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The American Law Institute — an organization of judges, professors, and practicing attorneys — published a new standard for medical malpractice that takes into account evidence-based medicine. "The new standard of care ... represents a shift away from strict reliance on medical custom and invites courts to incorporate evidence-based medicine in malpractice law," wrote Christopher Robertson, JD, PhD, of the Boston University School of Law, and co-authors in JAMA. (Frieden, 2/26)

The sickest patients are supposed to get priority for lifesaving transplants. But more and more, they are being skipped over. (Rosenthal, Hansen and White, 2/26)

Following complaints from constituents, a New York congressman is launching an examination of UnitedHealth Group’s management of large physician groups in the state’s Hudson Valley region. (Ross, 2/26)

Providers, patients and digital health companies are ramping up their calls for more certainty that Medicare will continue to reimburse them for telehealth appointments after the current authority to do so expires on April 1. (Goldman, 2/27)

The number of people enrolled in a private Medicare Advantage plan grew just 3.1% from 2024 to 2025 — well below projections from the federal government and Wall Street, and one of the slowest years of growth ever in the program. (Herman, 2/26)

Mobile medical units will deliver hospital-at-home care to patients in rural communities as part of a five-year pilot program aimed at expanding healthcare access in underserved areas. The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health recently awarded an undisclosed amount of funding to Boston’s Mass General Brigham, University of Utah’s Huntsman Cancer Institute and Kentwood, Michigan-based Homeward Health to develop programs that will extend hospital-level care to patients in remote communities using mobile platforms. (Eastabrook, 2/26)

In late 2020, St. Peter’s Hospital in Helena, Montana, fired its oncologist, Dr. Thomas C. Weiner, and took the extraordinary step of publicly accusing him of hurting patients. The hospital said the doctor overprescribed narcotics and gave chemotherapy to patients who didn’t have cancer, among other allegations. Despite being notified by St. Peter’s that it had revoked Weiner’s privileges, the Montana Board of Medical Examiners renewed his license in 2021 and 2023. This week, the board renewed his license again for another two years. (Silvers and McSwane, 2/26)

UVA Health CEO Dr. Craig Kent resigned following an internal investigation spurred by the health system’s physician group. The University of Virginia board and UVA President James Ryan had a special meeting on Feb. 25 to discuss the findings of an independent investigation into UVA Health. Kent resigned after the meeting, a University of Virginia spokesperson said. (Kacik, 2/26)