Samwise Healthcare IT Newsletter
Monday, June 1, 2026
Trump Administration Finalizes Rule Reforming Surprise Billing Dispute Resolution
The Trump administration on May 28 finalized a long-awaited rule reforming the independent dispute resolution process under the No Surprises Act, addressing the snowballing volume of arbitration disputes between insurers and out-of-network providers. The final rule from HHS, the Labor Department and the Treasury Department aims to cut ineligible disputes, standardize communication between payers and providers, and improve the federal IDR portal. Providers filed 1.2 million disputes in the first half of 2025 alone — far exceeding the 17,000 cases annually regulators anticipated when the law was passed in 2020. Arbiters currently accept many claims that should not be eligible, payers argue.
Sources: Healthcare Dive
Payers Say Surprise Billing Final Rule Is a ‘Missed Opportunity’ on Arbiter Oversight
Major health insurers condemned the Trump administration’s newly finalized surprise billing arbitration rule as a missed opportunity to curb provider abuse of the dispute resolution system. AHIP, the ERISA Industry Committee and other payer groups say the rule fails to crack down on arbiters with conflicts of interest or private equity-backed companies gaming the system. Providers win 88 percent of disputes, often receiving three to four times their in-network rates. While the rule standardizes processes and cuts filing fees — changes providers welcomed — payers say without auditing arbiters and imposing transparency requirements, gaming will continue at “break-neck speed.”
Sources: Healthcare Dive
House Republicans Urge FBI to Take Aggressive Action Against Hospital Hackers
House Republican leaders sent a May 28 letter to FBI Director Kash Patel calling for aggressive action against cybercriminals targeting the healthcare industry. The lawmakers cited a sharp rise in ransomware attacks and data breaches over recent years that jeopardize patient safety and cost hospitals millions of dollars. The letter urges continued public-private partnerships, streamlined incident reporting mechanisms and clear guidance to help hospitals of all sizes participate effectively in cybersecurity information-sharing initiatives. The FBI warning coincides with a separate alert about the Silent Ransom Group, which has been impersonating hospital IT staff to gain remote access to healthcare networks.
Sources: Becker’s Hospital Review
Amazon Names Amwell Co-Founder to Lead Health Business as Neil Lindsay Steps Down
Amazon announced May 28 that Dr. Roy Schoenberg, co-founder and former CEO of telehealth company Amwell, will become the new head of Amazon Health Services on July 1. Outgoing leader Neil Lindsay, who built Amazon’s health operations since 2021, is departing to pursue personal projects and will advise Schoenberg through year-end. Schoenberg co-founded Amwell with his brother Ido in 2006 and most recently led an AI health company for seniors. Amazon Health has expanded significantly under Lindsay, acquiring primary care chain One Medical for $3.9 billion in 2023, launching a health AI chatbot for all U.S. consumers this spring, and growing its pharmacy and prescription discount programs.
Sources: Healthcare Dive
Teladoc Expands Virtual Care Reach Through Walmart’s Better Care Services Platform
Teladoc Health announced May 28 it is partnering with Walmart to make its virtual care services available through the retailer’s Better Care Services digital health platform. Customers can access Teladoc’s 24/7 urgent care, dermatology and nutrition support for an $89 cash-pay fee per visit. Teladoc’s BetterHelp mental health service had already been included in Walmart’s platform when it launched in January. The deal gives Teladoc access to Walmart’s massive customer base as the telehealth firm pursues its 2026 strategic revamp, which prioritizes retail partnerships alongside international expansion and integrated care. Walmart’s Better Care Services also includes LillyDirect and GLP-1 weight management providers.
Sources: Healthcare Dive
UCHealth Runs Landmark Live Randomized Study of AI Scribe Across 250 Clinicians
UCHealth and the University of Colorado published May 28 findings from a live randomized study of Abridge’s AI documentation tool deployed across 250 ambulatory clinicians — conducted as the rollout was happening. Chief medical information officer CT Lin, MD, said the team made operational decisions in real time that directly affected randomization and study validity. Researchers analyzed Epic EHR log data combined with physician satisfaction scores. UCHealth has since expanded Abridge to approximately 3,000 clinicians. The study represents one of the first rigorous, real-world clinical evaluations of ambient AI scribes at scale and demonstrates how health systems can run controlled research without pausing deployment.
Sources: Becker’s Hospital Review
Health System CIOs Expect Voice-Activated EHR Interaction to Go Mainstream Within Five Years
Health system leaders expect voice-activated EHR navigation to become widespread within three to five years, but clinical adoption remains limited despite long availability from Epic and Oracle Health. CMIOs at Stony Brook Medicine, Baptist Health and Penn Medicine told Becker’s that true conversational interaction — asking the EHR to trend a hemoglobin or surface recent labs — still lags consumer tools like Alexa and Siri. Epic’s Hey Epic launched in 2018 and Chart with Art in late 2025; Oracle also offers voice navigation and order entry. Ambient documentation, where AI listens during patient encounters, has driven more meaningful adoption than command-based voice tools among clinicians at major health systems.
Sources: Becker’s Hospital Review
University Hospitals and Case Western Launch Nation’s First Health System-Anchored Startup Incubator
University Hospitals in Cleveland announced May 28 a partnership with Creative Destruction Lab and Case Western Reserve University to launch CDL-Cleveland, the first Creative Destruction Lab site anchored directly to a health system. The program will host CDL’s Healthcare Delivery innovation stream, giving early-stage healthcare technology startups direct access to University Hospitals’ clinical environment. Founders will work alongside clinicians and caregivers over a nine-month, objectives-based curriculum to validate technologies targeting cost reduction, improved patient outcomes and faster innovation adoption. The partnership positions Cleveland as a hub for translational health technology and offers startups mentorship from clinicians, technology leaders and healthcare business experts.
Sources: Becker’s Hospital Review
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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