Samwise Healthcare IT Newsletter
Monday, October 5, 2026
HRSA Approves 340B Rebate Plans for 21 Drugs, with Claims Verified Through Beacon Platform
The Health Resources and Services Administration has released a list of 10 drugmakers, including AbbVie, Merck and Pfizer, that may shift 340B discounts on 21 drugs from upfront savings to after-the-fact rebates starting Jan. 1, Healthcare Dive reported Oct. 1. Under the pilot, providers must submit data such as the claim number, prescriber ID and 340B provider ID to an IT platform called Beacon, which verifies eligibility before drugmakers issue rebates. Once approved, drugmakers must pay within 10 days. Hospitals vehemently oppose the change. The pilot runs at least a year, with an evaluation expected by April 30, 2028.
Sources: Healthcare Dive
Texas Hospice Management Firm AngMar Reports Breach Affecting 35,916 Residents
AngMar Management Services, a Mansfield, Texas-based home health and hospice management company, told the Texas Attorney General that personal and protected health information of 35,916 Texas residents was potentially compromised, The HIPAA Journal reported Oct. 2. The intrusion was identified on July 20, 2026, and exposed data included Social Security numbers, medical record numbers and diagnosis information. The attack appears to be the work of the Interlock ransomware group, which claims to have exfiltrated 710 GB of data. Separately, Indianapolis safety net system Eskenazi Health confirmed an email-related data breach that exposed patient data, including substance use disorder information.
Sources: The HIPAA Journal
Physicians Call for Task-Based Limits and Stop Rules Before Clinical AI Agents Act
Physicians and researchers told Healthcare IT News on Oct. 2 that clinical AI agents need task-specific permissions, risk-based review and clear stop rules before they are allowed to act. Dr. Nipa R. Shah of the University of Florida College of Medicine at Jacksonville said permissions should attach to the task, not the model, with diagnosis and treatment changes reserved for physicians. Dr. Talha Shaikh of New York Cancer & Blood Specialists said agents should not quietly fill gaps when information is missing or contradictory. The experts also urged audit trails, override controls, local validation and named clinical and operational owners before deployment.
Sources: Healthcare IT News
Saber Healthcare, Law Firm Buchalter and Indiana Dental Practice Disclose Data Breaches
Saber Healthcare, a Beachwood, Ohio-based skilled nursing and senior rehabilitation provider, has begun notifying individuals after unauthorized access to one of its servers identified on July 27, 2026, The HIPAA Journal reported Oct. 1. State disclosures indicate more than 3,000 people were affected. Law firm Buchalter, which provides legal services to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, California, found on Aug. 28 that limited patient data had been accessed. Bright Smile Dental Care in Fishers, Indiana, suffered a ransomware attack on a server holding its EHR software, though encrypted patient data makes unauthorized access unlikely, the practice said.
Sources: The HIPAA Journal
Heidi Launches AI Agents for Visit Admin as Queensland Funds AI Launchpads
Heidi has unveiled the latest version of its AI platform, Heidi II, with agents that plan and execute pre-charting, referral communications, panel reviews and follow-up work across EHRs, calendars, inboxes and patient portals, MobiHealthNews reported Oct. 2. Heidi said clinicians retain approval and control over decision-making. The rollout began in late September in English and French outside the United Kingdom and European Union. Separately, Queensland University of Technology researchers received an A$1.49 million federal grant to develop AI launchpads that build local systems and workforce capabilities, with partners including Queensland Health and Microsoft Australia.
Sources: MobiHealthNews
Parakeet Health Raises $10 Million to Expand AI Patient Scheduling and Engagement
San Francisco-based Parakeet Health, which develops AI tools for patient communication and scheduling, announced a $10 million oversubscribed Series A led by Canvas Ventures, MobiHealthNews reported Oct. 2. The round brings total funding to $13 million. Parakeet said annual recurring revenue increased tenfold over the past year, and it now supports more than 2,800 providers across more than 1,100 locations. Its platform books and reschedules appointments, verifies eligibility and processes faxed referrals, and integrates with EHRs and practice-management systems. The company is expanding into primary care, behavioral health, women’s health and other outpatient specialties.
Sources: MobiHealthNews
Vuno Signs Deals to Bring Cardiac Arrest Prediction and Fundus AI to China
South Korean medical AI company Vuno has signed agreements to introduce its AI-based cardiac arrest prediction and fundus analysis tools in China’s Hainan and Jiangsu provinces, MobiHealthNews reported Oct. 2. Vuno signed a two-year exclusive sales agreement with Chinese medical device company Guorun for its CE-MDR-certified cardiac arrest prediction tool in Hainan, where the companies will run a proof of concept for DeepCARS at hospitals in the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone. A separate deal with BioVision in Jiangsu will integrate Vuno’s fundus AI with BioVision’s chronic disease management platform.
Sources: MobiHealthNews
Every newsletter preserved and searchable
Curated by JD · samwise.agency