How VCU Health is helping the sandwich generation
(VCU Health – April 9, 2026)

Juggling careers, carpools and aging parents is often the reality of midlife. It is marked by a time of stability and a new type of controlled chaos. But for millions of Americans, it also becomes a season of transition. According to the Pew Research Center, about half of Americans in their 40s and 50s have a child under 18 and parents older than 65, and 1-in-7 middle-aged adults is providing financial support to both an aging parent and a child. For those individuals suddenly caring for both generations at once, the middle years become something else entirely: life in the sandwich generation.

Inova’s severe COPD program gives patients more options
(Inova – April 8, 2026)

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a disease that combines chronic bronchitis and emphysema, deal with persistent shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 16 million Americans have COPD, and many more probably have the disease but don’t know it. There is no cure for COPD, but there are treatments available that can make a real difference for patients’ quality of life. Inova’s severe COPD program specializes in caring for patients whose symptoms don’t get better with standard treatments.

Medicaid cuts could limit services at 10 Virginia hospitals, a new report finds
(WHRO – April 9, 2026)

Federal Medicaid cuts approved under the new Republican budget law could put 10 Virginia hospitals at risk of closure, according to a new report that warns financially fragile facilities may be forced to scale back care as funding shrinks. The analysis, released by the left-leaning advocacy group Public Citizen, identified 446 hospitals nationwide serving nearly 7 million patients that face elevated risk of closure or service reductions. Hospitals were flagged if at least 20% of their revenue came from Medicaid or other low-income government programs and if they posted negative net profit margins on average from 2022 through 2024.

Riverside Walter Reed Hospital Recognized in the Top 20 Rural and Community Hospitals in the U.S. by The Chartis Center for Rural Health and the National Rural Health Association
(Riverside Health – April 9, 2026)

In February 2026, Riverside Walter Reed Hospital (RWRH) was named to the Chartis Top 100 Rural Hospitals List for the first time. Building on that distinction, Riverside Walter Reed Hospital has now also been recognized as a Top 20 Rural & Community Hospital by The Chartis Center for Rural Health and the National Rural Health Association (NRHA). This national distinction places RWRH among the highest-performing rural hospitals in the nation. The NRHA names the Top 20 Rural & Community Hospitals annually based on an evaluation conducted by The Chartis Center for Rural Health. The selected hospitals are identified through the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEXTM, the most comprehensive and objective assessment of approximately 800 U.S. rural Prospective Payment System (PPS) hospital performance based upon market, value-based and financial measures.

Sheltering Arms Institute Earns Prestigious 2026 USA Today Top Workplaces Award
(Sheltering Arms Institute – April 9, 2026)

Sheltering Arms Institute is proud to announce it has once again earned the prestigious 2026 USA TODAY Top Workplaces award for the third consecutive year. The award honors organizations with 150 or more employees that have created exceptional, people-first cultures. This year, more than 42,000 organizations were invited to participate. The winners are recognized for their commitment to fostering a workplace environment that values employee listening and engagement. USA TODAY showcased the winners online and at the National Awards Summit in Las Vegas. “We’re incredibly proud to receive this recognition once again. It’s a testament to our team members, whose passion, collaboration, and commitment to excellence bring our mission to life every day and create a culture that truly impacts the lives of those we serve,” said Amanda Worley, VP of Human Resources at Sheltering Arms Institute.

The exam your student athlete needs to pass before playing school sports
(Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU – April 9, 2026)

Preparticipation physical exams are required for any public middle and high school student prior to taking part in any school sponsored sport, but what do doctors and nurses evaluate before your young athlete is allowed to take the field, court or mat? Dr. Richard Brookman, a pediatrician with a focus on adolescent medicine, answers these 5 questions about what happens during sports physicals.

What is Continuous Glucose Monitoring?
(Mary Washington Healthcare – April 9, 2026)

Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) allows you to check your sensor glucose, which means how much sugar is in the fluid around your cells. Using a sensor inserted underneath your skin, a CGM lets you see glucose numbers at any time with no fingerstick required and helps you reach your daily blood glucose goals. A CGM is attached to your body, usually on your belly or arm.

Idaho lawmakers dodged Medicaid expansion repeal. But what did they do with Medicaid?
(News from the States – April 9, 2026)

This year, it seemed like a repeal of Idaho Medicaid expansion — a longtime goal of some Republican state legislators — might have a shot. At the start of the 2026 session, it was clear that the Legislature was bracing for a tough budget year, after years of tax cuts and plans for even more. Before the session started, House Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star, signaled he was open to repealing expansion. But a repeal bill didn’t even advance out of committee. To Republican Sen. Julie VanOrden, it seemed miraculous. “The fact that we didn’t have a Medicaid expansion repeal bill, and get it passed and get it through was, to me, short of a miracle. Because the topic kept coming up over and over again,” VanOrden, of Pingree, told the Idaho Capital Sun. “… I think they really wanted to do it, but I will tell you in an election year, they don’t want to have that going into a campaign for their primary elections.”

Missouri: Plan to put Medicaid work requirements in state Constitution draws public opposition
(News from the States – April 9, 2026)

Advocates for cancer patients, people with developmental disabilities and their caregivers urged Missouri lawmakers Wednesday to reject a proposal writing Medicaid work requirements into the state Constitution. The bill, sponsored by Republican state Rep. Darin Chappell of Rogersville, would put the issue before voters in November. Starting Jan. 1, 2027, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed by Congress last summer will require states to verify that Medicaid expansion enrollees ages 19 to 64 are working, volunteering or attending school for at least 80 hours a month to qualify or keep their coverage. The law also requires states to check enrollees’ eligibility twice a year rather than annually. Chappell said his proposed constitutional amendment is necessary to ensure Medicaid work requirements continue even if the federal law changes, arguing that savings to the state from the federal law will stabilize funding for services for vulnerable Missourians.

Nebraska Hospital Association launches educational resource for new Medicaid requirements
(KSNB Local4 – April 8, 2026)

Nebraska is moving ahead of schedule to implement new Medicaid work requirements. The changes follow the federal enactment of H.R. 1, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” Nebraska is set to become the first state to enforce the law’s new Medicaid work requirements. Enforcement is scheduled to begin May 1, 2026. The Nebraska Hospital Association has launched a bilingual website to help residents navigate the new requirements.

Farm Bureau Plans Are a Less Pricey Alternative to ACA Coverage — With Trade-Offs
(KFF Health News – April 9, 2026)

Robin Carlton pays about $650 a month for a plan on the Missouri health insurance exchange that covers him and his two teenage kids. That monthly total is $200 higher than what he paid last year, due in part to the expiration in December of covid pandemic-era premium tax credits. But the self-employed St. Louis property manager isn’t in any hurry to investigate a new type of coverage that might be cheaper than his marketplace plan: farm bureau health plans. “Although I’m not a fan of rising costs, I’m not going to sacrifice coverage for my kids to save a buck,” Carlton said. Carlton finds himself among a growing number of Americans who have confronted difficult choices because of rising Affordable Care Act premiums and other affordability issues. For instance, a recent KFF poll found that many returning marketplace enrollees reported higher costs this year.

States Face Another Challenge With Medicaid Work Rules: Staffing Shortages
(KFF Health News – April 9, 2026)

Katie Crouch says calling her state’s Medicaid agency to get information about her benefits can feel like a series of dead ends. “The first time, it’ll ring interminably. Next time, it’ll go to a voice mail that just hangs up on you,” said the 48-year-old, who lives in Delaware. “Sometimes you’ll get a person who says they’re not the right one. They transfer you, and it hangs up. Sometimes, it picks up and there’s just nobody on the line.” She spent months trying to figure out whether her Medicaid coverage had been renewed. As of late March, she hadn’t been reapproved for the year for the state-federal program, which provides health insurance for people with low incomes and disabilities. Crouch, who suffered a debilitating brain aneurysm a decade ago, also has Medicare, which covers people who are 65 or older or have disabilities. Medicaid had been paying her monthly Medicare deductibles of $200, but she’d been on the hook for them for the past three months, straining her family’s fixed income, she said.

Why health insurers are shifting venture capital arm strategies
(Modern Healthcare – April 8, 2026) SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED

Venture capital funds associated with insurers are switching up their investment formulas as priorities shift and budgets tighten. Health insurance conglomerates — forced to rethink core operations across business lines amid increased regulatory scrutiny, rising costs and Wall Street disapproval — are investing more deliberately and prioritizing different types of startups and emerging companies.

AI is speeding up time to insight in value-based care
(Healthcare Finance News – April 9, 2026)

Risk-based contracts are complex, but AI helps weed through the data to show the direct financial impact, says Brian Overstreet, CEO of Arbital Health.

Healthcare CIOs see AI integration as a competitive necessity
(Healthcare IT News – April 9, 2026)

There’s a significant execution gap for generative artificial intelligence in healthcare, thanks largely to electronic health record dependencies and the proliferation of third-party software integrations. That’s according to a new report from Qventus, an artificial intelligence company. Meanwhile, other recent research, sponsored by EBSCO Clinical Decisions, a developer of decision-support technologies, finds that autonomous A tools could risk patient trust. The Qventus report, “Beyond the Pilot: How CIOs are Operationalizing AI across Health Systems in 2026,” released Thursday, aims to document the shift from AI pilots to full-scale AI integration within large-scale health systems.

Hospital CEOs again cite financial, workforce challenges as top concerns
(Becker’s Hospital Review – April 9, 2026)

Financial pressures remain the leading concern among hospital CEOs, according to the American College of Healthcare Executives’ annual survey of issues facing hospitals. Workforce challenges ranked No. 2, followed by governmental mandates. The survey, conducted in October and shared with Becker’s, was sent to 1,185 community hospital CEOs — defined as leaders of nonfederal, short-term, nonspecialty hospitals — who are ACHE members. A total of 215 CEOs responded. Participants were asked to rank 11 issue areas by level of urgency and identify specific concerns within each category.

Most health AI users don’t rate chatbots as highly accurate: poll
(Healthcare Dive – April 9, 2026)

Americans are turning to artificial intelligence chatbots for health information, but many users don’t see the responses as highly accurate, according to a survey published Tuesday by the Pew Research Center. More than 20% of respondents said they at least sometimes use AI chatbots for health questions, including 7% who turn to AI for health information often or extremely often, according to the poll. But only 18% rated the chatbots as extremely or very accurate. Still, nearly half said the tools were very convenient to use, and more than 40% said AI chatbots provided information that was easy to understand.

Nurses’ job satisfaction stumbles after post-pandemic gains: survey
(Fierce Healthcare – April 8, 2026)

A new annual survey report brings warnings of sharp drops among nurses’ views of their jobs and careers during the past year. Released this week, it found a year-to-year drop in reported job satisfaction among nearly 2,100 nurses from 55% to 47%. It’s the first time since 2022’s 28% low that the measure hasn’t improved from the prior year, according to nurse.org, which conducted the survey. The job satisfaction responses varied by specialty, with nurse educators and NICU nurses most often reporting they were satisfied while only 23% of progressive care, 31% of geriatric care, 34% of telemetry and 35% of emergency nurses saying the same.

CMS updates psychiatric and rehab payments
(Healthcare Finance News – April 9, 2026)

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has updated proposed payments for inpatient psychiatric facilities and also for rehabilitation care. The proposed payment increases of 2.3% for psychiatric care and 2.4% for rehab are lower than last year’s final rule increases. For fiscal year 2027, CMS is proposing to update the Inpatient Psychiatric Facility (IPF) Prospective Payment System payment rates by 2.3%. This is based on the proposed 2021-based IPF market basket increase of 3.1%, less a proposed 0.8-percentage-point productivity adjustment. Last year, CMS finalized a payment for IPF of 2.5%. provide monthly reports to OPM with identifiable health data on their members.

Judge rules that HHS must face states’ lawsuit over RFK Jr.’s agency overhaul, massive layoffs
(Fierce Healthcare – April 9, 2026)

A federal judge rejected the Trump administration’s bid to dismiss a group of states’ lawsuit challenging U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s restructuring of the Department of Health and Human Services. Judge Melissa R. DuBose for the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island ruled on Tuesday that an amended complaint filed by 19 states contains “sufficient, plausible allegations” demonstrating how Health Secretary Kennedy and HHS’ actions on March 27 constituted “arbitrary and capricious agency action.” “Specifically, plaintiffs allege that defendants failed to provide a reasonable basis in support of dismantling HHS and that they also failed to consider the consequences of their actions,” the judge wrote in the order.

RFK Jr. launching podcast in ‘transparency’ push
(The Hill – April 8, 2026)

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is launching a podcast that, in his words, will focus on “telling the truth, especially when it’s uncomfortable” and “confronting the spiritual malaise.” Kennedy is no stranger to podcasts, often appearing on shows like “The Joe Rogan Experience” and “Club Random with Bill Maher.” In a similar vein, Kennedy’s podcast will be titled “The Secretary Kennedy Podcast.” “For decades now, Americans have been told that we should trust the system, but our children are sicker. Chronic disease is exploding, and the answers that we’ve been given aren’t working. Many of us have come to the conclusion that government actually lies to us,” Kennedy said in a video posted on the social platform X.

Trump administration drops court fight to cap NIH payments for research overhead costs
(STAT News – April 8, 2026)

The Trump administration will not be asking the Supreme Court to take up its fight to slash federal support for funding that the nation’s science enterprise relies on for basic operating costs. The deadline to do so came and went this week without a petition from Trump’s Department of Justice, effectively ending the 14-month standoff over a controversial policy to drastically reduce the rate of reimbursement for “indirect costs” on federal grants. The legal battle between the administration and the research community started last February, when the National Institutes of Health abruptly announced it would cap payments for research overhead at 15%. Three lawsuits opposing the caps were immediately filed by state attorneys general and organizations representing private and public universities, hospitals, and academic medical centers.

Trump administration targets CON laws—what it means for rural healthcare
(Becker’s Hospital Review – April 9, 2026)

Certificate-of-need laws—originally designed to prevent the duplication of healthcare services in a specific geographic region—may be on the chopping block for many states as a condition of the federal Rural Health Transformation program. Every state submitted applications seeking a share of the $50 billion program, which was launched in 2025. But CMS and President Donald Trump’s administration have tied some of that funding to certain policies at the state level, including the elimination of CON, according to a summary of the RHT published by the American Medical Association in September. CON laws have been up for debate in numerous states over the last several months, as many physicians, ASC leaders and other stakeholders—including the AMA—criticize them for stifling competition, restricting healthcare access and driving up the cost of care.