#healthcare

Many nurses and therapists working in Home and Community care have seen their roles change significantly over the past several years, especially since the buy out of naviHealth within care coordination roles - consisting of OTs/PTs/SLPs/RNs. Productivity goals have increased to a point that is unattainable due to increased demands/goals/administrative tasks within paid working hours.

At the same time, raises have failed to keep pace with inflation, effectively reducing real wages despite growing workloads and responsibilities. Raises have fallen well behind inflation, effectively resulting in pay cuts for experienced clinicians who are carrying heavier caseloads and greater responsibility than ever before. For a workforce that is highly trained, licensed, and essential to patient outcomes, this trend is deeply concerning. These challenges are not isolated—they are systemic. Raises are consistently 1-2%, with 2% being a rarity.

These issues are not isolated to individual teams or regions. When issues are systemic, individual advocacy has limits.

This raises an important question: Is it time for nurses and therapists in the Home and Community line of business to unionize? And if so, has anyone considered leading this effort?

To be honest it’s a shame how our leadership is approaching AI. AI truly has the capacity to make healthcare better but leadership just uses it as an excuse to nickel and dime employees. We are constantly forced to justify ourselves as to why something can’t be done with AI. As such there is zero real enthusiasm around AI and there is no real incentive to actually use it as you are just taking on more responsibilities without any compensation. How about instead of using ai as an excuse to layoff 20% of the company, we take care of our own and reward people for being more productive with AI. Nobody in leadership at this company actually knows how to lead
and they are completely lacking in the qualities that make a leader.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota and Cambia Health Solutions will affiliate. North Dakota regulators approved the strategic affiliation. The affiliation takes effect February 1. Dan Conrad becomes Cambia's chief administrative officer, and Lacey Bergh is the new BCBSND market president. Policyholders will keep their current health care coverage and BCBSND insurance cards. BCBSND will also retain its local plan name and board of directors. Cambia will manage and operate the North Dakota company's policy, claims, and IT functions.

https://www.inforum.com/news/fargo/strategic-affiliation-between-nd-blues-and-oregon-health-insurer-receives-go-ahead

The health insurance business is a mess, and no health-insurance company is a bigger mess than UnitedHealth Group
UNH

• 1.61%
  . But with its shares down 17% this week, much of that mess may now be reflected in the stock price.

The bad news started on Monday, when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, proposed that the net price increase for Medical Advantage insurance premiums should be 0.09% in 2027, well below the 5% many had expected. That would be a big hit to future.
This is what peoples health has been reduced to. A bunch of Wall Street brokers who circle in anticipation of how much money they can extract from federal and state programs, unsuspecting employers etc.

I just want to say how awesome and well needed housecalls department is. I had a call for a patient today and you guys are so organized and on top of things and such an important asset to this company!

In mid-July, the government announced it was discontinuing funding for North Carolina’s Healthy Opportunities Pilots.

Pitt County’s HOP location, Access East, was not included in the 2026 budget, and ECU Health was instructed to begin a permanent mass layoff.

https://www.witn.com/2026/01/28/ecu-health-announces-31-layoffs-greenville-medicaid-office/

Valley Medical Group Cuts 41 Jobs Amid Financial Strain

Valley Medical Group laid off 41 employees. The multi-specialty group cited years of financial strain. This reduction represents 10% of its 400-person workforce, but all four health centers will remain open. Inflation, decreased Medicaid funding, and rising insurance costs contributed to the decision. The group plans to use technology and a new partnership to regain financial stability.

https://recorder.com/2026/01/27/valley-medical-group-cuts/

Greenville, North Carolina, January 2026:

Access East, a Greenville-based healthcare non-profit, is laying off employees. Thirty-one positions will be cut starting March 31st. This reduction stems from a shift in state funding. North Carolina’s "Healthy Opportunities Pilot" program lost government support last June. Access East coordinates care for Medicaid recipients and the uninsured in Eastern North Carolina.

https://www.publicradioeast.org/2026-01-28/employees-at-enc-healthcare-non-profit-facing-layoffs-as-state-funding-dries-up

"UnitedHealth Group executives today predicted that the number of people with its fully insured commercial health coverage will fall about 16% this year, to less than 6.9 million."

https://www-benefitspro-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.benefitspro.com/amp/2026/01/27/unitedhealth-forecasts-loss-of-nearly-1m-employer-plan-enrollees-amid-price-hikes/

Hennepin Healthcare announced it will lay off about 100 employees and close or scale back several services as its financial crisis deepens. Leaders at Hennepin Healthcare said the publicly funded hospital is operating so far in the red that it needed a county line of credit to cover January payroll and must find at least $50 million in savings by the end of March.

The cuts include closing chiropractic, acupuncture, and sleep clinics, reducing stand-alone weight management services, transitioning senior and extended care to other systems, and shifting some pain management to primary care or outside providers. Officials cited fewer patients and sharp reductions in Medicaid reimbursements as key drivers of the crisis. While core services like trauma and burn care will be preserved, administrators warned this is likely the first of several difficult decisions ahead.

IMO - Optum should completely overhaul and replace the incompetent and absent middle management from all the inherited poor performing Kelsey-Seybold Clinics within Houston Metropolitan area. Most of these pseudo leaders were promoted by their sleezy, biased, discriminatory, and undeserving Grandfathered department chairs. Supervisors and team leads nearly out number the true blue collar employees.

https://seekingalpha.com/news/4542778-unitedhealth-stock-tumbles-q4-results

https://www.ft.com/content/02bc222e-4a66-4440-adb8-517c3ebdc0c0

https://www.wsj.com/business/earnings/unitedhealth-books-hefty-charges-issues-soft-full-year-revenue-outlook-ef81d948

layoffs coming

Teton Valley Health Care laid off 26 employees and will close its infusion clinic. The critical access hospital faces significant financial losses due to Medicaid cuts and reduced patient volumes. The infusion clinic provides vital, often life-saving, care for many patients. High-cost medications are not reimbursed for 12 months, creating cash flow problems. TVHC is actively seeking long-term solutions, including potential partnerships with larger health systems.

https://www.tetonvalleynews.net/news/health/teton-valley-health-care-announces-layoffs-infusion-clinic-closure/article_fa113187-5d88-49ad-b30e-8ba7664d2c14.html

On November 17th nurses were told by upper management that we could work outside our state license and no longer had to adhere to licensure requirements.
Then on 12/9/2025 those directions were retracted and told to work only in states we are licensed in. How scary that a company cares less about the nurses and our licenses which is our livelihood!

Stan McLaren, CEO of Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, resigned in mid-December. His departure followed internal dissent over staff layoffs and mission concerns. The nonprofit laid off 25 people and closed a 20-bed medical respite facility. These actions were taken as the organization faces significant Medicaid funding cuts. Dr. Denise De Las Nueces, the chief medical officer, is now serving as interim CEO.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/01/22/metro/bhchp-boston-medicaid-homeless-layoffs-cuts/

Boston, Massachusetts

• Trinity Health is cutting jobs within its revenue cycle department. The Livonia-based system will eliminate 10.5% of these positions. This move involves outsourcing many non-patient-facing roles to an external partner. The exact number of affected employees in Washtenaw County is not disclosed. The company cited low reimbursement rates and rising costs as reasons for the changes.

https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2026/01/some-health-care-staff-laid-off-in-washtenaw-county-as-trinity-health-outsources.html

Ann Arbor, MI

Alameda Health System Faces Layoff Opposition

Alameda Health System intends to cut 300 healthcare jobs. The reductions will occur by March 2026. External consultants made these decisions without clinical input. Medical staff and community members reject the planned layoffs. A public session with Supervisors is scheduled for January 26.

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2026/01/23/18883347.php

Tough times peeps, it's depressin

Trinity Health Outsourcing Leads to Revenue Cycle Layoffs

Trinity Health is cutting 10.5% of its revenue cycle department jobs. These non-patient-facing roles are being outsourced to an external partner. The exact number of affected employees is currently unknown. The hospital system cited industry challenges and cost reduction as reasons. These challenges include low reimbursement rates and rising care costs.

https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2026/01/some-health-care-staff-laid-off-in-washtenaw-county-as-trinity-health-outsources.html?outputType=amp

https://fb.watch/EPm6kmUn3N/?

Hold them all accountable.

Former marketer at Elevance Health, now aiming to transition into UnitedHealth Group. Eight-plus years in healthcare marketing, with parallel consulting work for Medicare organizations.

A pattern keeps surfacing: a meaningful share of U.S. healthcare marketing roles are being placed in India. This is difficult to reconcile with the reality of the work. These are American companies serving American patients, operating under U.S. regulations, and handling highly sensitive U.S. health data. Yet core marketing execution and channel leadership are increasingly offshore.

Elevance followed the same trajectory.

This is not framed as xenophobia or talent denial. It is a structural contradiction. Healthcare marketing is inseparable from CMS rules, state-specific nuances, cultural context, compliance risk, and real-time coordination with U.S.-based legal, product, and clinical teams. Offshoring these functions optimizes cost while quietly increasing operational and regulatory fragility.

Job reference illustrating the pattern:
Associate Director – Channel Lead – Digital/Social
Requisition: 2339060
Location: Gurgaon, Haryana, India

This reflects a broader corporate strategy shift, not an isolated posting. Whether it is cost arbitrage, shareholder optics, or internal margin engineering, the outcome is the same: American healthcare expertise displaced from American healthcare execution.

Any confirmation of layoffs within Home and Community Care (NaviHealth)

Blue Cross of Idaho has implemented organizational changes aimed at improving efficiency and reducing costs for its customers.

The company, which has been committed to Idaho for over 80 years, stated that these changes will help it focus on serving nearly 600,000 members and continue transforming the healthcare experience in the communities it serves.

Blue Cross confirms that fewer than 90 employees were affected by the changes.

The Blue Cross previously announced layoffs effecting approximately 135 employees during April of 2025, following the early termination of a decade-long dual eligible contract with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW) in June 2025.

The company said it has built a dedicated team over the past ten years to serve the dual population, providing personalized care coordination for Idahoans with complex and costly medical needs. The loss of the contract led to the closure of that exclusive operating unit.

https://idahonews.com/news/local/blue-cross-of-idaho-announces-organizational-changes-to-enhance-efficiency

Was just told by someone in that department that on Friday 1/23 they are laying off 17% of the team.

Heads up...Just saw this job rec and it actually says in job description "Lead the globalization of our healthcare revenue cycle (RCM) business. The person in this role will be essential in hitting our goal of globalizing 1900 employees within 2026 and expedite our remaining global workforce goals for 2027."

Heads up...Just saw this job rec and it actually says in job description "Lead the globalization of our healthcare revenue cycle (RCM) business. The person in this role will be essential in hitting our goal of globalizing 1900 employees within 2026 and expedite our remaining global workforce goals for 2027."

A North Country health care system is preparing to lay off more than 100 employees.

North Star Health Alliance made the announcement Monday afternoon.

The layoffs include management, clinical, and non-clinical employees.

https://www.wwnytv.com/2026/01/19/north-star-lay-off-100-employees/

Hoskinson was hit with another wave of layoffs toward the end of last week. According to a report from WyoFile on Friday, the Hoskinson Health and Wellness Clinic plans to eliminate roughly 40 positions. The layoffs follow a separate round of job cuts just weeks earlier, when more than 120 workers were let go from Hoskinson Contracting.

https://newslj.com/gillette-clinic-expanded-too-quickly-co-owner-says-after-dozens-laid-clinic

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona has had layoffs as of early January 2026 and cut benefits to current employees.

Maybe those of us with working Edison machines can get an adapter kit for our machines.
That would give us the added ability to do Alzheimer's diagnosis, in addition to the standard suite of tests we can do now.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq5y85e8d2xo

Which large contract did Optum/UHG lose in Texas to make so many Housecalls NPs lose our jobs?

Society Domino: What Happens When Essential Workers Quit: What would likely fail, in rough order, if all essential workers across sectors collectively stopped working:

Essential work is the actual backbone of society. Remove it, and the system can’t run on emails, spreadsheets, or meetings alone. Saying "stakeholder" or "circle-back" all day, believing you are important in the big picture, is delusion.

Domino Chain of Societal Failure

1. Immediate life-threatening services fail (hours–days)
   Healthcare: hospitals, clinics, emergency response collapse
   → No nurses, paramedics, lab techs, or doctors → patients can’t get care → preventable deaths rise quickly
   Safety & emergency services: police, firefighters, ambulance crews stop
   → Fires spread, crime response slows → public safety crisis
   Critical utilities monitoring: electricity, water treatment operators stop
   → Immediate risk of blackouts, contaminated water

2. Food and basic supply disruption (1–3 days)
   Grocery staff & supply chain: stock shelves, warehouse workers, truckers halt
   → Stores empty → people start hoarding → food insecurity rises
   Farmers & food production: crops and livestock aren’t tended
   → Harvests lost → supply drops further → prices spike

3. Infrastructure & logistics breakdown (2–7 days)
   Public transit operators: buses, trains, subways halt
   → Commuters stranded → office/industry work slows
   Electricians, water repair crews: no one to fix emergent failures
   → Small problems cascade → blackouts, broken water systems
   Garbage & waste management: trash piles up → sanitation crisis

4. Education & childcare collapse (3–7 days)
   Teachers, aides, childcare workers stop: schools close
   → Parents can’t work → ripple effect on every sector
   → Child safety and nutrition affected

5. Office/administrative : IRRELEVANT
   Corporate reporting, spreadsheets, “coordinating” roles.
   mostly continues — office worker absence doesn’t trigger collapse

6. Government & emergency response overwhelmed (1–3 weeks)
   Unable to coordinate hospitals, utilities, supply chains effectively
   Emergency backups strained → ad hoc crisis management
   Potential for martial law or forced labor orders in extreme cases

7. Long-term restructuring & reckoning (weeks–months)

• Pay scales, staffing priorities, and labor value finally realign to reflect actual societal dependence*.
  Essential workers gain leverage; nonessential roles are reassessed
  Infrastructure is rebuilt, but societal fragility is now painfully obvious

Major layoffs at Alameda Health System have caused disarray. The system cut 247 employees, roughly four percent of its staff. These cuts are attributed to federal Medicaid funding reductions. Staff report overflowing trash and delayed lab tests due to the changes. Many doctors and nurses urge the board to halt the reductions.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/health/article/alameda-health-system-hospital-layoff-21297646.php

Trump's new healthcare plan aims to give money directly to the consumer and not to the health insurance companies. I wonder how this is going to work.

On Wednesday, January 14, Noridian Healthcare Solutions announced staff reductions.Noridian is a Medicare administrative contractor that processes aspects of Medicare services, including including Medicare Part A and Part B medical claims and Durable Medical Equipment claims for Medicare Fee-For-Service beneficiaries in select states.

https://www.inforum.com/business/noridian

Trumps Healthcare Bill
Trump announced today a plan to reduce healthcare costs (great!). He seemed to take aim at taking money out of the hands of insurance companies. Do you think this will mean more layoff at UHG/Optum?

Trump announced today a plan to reduce healthcare costs (great!). He seemed to take aim at taking money out of the hands of insurance companies. Do you think this will mean more layoff at UHG/Optum?