change Healthcare system websites cyberattacked (updated) (Two shockers)
Mid-week roundup: Cotiviti’s $10.5B stake to KKR; Cigna buys back $3.2B shares; VA Oracle Cerner faulty med records; LockBit ransomware websites cold-busted at every level, principals indicted; Trualta partners with PointClickCare
Teladoc closes 2023 with improved $220M loss, but weak forecast for 2024 leads to stock skid (Teladoc in recovery)
Telemental news roundup: Brightside Health expands Medicaid/Medicare partners; Blackbird Health gains $17M Series A; Nema Health’s PTSD partnership with Horizon BCBSNJ (A comeback badly needed)
Neuralink BCI human implant subject moving computer mouse by thought: Elon Musk (Controversy)

A week with a lot of Facing The Music, as the snow and chill continue as we’re ready for spring, already. Four payers scuttle mergers, Walgreens and Amazon are reorganizing big time, and the losses (Amwell especially) and layoffs continue. Apple wins a round in its patent fight with AliveCor. It’s the New Reality and let’s hope we get to a Newer, Better Reality soon. Maybe it’s time to focus on designing tech that is older adult (and not so older adult) friendly–and yes, there are some ‘green shoots’.

Weekend reading: why the tech experience for older adults needs a reboot (a boot in the….?), health tech takeaways from CES (Must reads)
Mid-week news roundup: Elevance-BCBSLA, SCAN-CareOregon mergers scuttled; Amwell’s $679M loss, layoffs; Invitae genetics files Ch. 11; innovations released from DeepScribe, Essence SmartCare (DE), fall detection at Atrium Health (SC)
Further confirmation of the New Reality for digital health–lower valuations, more exits, fewer startups, tech buyers not seeing ROI (The cleanout continues)
AliveCor v. Apple latest: Federal court tosses AliveCor suit on heart rate app data monopolization (This David v. Goliath round goes to Goliath)
Facing the Music of the New Reality: Amazon Pharmacy & One Medical restructure; Walgreens shakes up health exec suites again, cashes out $992M in Cencora; new takes on NeueHealth; Cue Health, Nomad Health layoffs


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Read Telehealth and Telecare Aware: https://telecareaware.com/  @telecareaware

Follow our pages on LinkedIn and on Facebook

We thank our advertisers and supporters: Legrand, UK Telehealthcare, ATA, The King’s Fund, DHACA, HIMSS, MedStartr, and Parks Associates.

Reach international leaders in health tech by advertising your company or event/conference in TTA–contact Donna for more information on how we help and who we reach. 


Telehealth & Telecare Aware: covering the news on latest developments in telecare, telehealth, telemedicine, and health tech, worldwide–thoughtfully and from the view of fellow professionals

Thanks for asking for update emails. Please tell your colleagues about this news service and, if you have relevant information to share with the rest of the world, please let me know.

Donna Cusano, Editor In Chief
donna.cusano@telecareaware.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

TTA Ides of March countdown 2: Change/Optum BlackCatted, down for week 2; how healthcare is coping with providing care and paying bills; Walgreens, VillageMD face downsized future; UHG under DOJ antitrust scrutiny; more!

 

 

This week’s major stories are but three: the Change Healthcare/Optum cyberattack, now in a second week with no restoration of services in sight; how providers and pharmacies are coping without their primary means of processing patient claims and furnishing care–and the psychological toll; and the uncertain future of Walgreens, WBA, and the rapid downsizing of their provider arm, VillageMD. To add further insult to UHG, now DOJ is putting them under antitrust scrutiny.

Is BlackCat/ALPHV faking its own ‘death’? (updated) HHS and CMS come to Change affected providers’ assistance with ‘flexibilities’
Update: VillageMD lays off 49 in first two of six Village Medical closures in Illinois
Reality Bites Again: UHG being probed by DOJ on antitrust, One Medical layoffs “not related” to Amazon, the psychological effects of cyberattacks
Facing Future: Walgreens CEO moves company into strategic review–will he get WBA board alignment? (‘Go big’ now in reverse)
Week 2: Change Healthcare’s BlackCat hack may last “for the next couple of weeks”, UHG provides temp funding to providers, AHA slams it as a ‘band aid”–but did Optum already pay BlackCat a $22M ransom? (updated) (When will it end? Providers. staff, and patients are hurting)

Three major stories lead this packed week. Change Healthcare’s and Optum’s week-long struggle to get 100 or so BlackCat hacked systems up and running again for pharmacies and hospitals–no end in sight. Walgreens keeps closing Village MD locations–up to 85. But the funding freeze seems to be thawing, with M&A and lettered funding rounds suddenly poking through like daffodils–though the structure of one (Dario-Twill) is puzzling and another may be contested (R1 RCM). And Veradigm finally delists–while buying ScienceIO.

BlackCat is back, claims theft of 6TB of Change Healthcare data (Latest breaking news)

Breaking: VillageMD exiting Illinois clinics–in its home state–as closures top 80 locations (Something not good in the Village)
Short takes on a springlike ‘defrosting’: Redi Health’s $14M Series B, Dario Health buys Twill for ~$30M (About time for a Spring thaw)
Roundup: Walgreens’ new chief legal officer; Digital Health Collaborative launched; fundings/M&A defrosting for b.well, R1 RCM, Abridge, Reveleer; Veradigm likely delists, buys ScienceIO–mystery? (updated)
Change Healthcare cyberattack persists–is the BlackCat gang back and using LockBit malware? BlackCat taking credit. (update 28 Feb #2) (100 systems down, BlackCat’s back)

A few surprises at week’s end, with what appears to be a cyberattack taking down Change Healthcare’s systems and Walgreens’ VillageMD exiting Florida. There’s life in funding and stock buybacks but Oracle Cerner’s in the same-old with the VA. Teladoc on slow recovery road, telemental health coming back, LockBit busted, Musk’s Neuralink implant, and a few thoughts on AI. 

Weekend reading: AI cybersecurity tools no panacea, reality v. illusion in healthcare AI, RPM in transitioning to hospital-at-home, Korean study on older adult health tech usage (AI obsession?)
Breaking: Walgreens’ VillageMD shutting in Florida; Change Healthcare system websites cyberattacked (updated) (Two shockers)
Mid-week roundup: Cotiviti’s $10.5B stake to KKR; Cigna buys back $3.2B shares; VA Oracle Cerner faulty med records; LockBit ransomware websites cold-busted at every level, principals indicted; Trualta partners with PointClickCare
Teladoc closes 2023 with improved $220M loss, but weak forecast for 2024 leads to stock skid (Teladoc in recovery)
Telemental news roundup: Brightside Health expands Medicaid/Medicare partners; Blackbird Health gains $17M Series A; Nema Health’s PTSD partnership with Horizon BCBSNJ (A comeback badly needed)
Neuralink BCI human implant subject moving computer mouse by thought: Elon Musk (Controversy)

A week with a lot of Facing The Music, as the snow and chill continue as we’re ready for spring, already. Four payers scuttle mergers, Walgreens and Amazon are reorganizing big time, and the losses (Amwell especially) and layoffs continue. Apple wins a round in its patent fight with AliveCor. It’s the New Reality and let’s hope we get to a Newer, Better Reality soon. Maybe it’s time to focus on designing tech that is older adult (and not so older adult) friendly–and yes, there are some ‘green shoots’.

Weekend reading: why the tech experience for older adults needs a reboot (a boot in the….?), health tech takeaways from CES (Must reads)
Mid-week news roundup: Elevance-BCBSLA, SCAN-CareOregon mergers scuttled; Amwell’s $679M loss, layoffs; Invitae genetics files Ch. 11; innovations released from DeepScribe, Essence SmartCare (DE), fall detection at Atrium Health (SC)
Further confirmation of the New Reality for digital health–lower valuations, more exits, fewer startups, tech buyers not seeing ROI (The cleanout continues)
AliveCor v. Apple latest: Federal court tosses AliveCor suit on heart rate app data monopolization (This David v. Goliath round goes to Goliath)
Facing the Music of the New Reality: Amazon Pharmacy & One Medical restructure; Walgreens shakes up health exec suites again, cashes out $992M in Cencora; new takes on NeueHealth; Cue Health, Nomad Health layoffs

AI: how much of it is hype, how much harm can it do, and call in the lawyers. Rock Health sotto voce issued its downbeat 2023 roundup, with 2024 predictions familiar to our Readers. Ireland’s HealthBeacon sold to a new healthcare player–Hamilton Beach. Cano Health faces the Chapter 11 music, veterans at VA will Mynd, and mass outsourcing to Optum.

2023 was buying time, 2024 is face the music time: Rock Health (Blood out of a Rock?)
Another icy bucket: who is liable when a healthcare AI system fails? (More AI caveats)
First healthcare IPO: BrightSpring debuted at less than projected, but holding value (Nice to see)
Mid-week short takes: Ireland’s HealthBeacon bought by Hamilton Beach (!), Ambience AI raises $70M, VA to develop VR mental health app with Mynd Immersive (VA tries out digital therapeutics)
Two Must Reads: Is AI the next hype bubble replacing crypto–and capable of great harm? (Get set to be apprehensive)
News roundup: Cano Health files Ch. 11 bankruptcy, delisted (updated), Walgreens lays off more, Allina Health outsources 2,000 RCM jobs to Optum (The inevitable for Cano and Walgreens, along with speculation)

This week pinged between overstatement and underreporting. The press around the Blair and Hague recommendations around selling NHS medical data–exaggerated. Underreported? Who was targeted in 23andMe’s 6.9M record data breach–and their future. The upward trajectory of cyberattacks confirmed, Musk gets his brain implant going, Cigna sells MA but Amazon calls it off with iRobot, and a former CMS head to helm Oracle Health.

Sell NHS medical records to fund AI, biotech? Not quite what’s in the Blair-Hague report. (They didn’t read the National Purpose report)
23andMe data breach may have targeted those of Jewish and Chinese heritage; company valuation crashes (Is there a bottom?)
Short takes: Orion digital pain therapeutic to be commercialized by Newel Health; Verma to head Oracle Health; CVS to shut 25 LA-area MinuteClinics 
2023’s global cyberattack disaster: healthcare #3 in weekly attacks, 10% of organizations ransomwared–report (Beware)
News roundup: Musk’s Neuralink implants first human BCI; Cigna’s $3.7B MA sale to HCSC; no Amazon deal for iRobot; DispatchHealth-Instacart food Rx; 5 India health tech fundings 

A newsy week…a bit of catchup on JPM which has caught up to the New Reality explored in our ’24 forecast. Humana loses on MA, Walgreens now officially labeled ‘troubled’, but Bright Health survives and rebrands. Cybersecurity beat out AI this week with HHS performance goals (more work, fewer IT people) while breached patient records doubled last year. Fundings and more this ‘n’ that.

Short takes: Humana’s big MA loss; Medicare telemental care bill back in Senate; HHS releases cybersecurity performance goals; Texas Healthcare Challenge hackathon 23-24 February (HHS asking for cybersec upgrades while IT departments are laid off)
Midweek updates: Walgreens may sell Shields Health after 2 years; Ventric Health’s home cardiac RPM; Singapore military medical corps upgrades PACES 3 EMR (Walgreens now labeled as ‘troubled’)
Peering through the cloudy crystal ball into 2024 healthcare investment and company health (2024 a funhouse mirror image of 2023?)
News roundup: Bright Health now NeueHealth; breached patient records double, RCM as vector for hacking; Amazon’s CCM marketplace; JPM reflects the new reality; fundings for Vita Health, Turquoise, CardioSignal (Settling into the new normal)
Published: NHS guidance on integrating TEC providers into urgent community response (UCR) (UK) (Less stress on ambulance services and EDs)

In the ‘dog days’ of winter, Apple gets a comeuppance in its patent fights with Masimo and disables pulse oximetry in two Watch models. AliveCor moves forward against Apple in Federal court. We sort out a lot of new product introductions, a sale of a company we thought was sold, a possible Really Big EHR Sale, General Catalyst buys a provider…and 23andMe turns the tables on their massive data breach by Blaming the Victims. 

Got a data breach? Blame the victims like 23andMe did! (This is a first)
News roundup #2: Bright.md sells remaining customers to 98point6; Netsmart EHR up for $5B possible sale; Caregility intros two new telehealth systems (Maybe a big sale coming?)
Breaking: appeals court continues ITC ban on Apple Watches with working pulse oximetry (Masimo wins a round)
News roundup: Owlet’s Dream Sock, BabySat go to market; General Catalyst’s HATco agrees to buy Summa; Cigna’s contrasting provider strategy; new ElliQ robot assistant debuts at CES (HATCo’s first step into health transformation?)
Apple removes pulse oximetry from Watches to dodge ban; AliveCor advances patent review v. Apple (two big updates!)

Reality bites as we recap the 2023 hangover at several major companies with cutbacks from the suites to the streets and C-suite changes that you may have missed.

Wrapping up many changes at Walgreens, VillageMD, CVS Health, Oracle Health (A lot of musical chairs!)


Have a job to fill? Seeking a position? See jobs listed with our new job search partner Jooble in the right sidebar!


Read Telehealth and Telecare Aware: https://telecareaware.com/  @telecareaware

Follow our pages on LinkedIn and on Facebook

We thank our advertisers and supporters: Legrand, UK Telehealthcare, ATA, The King’s Fund, DHACA, HIMSS, MedStartr, and Parks Associates.

Reach international leaders in health tech by advertising your company or event/conference in TTA–contact Donna for more information on how we help and who we reach. 


Telehealth & Telecare Aware: covering the news on latest developments in telecare, telehealth, telemedicine, and health tech, worldwide–thoughtfully and from the view of fellow professionals

Thanks for asking for update emails. Please tell your colleagues about this news service and, if you have relevant information to share with the rest of the world, please let me know.

Donna Cusano, Editor In Chief
donna.cusano@telecareaware.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

TTA Ides of March countdown: Change/Optum BlackCatted; Walgreens/VillageMD closures at 85; fundings/M&A revive for Dario, Redi, R1 RCM, b.well, more; Veradigm delisted, buys ScienceIO

 

 

Three major stories lead this packed week. Change Healthcare’s and Optum’s week-long struggle to get 100 or so BlackCat hacked systems up and running again for pharmacies and hospitals–no end in sight. Walgreens keeps closing Village MD locations–up to 85. But the funding freeze seems to be thawing, with M&A and lettered funding rounds suddenly poking through like daffodils–though the structure of one (Dario-Twill) is puzzling and another may be contested (R1 RCM). And Veradigm finally delists–while buying ScienceIO.

BlackCat is back, claims theft of 6TB of Change Healthcare data (breaking as of 29 Feb)

Breaking: VillageMD exiting Illinois clinics–in its home state–as closures top 80 locations (Something not good in the Village)
Short takes on a springlike ‘defrosting’: Redi Health’s $14M Series B, Dario Health buys Twill for ~$30M (About time for a Spring thaw)
Roundup: Walgreens’ new chief legal officer; Digital Health Collaborative launched; fundings/M&A defrosting for b.well, R1 RCM, Abridge, Reveleer; Veradigm likely delists, buys ScienceIO–mystery? (updated)
Change Healthcare cyberattack persists–is the BlackCat gang back and using LockBit malware? BlackCat taking credit. (update 28 Feb #2) (100 systems down, BlackCat’s back)

A few surprises at week’s end, with what appears to be a cyberattack taking down Change Healthcare’s systems and Walgreens’ VillageMD exiting Florida. There’s life in funding and stock buybacks but Oracle Cerner’s in the same-old with the VA. Teladoc on slow recovery road, telemental health coming back, LockBit busted, Musk’s Neuralink implant, and a few thoughts on AI. 

Weekend reading: AI cybersecurity tools no panacea, reality v. illusion in healthcare AI, RPM in transitioning to hospital-at-home, Korean study on older adult health tech usage (AI obsession?)
Breaking: Walgreens’ VillageMD shutting in Florida; Change Healthcare system websites cyberattacked (updated) (Two shockers)
Mid-week roundup: Cotiviti’s $10.5B stake to KKR; Cigna buys back $3.2B shares; VA Oracle Cerner faulty med records; LockBit ransomware websites cold-busted at every level, principals indicted; Trualta partners with PointClickCare
Teladoc closes 2023 with improved $220M loss, but weak forecast for 2024 leads to stock skid (Teladoc in recovery)
Telemental news roundup: Brightside Health expands Medicaid/Medicare partners; Blackbird Health gains $17M Series A; Nema Health’s PTSD partnership with Horizon BCBSNJ (A comeback badly needed)
Neuralink BCI human implant subject moving computer mouse by thought: Elon Musk (Controversy)

A week with a lot of Facing The Music, as the snow and chill continue as we’re ready for spring, already. Four payers scuttle mergers, Walgreens and Amazon are reorganizing big time, and the losses (Amwell especially) and layoffs continue. Apple wins a round in its patent fight with AliveCor. It’s the New Reality and let’s hope we get to a Newer, Better Reality soon. Maybe it’s time to focus on designing tech that is older adult (and not so older adult) friendly–and yes, there are some ‘green shoots’.

Weekend reading: why the tech experience for older adults needs a reboot (a boot in the….?), health tech takeaways from CES (Must reads)
Mid-week news roundup: Elevance-BCBSLA, SCAN-CareOregon mergers scuttled; Amwell’s $679M loss, layoffs; Invitae genetics files Ch. 11; innovations released from DeepScribe, Essence SmartCare (DE), fall detection at Atrium Health (SC)
Further confirmation of the New Reality for digital health–lower valuations, more exits, fewer startups, tech buyers not seeing ROI (The cleanout continues)
AliveCor v. Apple latest: Federal court tosses AliveCor suit on heart rate app data monopolization (This David v. Goliath round goes to Goliath)
Facing the Music of the New Reality: Amazon Pharmacy & One Medical restructure; Walgreens shakes up health exec suites again, cashes out $992M in Cencora; new takes on NeueHealth; Cue Health, Nomad Health layoffs

AI: how much of it is hype, how much harm can it do, and call in the lawyers. Rock Health sotto voce issued its downbeat 2023 roundup, with 2024 predictions familiar to our Readers. Ireland’s HealthBeacon sold to a new healthcare player–Hamilton Beach. Cano Health faces the Chapter 11 music, veterans at VA will Mynd, and mass outsourcing to Optum.

2023 was buying time, 2024 is face the music time: Rock Health (Blood out of a Rock?)
Another icy bucket: who is liable when a healthcare AI system fails? (More AI caveats)
First healthcare IPO: BrightSpring debuted at less than projected, but holding value (Nice to see)
Mid-week short takes: Ireland’s HealthBeacon bought by Hamilton Beach (!), Ambience AI raises $70M, VA to develop VR mental health app with Mynd Immersive (VA tries out digital therapeutics)
Two Must Reads: Is AI the next hype bubble replacing crypto–and capable of great harm? (Get set to be apprehensive)
News roundup: Cano Health files Ch. 11 bankruptcy, delisted (updated), Walgreens lays off more, Allina Health outsources 2,000 RCM jobs to Optum (The inevitable for Cano and Walgreens, along with speculation)

This week pinged between overstatement and underreporting. The press around the Blair and Hague recommendations around selling NHS medical data–exaggerated. Underreported? Who was targeted in 23andMe’s 6.9M record data breach–and their future. The upward trajectory of cyberattacks confirmed, Musk gets his brain implant going, Cigna sells MA but Amazon calls it off with iRobot, and a former CMS head to helm Oracle Health.

Sell NHS medical records to fund AI, biotech? Not quite what’s in the Blair-Hague report. (They didn’t read the National Purpose report)
23andMe data breach may have targeted those of Jewish and Chinese heritage; company valuation crashes (Is there a bottom?)
Short takes: Orion digital pain therapeutic to be commercialized by Newel Health; Verma to head Oracle Health; CVS to shut 25 LA-area MinuteClinics 
2023’s global cyberattack disaster: healthcare #3 in weekly attacks, 10% of organizations ransomwared–report (Beware)
News roundup: Musk’s Neuralink implants first human BCI; Cigna’s $3.7B MA sale to HCSC; no Amazon deal for iRobot; DispatchHealth-Instacart food Rx; 5 India health tech fundings 

A newsy week…a bit of catchup on JPM which has caught up to the New Reality explored in our ’24 forecast. Humana loses on MA, Walgreens now officially labeled ‘troubled’, but Bright Health survives and rebrands. Cybersecurity beat out AI this week with HHS performance goals (more work, fewer IT people) while breached patient records doubled last year. Fundings and more this ‘n’ that.

Short takes: Humana’s big MA loss; Medicare telemental care bill back in Senate; HHS releases cybersecurity performance goals; Texas Healthcare Challenge hackathon 23-24 February (HHS asking for cybersec upgrades while IT departments are laid off)
Midweek updates: Walgreens may sell Shields Health after 2 years; Ventric Health’s home cardiac RPM; Singapore military medical corps upgrades PACES 3 EMR (Walgreens now labeled as ‘troubled’)
Peering through the cloudy crystal ball into 2024 healthcare investment and company health (2024 a funhouse mirror image of 2023?)
News roundup: Bright Health now NeueHealth; breached patient records double, RCM as vector for hacking; Amazon’s CCM marketplace; JPM reflects the new reality; fundings for Vita Health, Turquoise, CardioSignal (Settling into the new normal)
Published: NHS guidance on integrating TEC providers into urgent community response (UCR) (UK) (Less stress on ambulance services and EDs)

In the ‘dog days’ of winter, Apple gets a comeuppance in its patent fights with Masimo and disables pulse oximetry in two Watch models. AliveCor moves forward against Apple in Federal court. We sort out a lot of new product introductions, a sale of a company we thought was sold, a possible Really Big EHR Sale, General Catalyst buys a provider…and 23andMe turns the tables on their massive data breach by Blaming the Victims. 

Got a data breach? Blame the victims like 23andMe did! (This is a first)
News roundup #2: Bright.md sells remaining customers to 98point6; Netsmart EHR up for $5B possible sale; Caregility intros two new telehealth systems (Maybe a big sale coming?)
Breaking: appeals court continues ITC ban on Apple Watches with working pulse oximetry (Masimo wins a round)
News roundup: Owlet’s Dream Sock, BabySat go to market; General Catalyst’s HATco agrees to buy Summa; Cigna’s contrasting provider strategy; new ElliQ robot assistant debuts at CES (HATCo’s first step into health transformation?)
Apple removes pulse oximetry from Watches to dodge ban; AliveCor advances patent review v. Apple (two big updates!)

Reality bites as we recap the 2023 hangover at several major companies with cutbacks from the suites to the streets and C-suite changes that you may have missed.

Wrapping up many changes at Walgreens, VillageMD, CVS Health, Oracle Health (A lot of musical chairs!)


Have a job to fill? Seeking a position? See jobs listed with our new job search partner Jooble in the right sidebar!


Read Telehealth and Telecare Aware: https://telecareaware.com/  @telecareaware

Follow our pages on LinkedIn and on Facebook

We thank our advertisers and supporters: Legrand, UK Telehealthcare, ATA, The King’s Fund, DHACA, HIMSS, MedStartr, and Parks Associates.

Reach international leaders in health tech by advertising your company or event/conference in TTA–contact Donna for more information on how we help and who we reach. 


Telehealth & Telecare Aware: covering the news on latest developments in telecare, telehealth, telemedicine, and health tech, worldwide–thoughtfully and from the view of fellow professionals

Thanks for asking for update emails. Please tell your colleagues about this news service and, if you have relevant information to share with the rest of the world, please let me know.

Donna Cusano, Editor In Chief
donna.cusano@telecareaware.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

TTA’s ‘winter dog days’ 5: Change Healthcare cyberattacked, Walgreens’ VillageMD exiting FL, Cigna $3.2B buyback, Cerner-VA problems, Teladoc’s weak ’24 forecast, telemental health revives, LockBit busted, more!

 

 

A few surprises at week’s end, with what appears to be a cyberattack taking down Change Healthcare’s systems and Walgreens’ VillageMD exiting Florida. There’s life in funding and stock buybacks but Oracle Cerner’s in the same-old with the VA. Teladoc on slow recovery road, telemental health coming back, LockBit busted, Musk’s Neuralink implant, and a few thoughts on AI. 

Weekend reading: AI cybersecurity tools no panacea, reality v. illusion in healthcare AI, RPM in transitioning to hospital-at-home, Korean study on older adult health tech usage (AI obsession?)
Breaking: Walgreens’ VillageMD shutting in Florida; Change Healthcare system websites cyberattacked (updated) (Two shockers)
Mid-week roundup: Cotiviti’s $10.5B stake to KKR; Cigna buys back $3.2B shares; VA Oracle Cerner faulty med records; LockBit ransomware websites cold-busted at every level, principals indicted; Trualta partners with PointClickCare
Teladoc closes 2023 with improved $220M loss, but weak forecast for 2024 leads to stock skid (Teladoc in recovery)
Telemental news roundup: Brightside Health expands Medicaid/Medicare partners; Blackbird Health gains $17M Series A; Nema Health’s PTSD partnership with Horizon BCBSNJ (A comeback badly needed)
Neuralink BCI human implant subject moving computer mouse by thought: Elon Musk (Controversy)

A week with a lot of Facing The Music, as the snow and chill continue as we’re ready for spring, already. Four payers scuttle mergers, Walgreens and Amazon are reorganizing big time, and the losses (Amwell especially) and layoffs continue. Apple wins a round in its patent fight with AliveCor. It’s the New Reality and let’s hope we get to a Newer, Better Reality soon. Maybe it’s time to focus on designing tech that is older adult (and not so older adult) friendly–and yes, there are some ‘green shoots’.

Weekend reading: why the tech experience for older adults needs a reboot (a boot in the….?), health tech takeaways from CES (Must reads)
Mid-week news roundup: Elevance-BCBSLA, SCAN-CareOregon mergers scuttled; Amwell’s $679M loss, layoffs; Invitae genetics files Ch. 11; innovations released from DeepScribe, Essence SmartCare (DE), fall detection at Atrium Health (SC)
Further confirmation of the New Reality for digital health–lower valuations, more exits, fewer startups, tech buyers not seeing ROI (The cleanout continues)
AliveCor v. Apple latest: Federal court tosses AliveCor suit on heart rate app data monopolization (This David v. Goliath round goes to Goliath)
Facing the Music of the New Reality: Amazon Pharmacy & One Medical restructure; Walgreens shakes up health exec suites again, cashes out $992M in Cencora; new takes on NeueHealth; Cue Health, Nomad Health layoffs

AI: how much of it is hype, how much harm can it do, and call in the lawyers. Rock Health sotto voce issued its downbeat 2023 roundup, with 2024 predictions familiar to our Readers. Ireland’s HealthBeacon sold to a new healthcare player–Hamilton Beach. Cano Health faces the Chapter 11 music, veterans at VA will Mynd, and mass outsourcing to Optum.

2023 was buying time, 2024 is face the music time: Rock Health (Blood out of a Rock?)
Another icy bucket: who is liable when a healthcare AI system fails? (More AI caveats)
First healthcare IPO: BrightSpring debuted at less than projected, but holding value (Nice to see)
Mid-week short takes: Ireland’s HealthBeacon bought by Hamilton Beach (!), Ambience AI raises $70M, VA to develop VR mental health app with Mynd Immersive (VA tries out digital therapeutics)
Two Must Reads: Is AI the next hype bubble replacing crypto–and capable of great harm? (Get set to be apprehensive)
News roundup: Cano Health files Ch. 11 bankruptcy, delisted (updated), Walgreens lays off more, Allina Health outsources 2,000 RCM jobs to Optum (The inevitable for Cano and Walgreens, along with speculation)

This week pinged between overstatement and underreporting. The press around the Blair and Hague recommendations around selling NHS medical data–exaggerated. Underreported? Who was targeted in 23andMe’s 6.9M record data breach–and their future. The upward trajectory of cyberattacks confirmed, Musk gets his brain implant going, Cigna sells MA but Amazon calls it off with iRobot, and a former CMS head to helm Oracle Health.

Sell NHS medical records to fund AI, biotech? Not quite what’s in the Blair-Hague report. (They didn’t read the National Purpose report)
23andMe data breach may have targeted those of Jewish and Chinese heritage; company valuation crashes (Is there a bottom?)
Short takes: Orion digital pain therapeutic to be commercialized by Newel Health; Verma to head Oracle Health; CVS to shut 25 LA-area MinuteClinics 
2023’s global cyberattack disaster: healthcare #3 in weekly attacks, 10% of organizations ransomwared–report (Beware)
News roundup: Musk’s Neuralink implants first human BCI; Cigna’s $3.7B MA sale to HCSC; no Amazon deal for iRobot; DispatchHealth-Instacart food Rx; 5 India health tech fundings 

A newsy week…a bit of catchup on JPM which has caught up to the New Reality explored in our ’24 forecast. Humana loses on MA, Walgreens now officially labeled ‘troubled’, but Bright Health survives and rebrands. Cybersecurity beat out AI this week with HHS performance goals (more work, fewer IT people) while breached patient records doubled last year. Fundings and more this ‘n’ that.

Short takes: Humana’s big MA loss; Medicare telemental care bill back in Senate; HHS releases cybersecurity performance goals; Texas Healthcare Challenge hackathon 23-24 February (HHS asking for cybersec upgrades while IT departments are laid off)
Midweek updates: Walgreens may sell Shields Health after 2 years; Ventric Health’s home cardiac RPM; Singapore military medical corps upgrades PACES 3 EMR (Walgreens now labeled as ‘troubled’)
Peering through the cloudy crystal ball into 2024 healthcare investment and company health (2024 a funhouse mirror image of 2023?)
News roundup: Bright Health now NeueHealth; breached patient records double, RCM as vector for hacking; Amazon’s CCM marketplace; JPM reflects the new reality; fundings for Vita Health, Turquoise, CardioSignal (Settling into the new normal)
Published: NHS guidance on integrating TEC providers into urgent community response (UCR) (UK) (Less stress on ambulance services and EDs)

In the ‘dog days’ of winter, Apple gets a comeuppance in its patent fights with Masimo and disables pulse oximetry in two Watch models. AliveCor moves forward against Apple in Federal court. We sort out a lot of new product introductions, a sale of a company we thought was sold, a possible Really Big EHR Sale, General Catalyst buys a provider…and 23andMe turns the tables on their massive data breach by Blaming the Victims. 

Got a data breach? Blame the victims like 23andMe did! (This is a first)
News roundup #2: Bright.md sells remaining customers to 98point6; Netsmart EHR up for $5B possible sale; Caregility intros two new telehealth systems (Maybe a big sale coming?)
Breaking: appeals court continues ITC ban on Apple Watches with working pulse oximetry (Masimo wins a round)
News roundup: Owlet’s Dream Sock, BabySat go to market; General Catalyst’s HATco agrees to buy Summa; Cigna’s contrasting provider strategy; new ElliQ robot assistant debuts at CES (HATCo’s first step into health transformation?)
Apple removes pulse oximetry from Watches to dodge ban; AliveCor advances patent review v. Apple (two big updates!)

Reality bites as we recap the 2023 hangover at several major companies with cutbacks from the suites to the streets and C-suite changes that you may have missed.

Wrapping up many changes at Walgreens, VillageMD, CVS Health, Oracle Health (A lot of musical chairs!)

Happy 2024! Breaking out of the January gate, Apple gets stay in the Masimo patent fight and Watch sales resume. The continuing soap operas of Cano Health and Veradigm resume. Bright Health’s cash from Molina gains some breathing room, and rival Devoted scores a tidy Series E. In the UK, telecare issues rise as the digital voice switchover nears–learn more next Friday.

A timely webinar Fri 12 Jan: Protecting a lifeline – preparing for the digital voice switchover (UK) (Trying to protect vulnerable elderly and disabled)
News roundup: Cano Health gets 2nd NYSE delisting warning; Veradigm acquires Koha Health RCM, faces class-action lawsuit; Bright Health-Molina sale closes; Devoted Health’s $175M Series E (updated) (Some funding ‘light’ and Bright sees some daylight)
Breaking: ban on sale of Apple Watches 9 and Ultra 2 stayed by federal appeals court Wed 27 December (Until mid-January for now)


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We thank our advertisers and supporters: Legrand, UK Telehealthcare, ATA, The King’s Fund, DHACA, HIMSS, MedStartr, and Parks Associates.

Reach international leaders in health tech by advertising your company or event/conference in TTA–contact Donna for more information on how we help and who we reach. 


Telehealth & Telecare Aware: covering the news on latest developments in telecare, telehealth, telemedicine, and health tech, worldwide–thoughtfully and from the view of fellow professionals

Thanks for asking for update emails. Please tell your colleagues about this news service and, if you have relevant information to share with the rest of the world, please let me know.

Donna Cusano, Editor In Chief
donna.cusano@telecareaware.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

TTA’s ‘winter dog days’ 4: Amazon, Walgreens, NeueHealth, Invitae, others Face The Music; Apple wins one v. AliveCor; Amwell loses $670M; DeepScribe AI, Essence, Atrium innovate; more!

 

 

This week has a lot of Facing The Music, as the snow and chill continue as we’re ready for spring, already. Four payers scuttle mergers, Walgreens and Amazon are reorganizing big time, and the losses (Amwell especially) and layoffs continue. Apple wins a round in its patent fight with AliveCor. It’s the New Reality and let’s hope we get to a Newer, Better Reality soon. Maybe it’s time to focus on designing tech that is older adult (and not so older adult) friendly–and yes, there are some ‘green shoots’.

Weekend reading: why the tech experience for older adults needs a reboot (a boot in the….?), health tech takeaways from CES (Must reads)
Mid-week news roundup: Elevance-BCBSLA, SCAN-CareOregon mergers scuttled; Amwell’s $679M loss, layoffs; Invitae genetics files Ch. 11; innovations released from DeepScribe, Essence SmartCare (DE), fall detection at Atrium Health (SC)
Further confirmation of the New Reality for digital health–lower valuations, more exits, fewer startups, tech buyers not seeing ROI (The cleanout continues)
AliveCor v. Apple latest: Federal court tosses AliveCor suit on heart rate app data monopolization (This David v. Goliath round goes to Goliath)
Facing the Music of the New Reality: Amazon Pharmacy & One Medical restructure; Walgreens shakes up health exec suites again, cashes out $992M in Cencora; new takes on NeueHealth; Cue Health, Nomad Health layoffs

AI: how much of it is hype, how much harm can it do, and call in the lawyers. Rock Health sotto voce issued its downbeat 2023 roundup, with 2024 predictions familiar to our Readers. Ireland’s HealthBeacon sold to a new healthcare player–Hamilton Beach. Cano Health faces the Chapter 11 music, veterans at VA will Mynd, and mass outsourcing to Optum.

2023 was buying time, 2024 is face the music time: Rock Health (Blood out of a Rock?)
Another icy bucket: who is liable when a healthcare AI system fails? (More AI caveats)
First healthcare IPO: BrightSpring debuted at less than projected, but holding value (Nice to see)
Mid-week short takes: Ireland’s HealthBeacon bought by Hamilton Beach (!), Ambience AI raises $70M, VA to develop VR mental health app with Mynd Immersive (VA tries out digital therapeutics)
Two Must Reads: Is AI the next hype bubble replacing crypto–and capable of great harm? (Get set to be apprehensive)
News roundup: Cano Health files Ch. 11 bankruptcy, delisted (updated), Walgreens lays off more, Allina Health outsources 2,000 RCM jobs to Optum (The inevitable for Cano and Walgreens, along with speculation)

This week pinged between overstatement and underreporting. The press around the Blair and Hague recommendations around selling NHS medical data–exaggerated. Underreported? Who was targeted in 23andMe’s 6.9M record data breach–and their future. The upward trajectory of cyberattacks confirmed, Musk gets his brain implant going, Cigna sells MA but Amazon calls it off with iRobot, and a former CMS head to helm Oracle Health.

Sell NHS medical records to fund AI, biotech? Not quite what’s in the Blair-Hague report. (They didn’t read the National Purpose report)
23andMe data breach may have targeted those of Jewish and Chinese heritage; company valuation crashes (Is there a bottom?)
Short takes: Orion digital pain therapeutic to be commercialized by Newel Health; Verma to head Oracle Health; CVS to shut 25 LA-area MinuteClinics 
2023’s global cyberattack disaster: healthcare #3 in weekly attacks, 10% of organizations ransomwared–report (Beware)
News roundup: Musk’s Neuralink implants first human BCI; Cigna’s $3.7B MA sale to HCSC; no Amazon deal for iRobot; DispatchHealth-Instacart food Rx; 5 India health tech fundings 

A newsy week…a bit of catchup on JPM which has caught up to the New Reality explored in our ’24 forecast. Humana loses on MA, Walgreens now officially labeled ‘troubled’, but Bright Health survives and rebrands. Cybersecurity beat out AI this week with HHS performance goals (more work, fewer IT people) while breached patient records doubled last year. Fundings and more this ‘n’ that.

Short takes: Humana’s big MA loss; Medicare telemental care bill back in Senate; HHS releases cybersecurity performance goals; Texas Healthcare Challenge hackathon 23-24 February (HHS asking for cybersec upgrades while IT departments are laid off)
Midweek updates: Walgreens may sell Shields Health after 2 years; Ventric Health’s home cardiac RPM; Singapore military medical corps upgrades PACES 3 EMR (Walgreens now labeled as ‘troubled’)
Peering through the cloudy crystal ball into 2024 healthcare investment and company health (2024 a funhouse mirror image of 2023?)
News roundup: Bright Health now NeueHealth; breached patient records double, RCM as vector for hacking; Amazon’s CCM marketplace; JPM reflects the new reality; fundings for Vita Health, Turquoise, CardioSignal (Settling into the new normal)
Published: NHS guidance on integrating TEC providers into urgent community response (UCR) (UK) (Less stress on ambulance services and EDs)

In the ‘dog days’ of winter, Apple gets a comeuppance in its patent fights with Masimo and disables pulse oximetry in two Watch models. AliveCor moves forward against Apple in Federal court. We sort out a lot of new product introductions, a sale of a company we thought was sold, a possible Really Big EHR Sale, General Catalyst buys a provider…and 23andMe turns the tables on their massive data breach by Blaming the Victims. 

Got a data breach? Blame the victims like 23andMe did! (This is a first)
News roundup #2: Bright.md sells remaining customers to 98point6; Netsmart EHR up for $5B possible sale; Caregility intros two new telehealth systems (Maybe a big sale coming?)
Breaking: appeals court continues ITC ban on Apple Watches with working pulse oximetry (Masimo wins a round)
News roundup: Owlet’s Dream Sock, BabySat go to market; General Catalyst’s HATco agrees to buy Summa; Cigna’s contrasting provider strategy; new ElliQ robot assistant debuts at CES (HATCo’s first step into health transformation?)
Apple removes pulse oximetry from Watches to dodge ban; AliveCor advances patent review v. Apple (two big updates!)

Reality bites as we recap the 2023 hangover at several major companies with cutbacks from the suites to the streets and C-suite changes that you may have missed.

Wrapping up many changes at Walgreens, VillageMD, CVS Health, Oracle Health (A lot of musical chairs!)

Happy 2024! Breaking out of the January gate, Apple gets stay in the Masimo patent fight and Watch sales resume. The continuing soap operas of Cano Health and Veradigm resume. Bright Health’s cash from Molina gains some breathing room, and rival Devoted scores a tidy Series E. In the UK, telecare issues rise as the digital voice switchover nears–learn more next Friday.

A timely webinar Fri 12 Jan: Protecting a lifeline – preparing for the digital voice switchover (UK) (Trying to protect vulnerable elderly and disabled)
News roundup: Cano Health gets 2nd NYSE delisting warning; Veradigm acquires Koha Health RCM, faces class-action lawsuit; Bright Health-Molina sale closes; Devoted Health’s $175M Series E (updated) (Some funding ‘light’ and Bright sees some daylight)
Breaking: ban on sale of Apple Watches 9 and Ultra 2 stayed by federal appeals court Wed 27 December (Until mid-January for now)


Have a job to fill? Seeking a position? See jobs listed with our new job search partner Jooble in the right sidebar!


Read Telehealth and Telecare Aware: https://telecareaware.com/  @telecareaware

Follow our pages on LinkedIn and on Facebook

We thank our advertisers and supporters: Legrand, UK Telehealthcare, ATA, The King’s Fund, DHACA, HIMSS, MedStartr, and Parks Associates.

Reach international leaders in health tech by advertising your company or event/conference in TTA–contact Donna for more information on how we help and who we reach. 


Telehealth & Telecare Aware: covering the news on latest developments in telecare, telehealth, telemedicine, and health tech, worldwide–thoughtfully and from the view of fellow professionals

Thanks for asking for update emails. Please tell your colleagues about this news service and, if you have relevant information to share with the rest of the world, please let me know.

Donna Cusano, Editor In Chief
donna.cusano@telecareaware.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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