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Welcome to FierceHealthcare Weekly Digest, your roundup of the biggest and most popular stories from each of our publications.

Featured Story

Google Health hires FDA's former digital health chief to lead global strategy

By Heather Landi

As Google pushes further into healthcare, the tech company has gotten good at poaching talent from health systems and regulatory agencies. Google has tapped Bakul Patel, the former head of digital health at the FDA, to develop and lead its unified digital health and regulatory strategy.

Hospitals performed 100,000 unnecessary surgeries in the first year of COVID-19, Lown Institute says

By Anastassia Gliadkovskaya

The procedures either offered little to no clinical benefit, according to the Institute, or were more likely to harm patients than help them.

Cerebral CEO Kyle Robertson steps down amid DOJ investigation into prescribing practices

By Heather Landi

Kyle Robertson, a co-founder of embattled startup Cerebral, has stepped down from the CEO role, effective immediately, the company announced Wednesday.

RAND: Private plans paid hospitals 224% more than Medicare rates

By Robert King

A new study from RAND found that employer and private health plans paid hospitals 224% more in 2020 compared to Medicare.

CMS rolls out changes to Medicare website aimed at usability

By Robert King

CMS rolled out new changes to Medicare.gov intended to make it easier for seniors to choose a Medigap plan and to get more information on how to sign up for coverage.

SCAN CEO Sachin Jain: Healthcare should be thinking more about the pitfalls of value-based care

By Paige Minemyer

As the industry continues its march toward value-based care, it should do so with a critical eye, says Sachin Jain, M.D., CEO of SCAN Health Plan. For instance, what to do about patients who feel their choices are restricted?

Shareholder files class-action suit against Oscar Health over IPO financial disclosures

By Paige Minemyer

An Oscar Health shareholder has hit the insurer with a proposed class-action suit, alleging that it obfuscated the impact of COVID-19 on its finances ahead of its initial public offering.

Humana, private equity firm launch 2nd primary care joint venture

By Paige Minemyer

Humana's CenterWell and Welsh, Carson, Anderson and Stowe are teaming for a second joint venture focused on value-based primary care.

24 states support federal government in 340B drugmaker lawsuit

By Robert King

A collection of 24 states announced support for the federal government who are in several lawsuits with drugmakers over 340B restrictions.

Judge strikes down CMS' Medicaid copay rule, handing PhRMA major win

By Robert King

A federal judge struck down a controversial Trump-era rule that required mandated drug makers to include copay assistance costs into Medicaid drug rebate calculations.