DAILY UPDATE: Jerome Powell, DJIA, Reddit and Life Insurance

Posted on May 19, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Young adults are delaying life insurance purchases due to financial constraints and a preference for spending on immediate experiences. The insurance industry is responding with digital-first strategies and more flexible products.

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The DJIA closed above 40,000 for the first time after briefly crossing the milestone the day before and clinching its fifth winning week. Reddit shot up after announcing a partnership with OpenAI that lets the AI train on your posts and gives Reddit advertising dollars and the ability to use the tech to make new tools.

But, GameStop stock plunged after the recently reinvigorated meme stock filed to sell 45 million new shares and revealed that sales were down last quarter.

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Jerome Powell, chair of the Federal Reserve has tested positive for Covid. But the economy needn’t worry because he’s working from home.

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DAILY UPDATE: Top Causes of Death, Narcan Saves Lives but Scientific Research Fraudulent as DJIA Tops 40,000

Posted on May 18, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Walgreens has released its own brand of naloxone, a medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. Available online now, Walgreens Brand Naloxone HCl Nasal Spray comes with two doses for $34.99, about $10 cheaper than the name-brand version, Narcan. The over-the-counter medication will also be available in stores by the end of May in the pain aisle, according to a press release, making the life-saving nasal spray more accessible.

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 index rose 6.17 points (0.1%) to 5,303.27, up 1.5% for the week; the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 134.21 points (0.3%) to 40,003.59, up 1.2% for the week; the NASDAQ Composite^® ($COMP) lost 12.35 points (0.1%) to 16,685.97, up 2.1% for the week.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) rose more than 4 basis points to 4.42%, down about 8 basis points for the week.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) fell 0.43 to 11.99.

Among major companies, Nvidia (NVDA) dropped 2% Friday but still posted a 2.9% advance for the week ahead of the semiconductor leader’s quarterly earnings Wednesday. Among sectors, energy shares led gainers behind a 1% jump in WTI Crude Oil (/CL) futures. The small-cap Russell 2000^® Index (RUT) ended little changed but still gained 1.7% for the week.

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Fraudulent research papers have cost scientific journal publishers millions in lost revenue. (the Wall Street Journal)

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The 10 Top Causes of Adult Death in the U.S.A.

1. Heart disease 267.2* 2. Cancer 142.3 3. Unintentional injuries 64.0 4. COVID-19 44.5 5. Stroke 39.5 6. Chronic lower respiratory disease 34.3 7. Alzheimer disease 28.9 8. Diabetes 24.1 9 Kidney disease 13.8 10. Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis 13.8 Deaths per 100,000 population.

Source: Jeffrey Bendix, Medical Economics [5/15/24]

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DAILY UPDATE: Core CPI and ERISA while Markets Remain High with Walmart Up

Posted on May 17, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

America’s oldest popular stock index, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, hit a brief record high yesterday morning when it traded above 40,000, reflecting renewed hope for the market’s health after Wednesday’s promising inflation report.

The S&P 500^® index (SPX) fell 11.05 points (0.2%) to 5,297.10; the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 38.62 points (0.1%) to 39,869.38; the NASDAQ Composite^® ($COMP) shed 44.07 points (0.3%) to 16,698.32.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) rose more than 2 basis points to 4.381%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) dropped 0.03 to 12.42.

Walmart’s strength fueled a strong day for consumer staples shares. The S&P 500 Consumer Staples ($SP500#30), which includes Walmart as well as companies like Coca-Cola (KO) and Procter & Gamble (PG), surged 1.5% to its highest level in over two years.

Among other companies, Applied Materials (AMAT) fell 1.6% ahead of the semiconductor industry supplier’s quarterly earnings report, which is expected after Thursday’s close.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

And, Core CPI, which tracks the price of goods and services excluding volatile food and energy prices and is closely watched as an inflation indicator, rose 3.6% from the same period last year. That’s the smallest annual increase since April 2021. On a monthly basis, core CPI rose 0.3%, marking the first time in six months that its growth slowed from the prior month. Other good signs include:

Grocery prices dropped 0.2% from March, the first decrease in a year.
Health insurance and car insurance increased more slowly in April than in March.
A separate report released yesterday showed consumer spending stayed steady last month.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

Finally, Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and a group of Republican senators are moving to overturn a retirement investment planning rule that was finalized by the Labor Department last month. The Labor Department unveiled the new rule last month that would update the definition of an investment advice fiduciary under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. Manchin and 15 Republican senators joined in co-sponsoring a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution that would overturn this new rule.

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DJIA: Tops 40,000 1st. Time

Posted on May 16, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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The Dow Jones Industrial Average briefly crossed 40,000 for the first time, a milestone that appeared implausible little more than two years ago when the Federal Reserve began raising interest rates to cool an overheated economy.

Gloom and doom forecasts abounded. When the central bank ended the era of low rates that prevailed in the years following the global financial crisis, economists predicted painful consequences: a U.S. recession and rising unemployment.

But – So far … so good!

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DAILY UPDATE: Healthcare Monopolies, Ark Invest and the Stock Markets Mega Rally

Posted on May 16, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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More people are interested in determining their “heart age” using new tests and tech tools, but some skeptics say it’s not a healthy data point to focus on. (the Wall Street Journal)

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

The Cathie Wood-led Ark Invest just made some significant trades. The most prominent among them were the increased stakes in Palantir Technologies Inc (NYSE:PLTR) and the reduced holdings in Coinbase Global Inc (NASDAQ: COIN).

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 index rose 61.47 points (1.2%) to 5,308.15; the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 349.89 points (0.9%) to 39,908.00; the NASDAQ Composite rallied 231.21 points (1.4%) to 16,742.39.
The 10-year Treasury note yield fell almost 10 basis points to 4.348%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) dropped 0.97 to 12.45.

Chipmaker shares led the way higher Wednesday, lifting the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) almost 3% to a 10-week high. Interest-rate-sensitive sectors like real estate and utilities were also strong. The small-cap Russell 2000^® Index (RUT) advanced 1.1% to a seven-week high. The U.S. Dollar Index ($DXY) slumped to its weakest level in five weeks, reflecting expectations for lower interest rates that may reduce the appeal of U.S. fixed income assets.

Among companies, Cisco Systems (CSC) surged 1.5% ahead of its quarterly results expected after Wednesday’s close. Dow member Walmart (WMT) is expected to release results Thursday morning as the unofficial retail earnings season accelerates.

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And … The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it has established a new task force to take on healthcare monopolies and collusion. The task force, made up of prosecutors, economists, healthcare industry experts and others, will guide the division’s enforcement strategy and policy approach in healthcare, including by facilitating policy advocacy, investigations and, where warranted, civil and criminal enforcement in healthcare markets.

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DAILY UPDATE: Squarespace, Ark Invest & Hospitals as the Markets Rebound

Posted on May 15, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500^® index (SPX) rose 25.26 points (0.5%) to 5,246.68, the highest since a record close March 28; the Dow Jones Industrial Average^® ($DJI) gained 126.60 points (0.3%) to 39,558.11; the NASDAQ Composite climbed 122.94 points (0.8%) to 16,511.18.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) fell more than 3 basis points to 4.449%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) decreased 0.18 to 13.42.

Among companies, Home Depot’s (HD) quarterly results reported earlier Tuesday kicked off the unofficial start of the retail earnings season. The home improvement retailer’s earnings topped expectations, but revenue missed forecasts, initially sending the company’s shares down sharply.

Home Depot also reaffirmed its full-year guidance for a 1% decline in comparable-store sales and a 1% increase in total sales. The company’s shares bounced back to end with a 0.1% loss.

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And, the Cathie Wood-led Ark Invest just made some significant trades. The most prominent among them were the increased stakes in Palantir Technologies Inc (NYSE PLTR) and the reduced holdings in Coinbase Global Inc (NASDAQ: COIN).

Moreover, the website-building platform Squarespace is to go private, which it announced it’ll be doing in an all-cash deal with Permira, a private equity firm. Squarespace, which was public for nearly three years, joins a group of other smaller tech companies like Qualtrics that have recently pulled themselves off the public market. (CNBC)

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Employers and private insurers are paying hospitals more for inpatient and outpatient services than in previous years, a study from RAND Corporation finds. The American Hospital Association dismissed the report saying it offers a “skewed and incomplete picture.”

And finally … Kaiser Permanente began its 2024 earnings season with more than $2.7 billion in net income and $935 million in operating income, just months after sharing plans to lay off workers.

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Physician Electronic-Mail Bills

Posted on May 15, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

“MY CHART”

By AMANDA SEITZ

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E-Mailing your Physician may Cost You like Your Attorneys!

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The next time you message your doctor to ask about a pesky cough or an itchy rash, you may want to check your bank account first — you could get a bill for the question.

Hospital systems around the country are rolling out fees for some messages that patients send to physicians, who they say are spending an increasing amount of time poring over online queries, some so complex that they require the level of medical expertise normally dispensed during an office visit. Patient advocates, however, worry these new fees may deter people from reaching out to their doctor and that they add another layer of complexity to the U.S. health care system’s already opaque billing process.

“This is a barrier that denies access and will result in hesitancy or fear to communicate and potentially harm patients with lower quality of care and outcomes at a much higher cost,” said Cynthia Fisher, the founder of Patient Rights Advocate, a Massachusetts-based nonprofit that pushes for hospital price transparency.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/082610254

The explosion of telehealth over the last three years — driven by the COVID-19 outbreak and relaxed federal regulations for online care — prompted many doctors to adopt more robust telecommunication with their patients. Consultations that once happened in an office were converted to computer or smart phone visits. And health care systems invited patients to use new online portals to message their doctors with a question at any time, American Medical Association president Jack Resneck Jr. told The Associated Press.

“When people figured out this is cool and could improve care, you saw hospitals and practice groups saying to patients, welcome to your portal … you can ping your physician with questions if you want,” Resneck said. “We found ourselves as physicians getting dozens and dozens of these a day and not having time built in to do that work.”

The charges vary for each patient and hospital system, with messages costing as little as $3 for Medicare patients to as much $160 for the uninsured. In some cases, the final bill depends on how much time the doctor spends responding.

READ HERE: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/online-services/mychart/messaging#msdynttrid=bAU8cKe-602S6wFIwSYop1KQswRcT2b2F5mRJ-92OEc

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DAILY UPDATE: Moderna Down with Mixed Markets

Posted on May 14, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500^® index (SPX) fell 1.26 points (0.02%) to 5,221.42; the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 81.33 points (0.2%) to 39,431.51; the NASDAQ Composite^® ($COMP) gained 47.37 points (0.3%) to 16,388.24.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) dropped almost 2 basis points to 4.487%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) surged 1.05 to 13.60.

Biotechnology and food and beverage shares were among the market’s strongest sectors Monday, while communication services stocks were among the biggest laggards. Energy shares took pressure despite a jump of 1.2% in WTI Crude Oil (/CL) futures, which ended above $79 per barrel after slumping last week to two-month lows.

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Moderna is “bleeding money” as its forthcoming RSV vaccine doesn’t appear to deliver better results than other RSV shots already on the market. (Bloomberg)

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It’s ChatGPT-4o’s time to shine. The “o” stands for omni, and it’s the latest iteration of OpenAI’s signature chatbot. According to the company, it’s much faster with enhanced “capabilities across text, vision, and audio.”

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23% is the average portion of the bill hospitals collected from patients before treatment in Q1 of this year, up 3% YoY. (the Wall Street Journal)

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DAILY UPDATE: Ark Invest, Dell and “Buy Now-Pay Later”

Posted on May 13, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

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While Buy Now-Pay Later (BNPL) reduces friction when purchasing, it’s giving some economy watchers unease. As Americans’ budgets buckle under the weight of inflation and higher interest payments, some worry BNPL is more of an invisible burden than a boon, Bloomberg reports. Beware the “phantom debt,” a Wells Fargo economist recently warned, referring to the BNPL industry’s short-term loans, which go largely unaccounted for by those tracking Americans’ debt load. That’s because, unlike credit cards and auto loan providers, Afterpay, Affirm, Klarna, and other BNPL providers don’t usually report transactions to credit scoring agencies.

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The Cathie Wood-led Ark Invest just made some significant trades. The most prominent among them were the increased stakes in Palantir Technologies Inc (NYSE: PLTR) and her reduced holdings in Coinbase Global Inc (NASDAQ: COIN).

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

Dell has recently seen a decline in its revenue. In its most recent earnings report, it revealed that its net revenue shrunk by 11% year-over-year during its fiscal 2024 fourth quarter. For full year 2023, the company’s revenue was down by 14% to $88.4 billion. Partly that was due to a weak personal-computer market and the costs associated with more than 6,000 layoffs. But investors are excited by Dell’s growth potential for its server and computer businesses because of artificial intelligence, the Motley Fool reported.

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DAILY UPDATE: National Nurses Week, Multiplan Lawsuit, Rite Aid and Fatburger Down

Posted on May 12, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

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HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY 2024

Fat Brands is the parent company of Fatburger, Johnny Rockets, and a few other restaurant chains. Last year, former CEO Andy Wiederhorn stepped down after the Los Angeles Times reported that the federal government was investigating him for fraud. He has since stayed on as the company’s chairman, but on Friday the Justice Department charged him with perpetuating a $47 million fraud against his own shareholders.

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In a recent Becker’s Health Care Newsletter, it is reported that a large multi-state hospital system is suing Multiplan for illegal price fixing and automatic significant price reductions, in particular, for out-of-network providers. The story states that Multiplan, by bombarding healthcare providers with automatic reductions in pricing, has made it impossible for providers to deliver healthcare.

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National Nurses Week, which ends today on May 12th, Florence Nightingale’s birthday

Rite Aid has announced that 39 stores are set to close their doors for good, this follows the decision to declare Chapter 11 bankruptcy back in October, 2023.

The strategy? Reduce the total number of stores to 1,600 nationwide.

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PODCAST: RIP James Simons [Renaissance Technologies]

Posted on May 12, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

HEDGE FUND

By Staff Reporters

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“I did a lot of math. I made a lot of money, and I gave almost all of it away. That’s the story of my life.”

There are longer versions of the life story of Jim Simons, the legendary mathematician, quantitative investing pioneer, and philanthropist who just died at age 86, but his summary is pretty good.

In 1978, Simons started what would become his wildly successful hedge fund, Renaissance Technologies, where he used his mathematical savvy to deliver a performance that outpaced Warren Buffett and George Soros. Its signature fund averaged 66% annual returns.

With his wife, Marilyn Simons, he also started the Simons Foundation, which gave billions to causes they cared about—including, most recently, the Dublin–New York portals.

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DAILY UPDATE: Mortgage Rates, Ascension Healthcare Network Security Event with Mixed Markets

Posted on May 11, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

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Novavax, the Covid vaccine-maker’s value doubled after it announced a $1.2 billion deal to develop new shots with Sanofi.

And, Mortgage rates fell for the first time since March, to just over 7%.

Here’s where the major stock market benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 index rose 8.60 points (0.2%) to 5,222.68, up 1.9% for the week; the Dow Jones Industrial Average^® ($DJI) advanced 125.08 points (0.3%) to 39,512.84, up 2.2% for the week and its eighth straight daily gain; the NASDAQ Composite^® ($COMP) fell 5.40 points (0.03%) to 16,340.87, up 1.1% for the week.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) increased more than 5 basis points to 4.50%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) fell 0.14 to 12.55.

Chip makers ranked among top gainers Friday after Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) shares surged 4.5% after the company said its April revenue soared 60% behind AI-driven demand. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) climbed 1% and posted a 1.9% gain for the week. Consumer staples and transportation shares were also strong. Energy shares slipped behind a 1.2% drop in WTI Crude Oil (/CL) futures, though oil still ended slightly higher for the week.

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National hospital operator Ascension said a “cyber security event” has disrupted some of its clinical operations, according to a news release. Ascension, a St. Louis-based nonprofit and Catholic healthcare network, announced it had detected “unusual activity” on some of its systems. In response, the company kicked off an investigation and remediation efforts—including turning to outside cybersecurity firm Mandiant for help, as well as notifying the “appropriate authorities,” per the release.

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Planet Fitness to raise membership price for the first time since 1998. It’s going to take more than $10/month to join a gym once Planet Fitness raises the price of a basic membership for new members to $15 per month this summer. The $10 amount, which has held steady for 26 years, was considered a sweet spot where people were happy to sign up and wouldn’t bother to cancel once they gave up on their fitness goals. But after posting weaker-than-expected Q1 results, the gym chain decided it’s time to change, even though execs acknowledged that customers are looking to save rather than spend.

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DAILY UPDATE: Uber, Lyft and MSFT as the Stock Markets Rally

Posted on May 10, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 index gained 26.41 points (0.5%) to 5,214.08; the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 331.37 points (0.9%) to 39,387.76; the NASDAQ Composite^® ($COMP) advanced 43.51 points (0.3%) to 16,346.26.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) lost more than 2 basis points to 4.459%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) fell 0.31 to 12.69.

Interest-rate-sensitive sectors, such as real estate and utilities, were among the strongest performers Thursday. Energy shares were also strong after WTI Crude Oil (/CL) futures rose for a second straight day after sinking to a two-month low earlier this week. Semiconductor shares were under pressure after disappointing revenue guidance from chip designer Arm Holdings (ARM) sent its shares down 2.3%.

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The Dow jumped for the seventh straight day while the S&P 500 closed above 5,200 for the first time in a month as stocks climbed across the board, possibly a reaction to data showing that the cooling labor market could translate into a Federal Reserve interest rate cut in a few months. But, Roblox, tanked 22% yesterday after the company cut its annual bookings forecast. The rough patch suggests that the game’s pandemic-induced popularity has likely peaked.

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Last year, Uber boasted its first full-year profit since going public. But yesterday, the company reported a surprise loss for the first quarter of 2024, dashing investors’ hopes for steady profits and sending its stock way down.

Meanwhile, Uber’s smaller rival Lyft appears to have its foot on the gas pedal. It posted better-than-expected quarterly results on Tuesday and saw a stock bump yesterday.

Microsoft plans to put the cash toward creating an AI data center. President Biden was on hand in Wisconsin to help announce the news—and not just to tout a big investment that’s expected to create jobs.

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DAILY UPDATE: Medicaid & CHIPS Unwind, Steward Health System Bankrupts as the Markets are Mixed

Posted on May 9, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

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It’s the first anniversary of the Medicaid unwinding for many states, a process that kicked off when federal rules that had kept people on Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) through the pandemic expired. And while states could redetermine eligibility again, things have “unwound” more than some experts predicted. Children were kicked off the rolls at higher rates than adults, according to a new study the Urban Institute released May 2. Twelve states—Montana, Iowa, South Dakota, Alabama, Idaho, Georgia, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Florida, Mississippi, Colorado—exceeded 100% of their total projections for disenrolling children.

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500^® index (SPX) was little changed at 5,187.67; the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 172.13 points (0.4%) to 39,056.39; the NASDAQ Composite^® ($COMP) declined 29.80 points (0.2%) to 16,302.76.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) rose more than 3 basis points to 4.496%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) fell 0.23 to 13.00.

Retail and real estate shares were among the weakest areas Wednesday, while banks and utilities were firm. Utility shares extended a nearly month-long rally, which may in part reflect greater expectations for Fed rate cuts. Lower interest rates can make utility shares with high dividend yields relative to Treasuries more appealing. The Dow Jones Utility Average ($DJU) rose 0.5% to end at its highest level since late July and is up 12% from a mid-April low.

And, Shopify’s value plunged by nearly $20 billion after the online payments company released a gloomy forecast for this quarter. It’s the latest pandemic darling to stumble: According to the Financial Times, the firms that skyrocketed during lockdowns have lost a collective $1.5 trillion in value since the end of 2020.

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Steward Health Care System, the largest U.S. physician-owned hospital operator, is expected to file for chapter 11 bankruptcy as soon as Sunday, according to a WSJ report, which cited people familiar with the matter. Steward Health Care is the largest tenant of Medical Properties Trust (NYSE: MPW). Steward Health Care hired restructuring advisers to improve its liquidity and restore its balance sheet in January 2024.

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DAILY UPDATE: Robinhood’s SEC Enforcement with Mixed Stock Markets

Posted on May 8, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Here’s where the major stock market benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 index rose 6.96 points (0.1%) to 5,187.70; the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 31.99 points (0.1%) to 38,884.26; the NASDAQ Composite^® ($COMP) eased 16.70 points (0.1%) to 16,332.56.
The 10-year Treasury note yield dropped more than 3 basis points to 4.457%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) fell 0.26 to 13.23.

Interest-rate-sensitive sectors, such as real estate and utilities, were among the market’s strongest performers Tuesday. The Philadelphia Utility Index (UTY) rose 1.3%, its fifth straight daily gain, and hit its highest level in almost a year. The recent strength may in part reflect heightened expectations for lower interest rates, which may make utility shares with relatively high dividend yields compared to Treasuries more appealing. The utilities sector is also coming off a strong April, during which it was the only S&P 500 sector with a positive return, with chart patterns suggesting a bullish long-term momentum shift.

The semiconductor sector was among the weakest sectors Tuesday, partly behind a 1.7% drop in Nvidia (NVDA). The shares fell after billionaire investor Stanley Druckenmiller told CNBC he reduced his stake in the chipmaker in late March, saying that artificial intelligence may be a “little overhyped” for the short term.

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Peloton is reportedly being circled by private equity firms for a potential buyout of the enfeebled fitness company.

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The SEC is preparing to sue over Robinhood’s crypto business. Robinhood just revealed that it’s been notified that the SEC plans to bring an enforcement action against its crypto unit for alleged securities violations. But the online brokerage said it’s not sweating: “We firmly believe that the assets listed on our platform are not securities and we look forward to engaging with the SEC to make clear just how weak any case against Robinhood Crypto would be on both the facts and the law,” Dan Gallagher, Robinhood’s chief legal, compliance, and corporate affairs officer, wrote in a blog post. Such a notice doesn’t always mean a suit will follow, but crypto companies and the agency have been sparring for years over whether crypto tokens count as securities.

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The Biden administration were quick to praise a new report that extends the lifespan of the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund, but the report renewed calls for increasing physician payments.

Amwell, a telehealth company, continues to struggle in the stock market, and both its bottom- and top-line results in the first quarter missed Street analysts’ estimates.

And … between the Change Healthcare cyberattack and Medicare Advantage headwinds, major insurers faced unique challenges in the first quarter.

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Stat: 8.7%. That’s the level to which US consumers can expect the 30-year mortgage rate to rise over the next year, which marks a series high, according to a New York Federal Reserve survey (MarketWatch)

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DAILY UPDATE: FQHCs Down and Healthcare Bankruptcies Up as the Markets Extend Gains

Posted on May 7, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Low-income communities often struggle to access healthcare services, but a new analysis of federally qualified health centers (FQHCs)—which provide quality care to patients regardless of ability to pay—has helped nail down one reason. When it comes to screening for certain cancers, these nonprofit community health centers have fallen far behind the national average, according to a study led by cancer center researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson and the University of New Mexico.

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Healthcare bankruptcies surged in 2023, and it turns out many of the companies that went under had one thing in common: private equity (PE) ownership. At least 21% of the 80 healthcare companies that filed for bankruptcy last year were PE-owned, according to a report from the nonprofit Private Equity Stakeholder Project (PESP).

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Warren Buffett on contemplated his own mortality at Berkshire’s meeting. Succession was the topic du jour at the Berkshire Hathaway shareholder meeting in Omaha last week. After his longtime business partner Charlie Munger died last year at 99, CEO Warren Buffett—who turns 94 in August—revealed his heir apparent, Greg Abel, will have the final say on investment decisions in his absence. Buffett ended his Q&A portion with the quip, “I not only hope you come next year. I hope I come next year.” Adding to the ominous vibes, Buffett said AI is a genie that “scares the hell out of me.”

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 index climbed 52.95 points (1.0%) to 5,180.74; the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 176.59 points (0.5%) to 38,852.27; the NASDAQ Composite advanced 192.92 points (1.2%) to 16,349.25.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) fell about 1 basis point to 4.491%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) was little changed at 13.48.

Semiconductors were among the strongest performers Monday behind Micron Technology (MU), whose shares rallied 4.7% after Robert W. Baird upgraded the chipmaker to “outperform” from “neutral.” Micron Technology was the top gainer in the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX), which advanced 2.2% to near a four-week high.

Small-cap stocks also got out of the gate strong this week. The Russell 2000^® Index (RUT) gained 1.2% to end at a four-week high but is still up just 1.7% for the year, while the S&P 500 has gained 8.6%.

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DAILY UPDATE: Cooling Labor Markets with Unemployment Rate Uptick

Posted on May 6, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

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A cooling labor market raises hopes for a rate cut in the summer. The latest Labor Department data shows the US added 175,000 jobs in April, but much less than the 300,000 added in March and also less than economists expected. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate ticked up to 3.9% from 3.8% in March, and wages rose less than anticipated. All that bad news for us was music to the ears of investors who are holding out hope that the Federal Reserve might still cut interest rates this summer despite most recent economic data showing that inflation is sticking around.

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Rate cuts appear to be back on the 2024 menu following Friday’s softer-than-expected jobs report, fueling gains for all three major stock indexes last week. With the report calming worries that inflation is ticking back up, investors now project a 50% likelihood that the Federal Reserve will reduce rates in September.

Coinbase is benefiting from the hype around new bitcoin ETFs. The crypto exchange reported a $1.2 billion quarterly profit last week, and net revenue rose by 115%.

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DAILY UPDATE: Sleep, Starbucks and Cell Phone Education

Posted on May 5, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Happy Cinco de Mayo 2024

Starbucks – The coffee company known for consistently outperforming itself reported less-than-spectacular earnings this week, sending its stock plunging 12% on Tuesday evening last week on the news—nearly as much as when the company shut all its doors during Covid 19. For the first time since 2020, US same-store sales declined, falling 3% alongside a 7% decrease in foot traffic. Meanwhile, revenue fell 1.8% to $8.56 billion as sales in China—the chain’s second-biggest market—declined 11%, and Starbucks lowered its sales outlook for the year.

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Educators have long pushed back against distraction machines (aka phones), with 77% of schools banning them in the classroom as of 2020, according to a National Center for Education Statistics survey. School time still overlaps with screen time: 97% of students are on their phones during school hours, according to a study by Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that informs parents about technology. While much of students’ phone use might be at lunch or recess, teachers complain that kids aren’t waiting for the bell to take a discreet peek at their screens.

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Creatine may counteract sleep deprivation. The dietary supplement all over your Instagram feed might one day help workers who have to do a lot on small amounts of sleep, like ER staff, first responders, and anyone sharing a house with a baby.

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DAILY UPDATE: Stock Markets Rally

Posted on May 4, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 index rose 63.59 points (1.3%) to 5,127.79, up 0.6% for the week; the Dow Jones Industrial Average^® ($DJI) gained 450.02 points (1.2%) to 38,675.68, up 1.1% for the week; the NASDAQ Composite surged 315.37 points (2.0%) to 16,156.33, up 1.4% for the week.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) fell about 7 basis points to 4.50%, down about 16 basis points for the week.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) fell 1.19 to 13.49.

Technology shares were among the strongest performers Friday behind a 6% rally in shares of Apple (AAPL), which late Thursday reported stronger-than-expected quarterly results and said it will repurchase $110 billion in shares. Amgen (AMGN) soared nearly 12%, leading Dow gainers after the biotechnology company beat earnings expectations.

In other markets, WTI Crude Oil futures (/CL) extended a week-long slump to end just above $78 per barrel, the lowest since mid-March. Crude futures dropped almost 7% this week, partly reflecting rising U.S. supplies and signs of slower fuel demand.

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FTC: Finalizes Ban on Non-Compete Agreements

Posted on May 4, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Health Capital Consultants LLC

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On April 23rd, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a final rule that would ban employers from imposing non-competes on their employees. The FTC asserts that this exploitative practice keeps wages low, and suppresses new ideas. Notably, while the final rule will affect all industries, not just healthcare, this proposal comes at a time when healthcare employers across the U.S. are struggling with staffing shortages.

Existing noncompetes for the majority of workers will no longer be enforceable after the rule goes into effect (i.e., 120 days after publication in the Federal Register); however, the FTC ban appears likely to face a legal challenge, and it could be years before it can take effect.

Under the final rule, noncompetes for senior executives can remain in force under the new ruling, but employers may not enter in or attempt to enforce any new noncompetes, even if that includes a senior executive. The Commission also recognizes that they have no jurisdiction over not-for-profit entities, however they reserve the right to evaluate any entity’s non-profit status. The FTC specifically stated that “some portion of the 58% of hospitals that claim tax-exempt status as nonprofits and the 19% of hospitals that are identified as State or local government hospitals in the data cited by AHA likely fall under the Commission’s jurisdiction and the final rule’s purview.”

While most healthcare employees and workers, including physicians, believe that the ruling is long overdue and that noncompetes “impede patient access to care, limit physicians’ ability to choose their employer, contribute to burnout and stifle competition,” the American Hospital Association (AHA), stated that the “FTC’s final rule banning non-compete agreements for all employees across all sectors of the economy is bad law, bad policy, and a clear sign of an agency run amok.

Look for next month’s (May 2024) Health Capital Topics article that will discuss, in more detail, the final rule, reactions from healthcare industry stakeholders, and potential implications for healthcare valuations (both business and compensation valuations).

MORE: (Read the FTC’s Press Release Here)

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APRIL 2024: US Hiring Slows

Posted on May 3, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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Job growth slowed and unemployment ticked higher last month, marking a break from a string of data showing surprising strength in the labor market.

U.S. employers added a seasonally adjusted 175,00 jobs in April, the Labor Department reported on Friday. That was far less than in March, when gains exceeded 300,000, and also below what economists had expected. The unemployment rate ticked up to 3.9% from March’s 3.8%.

According to the WSJ, wages also rose less than anticipated, increasing 3.9% from a year earlier after rising 4.1% in March.

Friday’s report today is sure to stir immediate debate among economists and investors about whether the labor market is merely cooling in a welcome fashion or starting to show more serious strains under the pressure of higher interest rates.

Treasury yields, which largely reflect investors’ expectations for short-term rates set by the Federal Reserve, fell after the report. The yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note was 4.471% in recent trading, according to Tradeweb, down from 4.569% Thursday.

Stock futures climbed, suggesting investors were pleased with the data, which could increase optimism about the outlook for inflation.

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DAILY UPDATE: Stock Markets Up Beat!

Posted on May 3, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Yesterday, sales of Wegovy more than doubled last quarter, and at least 25,000 people are starting to take it in the US per week. It also posted a $3.65 billion net profit and increased its sales outlook for 2024. But its stock Novo Nordisk still dropped yesterday.

***

iPhone sales are down but Apple share buybacks are up. Apple managed to keep investors happy, sending its stock shooting up after-hours yesterday, despite selling fewer iPhones last quarter. Sales of the signature phone dipped 10% year over year, and revenue fell 4.3% to $90.8 billion. But Apple also announced $110 billion in share buybacks, the largest in the company’s history, per CNBC. And sales in China, which has been a sore spot, came in at $16.4 billion, less than a year earlier but more than analysts had predicted.

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Stocks rose yesterday as investors digested Jerome Powell’s recent comments and decided they only had to fear fear itself—and not interest rate hikes. Investors changed into the fast lane to buy Carvana after the used car sales site reported its best earnings ever Wednesday evening.

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Stat: 16%. That’s the percentage by which CVS stocks plummeted Wednesday after the company reported earnings below expectations and cut its annual outlook, according to (CNBC).

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But – Here’s where the major stock market benchmarks ended Thursday:

The S&P 500^® index (SPX) rose 45.81 points (0.9%) to 5,064.20; the Dow Jones Industrial Average^® ($DJI) added 322.37 points (0.9%) to 38,225.66; the NASDAQ Composite^® ($COMP) surged 235.48 points (1.5%) to 15,840.96.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) dropped about 1 basis point to 4.583%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) fell 0.71 to 14.68.

Transportation shares helped lead the market higher after C.H. Robinson (CHRW) reported stronger-than-expected quarterly results, sending the freight logistics and trucking company’s stock up 12%. The Dow Jones Transportation Average ($DJT) jumped 2.5%. Semiconductors were also strong after Qualcomm (QCOM) advanced 9.7% in the wake of the chip maker’s better-than-expected earnings.

Apple (AAPL) shares advanced 2.2% ahead of the company’s quarterly earnings report scheduled after Thursday’s close.

In other markets, WTI Crude Oil (/CL) futures bounced back to end with a slight gain after earlier dropping to a seven-week low under $78.50 per barrel.

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DAILY UPDATE: Walmart, Women’s Health Month, UnitedHealth and the Mixed Stock Markets

Posted on May 2, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Here’s where the major stock market benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500^® index (SPX) fell 17.30 points (0.3%) to 5,018.39; the Dow Jones Industrial Average^® ($DJI) gained 87.37 points (0.2%) to 37,903.29; the NASDAQ Composite^® ($COMP) lost 52.34 points (0.3%) to 15,605.48.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) dropped more than 5 basis points to 4.63%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) decreased 0.28 to 15.37.

Banks and other financial shares led the market’s afternoon upswing, reflecting renewed optimism over the outlook for interest rates. The KBW Regional Bank Index (KRX) jumped 2.4% and posted its first gain in five days. Biotechnology and communication services were also strong.

Energy shares were among the weakest performers as WTI Crude Oil (/CL) futures extended a week-long nosedive and dropped under $80 per barrel for the first time since mid-March. Crude futures sank over 3% after the Energy Information Administration reported U.S. oil inventories surged 1.6% last week.

Among top companies, Amazon (AMZN) gained 2.2% after reporting stronger-than-expected earnings and revenue late Tuesday. Starbucks (SBUX) tumbled 16% following unexpectedly soft quarterly results. Apple (AAPL) eased 0.6% ahead of its quarterly results, expected after Thursday’s close.

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Speaking of stock companies, however big you think UnitedHealth is, it’s bigger than that. For example:

With a market cap of nearly $450 billion, it’s the fourth-largest company in the US by revenue this year, beating out Alphabet and Microsoft.
The company is eyeing a $24.7 billion profit in 2024.
One analyst estimated that more than 5% of US GDP flows through UnitedHealth’s systems daily.

And so, lawmakers in Washington are prepared to grill UnitedHealth CEO Andrew Witty in two congressional hearings today, months after a cyberattack on a subsidiary of the healthcare giant, Change Healthcare, rattled the industry and left pharmacies, doctors, and hospitals in the dark. Change processes roughly half of all Americans’ medical claims. Congress wants Witty to clarify how UnitedHealth handled the breach of patient data. But beyond that, it wants to investigate whether the company—the nation’s largest private health insurer—has grown too big and taken on too much risk.

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Retailer Walmart announced plans Tuesday to shutter its network of 51 health clinics in five states, along with its telehealth business. The impending closures signify that Walmart is scuttling its initial plans to expand the services, citing escalating operation costs and “challenging reimbursement environment,” the company said in a news release.

Finally – Happy Women’s Health Month! Women and people assigned female at birth are disproportionately affected by a range of health conditions, including autoimmune diseases, chronic pain, and dementia. The month of May is intended to raise awareness of these disparities and educate women on steps they can take to improve their health, such as getting annual breast exams. For all our woman-identifying readers, take some time to prioritize your health this month!

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DAILY UPDATE: Lumeris Health Tech – MultiPlan, UnitedHealth, Aetna & CVS Payer Data – Stock Melt Down

Posted on May 1, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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MAY FIRST DAY

May Day is a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on 1 May, around halfway between the Northern Hemisphere’s Spring equinox and June solstice. Festivities may also be held the night before, known as May Eve. Traditions often include gathering wildflowers and green branches, weaving floral garlands, crowning a May Queen and setting up a Maypole, May Tree or May Bush, around which people dance. Bonfires are also part of the festival in some regions.

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 index fell 80.48 points (1.6%) to 5,035.69; the Dow Jones Industrial Average^® ($DJI) lost 570.17 points (1.5%) to 37,815.92, down 5% for the month; the NASDAQ Composite declined 325.26 points (2.0%) to 15,657.82.
The 10-year Treasury note yield jumped more than 7 basis points to 4.682%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) rose 0.98 to 15.65.

Energy shares were among the weakest performers Tuesday, behind a drop in WTI Crude Oil (/CL) futures, which fell a third consecutive session and briefly dropped under $81 per barrel. The Philadelphia Oil Service Index (OSX) tumbled 4.5% to a seven-week low. The small-cap Russell 2000^® Index (RUT) shed 2.1% and ended with a loss of 7.1% for the month.

But, it was a better day for Mounjaro maker Eli Lilly, which climbed nearly 6% after its popular weight loss drugs pushed it to raise its 2024 forecast.

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Lumeris Health, a health tech company supporting value-based care operations, raised $100 million in a new funding round to support expansion.

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A class-action complaint was filed against MultiPlan and major payers like UnitedHealth Group and CVS Health’s Aetna, arguing payers’ claims data was being used to generate low reimbursement rates.

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DAILY UPDATE: The CHIPS and Science Act & the FOMC as Stocks Edge Higher

Posted on April 30, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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It’ll be a big week for hot takes on the US economy, after the Federal Reserve meeting Tuesday and Wednesday and the April jobs report dropping Friday. Because inflation has been sticking around, the FOMC is expected to hold interest rates steady at this meeting and for the foreseeable future. On the jobs front, economists are projecting another strong month for employment growth.

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In 2022, with bipartisan support, Congress passed the CHIPS and Science Act, an ambitious plan to juice domestic manufacturing of a product vital to national security: semiconductors. Two years later, the government has doled out more than half of the CHIPS Act’s $39 billion in incentives. According to the Financial Times …

Chip companies and their suppliers have announced US investments of $327 billion over the next 10 years, per the Semiconductor Industry Association.
Construction of manufacturing facilities for computing and electronics devices has jumped 15x, government data shows.
By 2030, the US will likely produce around 20% of the world’s most advanced chips, according to USCommerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. Right now, it’s making 0%.

The proposed factories are massive and could transform regional economies. Micron, which received $6.1 billion in federal grants last week, plans to invest $100 billion in a manufacturing campus near Syracuse.

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500^® index (SPX) rose 16.21 points (0.3%) to 5,116.17, its highest close in over two weeks; the Dow Jones Industrial Average^® ($DJI) gained 146.43 points (0.4%) to 38,386.09, the NASDAQ Composite^® ($COMP) advanced 55.18 points (0.4%) to 15,983.08.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) fell more than 5 basis points to 4.616%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) declined 0.36 to 14.67.

Communication services shares were among the market’s weakest performers Monday, reversing last Friday’s upswing as Alphabet (GOOGL) dropped more than 3% and Meta Platforms (META) lost 2.4%. Banks and retailers were also soft. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) climbed for the sixth-straight day and ended near a three-week high even though its biggest member, Nvidia (NVDA), ended little changed.

In other markets, the U.S. Dollar Index ($DXY) faded from early gains but is still up about 1% in April, driven by expectations domestic rates will remain high. “The U.S. dollar’s strength continues to reflect the relative strength of the economy and the wide interest rate differentials between the United States and other major developed markets,” Schwab Center for Financial Research analysts said in a report.

Despite last week’s strength, the S&P 500 index and the NASAQ Composite are still down 2.6% and 2.4%, respectively, for April and on track to break five-month winning streaks.

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Humana expects to exit Medicare Advantage (MA) markets in 2025, company executives told investors. The company reported its first quarter earnings April 24th. Humana posted $741 million in net income in the first quarter of 2024, beating investor expectations, but pulled its 2025 earnings guidance.

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DAILY UPDATE: Republic First Bank Seized and Sold to Fulton Bank

Posted on April 28, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Republic First Bank. The FDIC said regulators seized the troubled Philadelphia-based bank and agreed to sell it to Fulton Bank. While news of a regional bank failure might take you back to March 2023 when Silicon Valley Bank bit the dust, Republic First was much smaller than SVB (and much smaller than the similarly named First Republic, which ultimately got absorbed by JPMorgan Chase as regional banks struggled). And, because there’s already a buyer, there are no lingering questions about the safety of deposits.

So, while the first bank failure of the year is a sign that regional banks are still in a bad way, it’s unlikely to spur a larger crisis.

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DAILY UPDATE: Cannabis, Healthcare and the Stock Market Rally!

Posted on April 27, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Here’s where the major stock market benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 index gained 51.54 points (1.0%) to 5,099.96, up 2.7% for the week; the Dow Jones Industrial Average^® ($DJI) increased 153.86 points (0.4%) to 38,239.66, up 0.7% for the week; the NASDAQ Composite jumped 316.14 points (2.0%) to 15,927.90, up 4.2% for the week.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) lost about 4 basis points to 4.665%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) fell 0.34 to 15.03.

Alphabet’s rally helped communication services reverse Thursday’s downturn, which was driven by disappointing quarterly results from Meta Platforms (META). The S&P 500 Communication Services index ($SP500#50) surged 4.7% Friday and ended the week with a 2.7% gain. Semiconductor shares were also strong, led by a 6% gain in Nvidia (NVDA). The Russell 2000^®Index (RUT) added 1.1% Friday and posted a 2.8% advance for the week.

In other markets, WTI Crude Oil (/CL) futures rose slightly Friday, ending around $83.65 per barrel and shutting down a three-week losing streak.

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Midi Health, a health clinic geared toward women in midlife, raised $60 million in Series B funding to expand its network to 150 clinicians by the end of the year, among other efforts. (MobiHealthNews)

“We’re fooling ourselves if we think that’s cheap or can be done less expensively.”—Carmela Coyle, president and CEO of the California Hospital Association, on hospital finances and cutting costs (AP)

The federal government implemented new staffing rules to improve patient care, but most nursing homes won’t be able to meet that demand. (KFF Health News/NPR)

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The Biden administration is considering a change that would downgrade cannabis from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug this year. The reclassification would have major effects on the business of cannabis, but for that to happen, the Drug Enforcement Agency needs proof of medical effectiveness.

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DAILY UPDATE: GDP Worries as Markets Stumble with Meta but other Technology Stocks are Good

Posted on April 26, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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New GDP numbers out yesterday show a worrying combo of stubborn inflation + waning growth that dampens hopes for a potential interest rate cut. Per the latest data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the first quarter of 2024 was a confounding one:

GDP increased at a 1.6% annualized rate, far below projections of 2.4% and notably down from 3.4% at the end of 2023.
While slow growth would typically signal that the Fed could cut rates, another metric complicates matters: Consumer prices (excluding volatile categories), a solid indicator of inflation, shot up to a much higher than anticipated 3.7%.

***

Meta reported record Q1 revenue yesterday, but it was overshadowed by the billions of dollars the company is spending in its efforts to win the Artificial Intelligence race and make the Metaverse happen. Investors were unhappy with the company’s forecast that its spending will rise by $10 billion dollars to support Artificial Intelligence development, sending Meta’s stock price down 15% after hours.

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 index fell 23.21 points (0.5%) to 5,048.42; the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 375.12 points (1.0%) to 38,085.80; the NASDAQ Composite^® ($COMP) shed 100.99 points (0.6%) to 15,611.76.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) rose about 5 basis points to 4.704%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) fell 0.64 to 15.33.

Communication services shares were the weakest S&P 500 sector Thursday behind the plunge in Meta Platforms. Late Wednesday, the Facebook parent provided lighter-than-expected second-quarter revenue guidance, while CEO Mark Zuckerberg discussed spending in currently unprofitable pursuits such as artificial intelligence (AI) and mixed reality. Meta’s first-quarter earnings and revenue both came above analysts ‘ estimates, however.

Meta’s slump helped send the S&P 500 Communication Services index ($SP500#50) down 4%. Banks were also particularly soft amid concern that persistently high interest rates may compress lender margins. Semiconductor and transportation shares were among the few pockets of strength.

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But, Alphabet, Microsoft, and Snap reported Q1 earnings yesterday, and were generally good. Alphabet issued its first-ever dividend and authorized $70 billion in stock buybacks, after it beat Wall Street’s revenue expectations. Microsoft also beat revenue forecasts on the strength of its cloud services. And Snap shares soared after it topped estimates and impressed investors with its 422 million global daily active users. It was a much-needed boost for the sector after Meta spooked the market with how much it’s spending on AI.

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DAILY UPDATE: Retirement Security Rule, National Drug Take Back Day, Spotify, Cleveland Clinic, NAR and the Mixed Stock Markets

Posted on April 25, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

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Otherwise known as “National Prescription Drug Take Back Day,” National Drug Take Back Day on April 25th is sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Agency. Its goal is to keep the public aware of the dangers of prescription drug use and misuse. Many Americans don’t know how to safely dispose of the prescription drugs that have been sitting in the medicine cabinet past their prime. Using these expired drugs, or using someone else’s, is dangerous and puts both the public and the environment at risk.

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Spotify made money in Q1. According to Morning Brew, the streaming music giant grew its revenue last quarter by 20% to $3.8 billion on a record $180 million in profit, it announced yesterday. The smash report comes after Spotify cut costs last year, which included laying off more than a quarter of its workforce. The company also raised prices in 2023 for the first time in a decade as it further expanded beyond music into audio books and other categories. Spotify shares soared ~11% following the news.

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 index^® (SPX) rose 1.08 points (0.02%) to 5,071.63; the Dow Jones Industrial Average^® ($DJI) fell 42.77 points (0.1%) to 38,460.92; the NASDAQ Composite^® ($COMP) added 16.11 points (0.1%) to 15,712.75.
The 10-year Treasury note yield rose more than 4 basis points to 4.644%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) rose 0.28 to 15.97.

Transportation shares were among the market’s weakest performers Wednesday behind a drop of more than 10% in Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL), which reported lighter-than-expected quarterly revenue. The shipper’s nosedive helped send the Dow Jones Transportation Average ($DJT) down 2.3%. Consumer staples, semiconductors, and utilities posted moderate advances. The Dow Jones Utility Index ($DJU) gained for the sixth straight day and ended at a three-and-a-half-month high.

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The National Association of Realtors’ $418 million settlement over an alleged conspiracy to inflate commissions received preliminary approval yesterday. It’s a new world order: Sellers won’t have to pay buyers’ agents anymore. There’s been talk of a metaphorical death of real estate agents, or a mass extinction; the jury is still out, but RE/MAX cofounder and chairman Dave Liniger doesn’t seem too concerned.

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The Labor Department announced it has finalized its Retirement Security Rule, which aims to protect American workers who are saving for retirement and relying on advice from fiduciaries for it. The new rule will update the definition of an investment advice fiduciary under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code.

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Clinicians don’t always get it right, and their mistakes can be costly: Studies show misdiagnoses lead to roughly 800,000 patient deaths or permanent disabilities each year in the US and cost the healthcare system an estimated $20 billion annually. Cleveland Clinic is using telehealth to try to combat misdiagnoses via its virtual second opinions program, which has saved an average of $8,705 per patient by avoiding unnecessary treatments, according to an analysis released in March.

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DAILY UPDATE: Nike Lay-Offs & Retirement “Rule of 55” as Stock Markets Zoom Upward

Posted on April 24, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

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Stat: 740. That’s how many employees Nike will lay off at its Oregon HQ before the end of June. In February, Nike CEO John Donahoe informed employees of the company’s plan to reduce 2% of its workforce, which would mean around 1,600 employees in total. (USA Today)

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Let’s say you leave your job at any time during or after the calendar year you turn 55 (or age 50 if you’re a public safety employee with a government defined-benefit plan). Under a little-known separation-of-service provision, often referred to as the “rule of 55,” you may be able take distributions (though some plans may allow only one lump-sum withdrawal) from your 401(k), 403(b), or other qualified retirement plan free of the usual 10% early-withdrawal penalties. However, be aware that you’ll still owe ordinary income taxes on the amount distributed. This exception applies only to the plan (including any consolidated accounts) that you were contributing to when you separated from service. It does not extend to IRAs.

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 index rose 59.95 points (1.2%) to 5,070.55; the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 263.71 points (0.7%) to 38,503.69; the NASDAQ Composite^® ($COMP) surged 245.33 points (1.6%) to 15,696.64.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) decreased about 2 basis points to 4.602%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) fell 1.25 to 15.69.

Similar to Monday, chipmakers were among the market’s strongest areas, carrying the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) to a 2.2% advance. Retailers and communication services shares were also strong. The Dow Jones Utility Index ($DJU) gained for the fifth straight day and ended at its highest level in over three months. The Russell 2000^® Index (RUT) surged nearly 2%.

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EARNINGS WEEK: Four Magnificent Seven Stocks Plus 4 More “Blue Chips” Reporting

Posted on April 23, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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Busy earnings week will focus on the Magnificent Seven

Big Tech is leading the stock-market rout, but in the coming days, it has the opportunity to turn things around. Magnificent Seven members Microsoft, Meta, Alphabet, and Tesla are among the 178 S&P 500 companies scheduled to report their earnings this jam-packed week.

Other blue-chip stocks reporting include GM, Boeing, IBM, and PepsiCo.

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Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Breaking News, Financial Planning, Investing | Tagged: Alphabet, Amazon, blue chip stocks, Boeing, earnings reports, Facebook, FB, GM, google, magnificent seven, Meta, microsoft, MSFT, Nvidia, pepsiCo, stock reportimngs, Tesla | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: The CPI, Korion Health and the Stock Markets Rebound

Posted on April 23, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Happy Shakespeare Day

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The March Consumer Price Index, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics released last week, revealed that core inflation hit 3.8% Year over Year in March, rising for the first time in 12 months. That’s moving in the wrong direction for the Fed, whose goal is to bring inflation down to 2%.

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 index rose 43.37 points (0.9%) to 5,010.60; the Dow Jones Industrial Average^® ($DJI) gained 253.58 points (0.7%) to 38,239.98; the NASDAQ Composite advanced 169.30 points (1.1%) to 15,451.31.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) was little changed at 4.617%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) fell 1.41 to 16.39.

Chipmaker strength lifted the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) up 1.7% Monday, partially reclaiming last week’s 9.2% tumble. Banking shares were also among the strongest sectors, while the Russell 2000^® Index (RUT) advanced 1%. WTI crude futures earlier dropped to just a few cents above $82 per barrel, the lowest intraday price since late March.

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“Telemedicine has a lot of potential to bridge barriers and make it convenient for people to access healthcare. But it’s limited by lack of tools. Your doctor can’t reach through the computer screen.”—Akshaya Anand, co-founder of Korion Health, on the startup’s efforts to create an electronic stethoscope for clinicians to record heart and lung movement (Maryland Today)

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DAILY UPDATE: Anti-Competitive Practices in Healthcare and the NASDAQ and S&P 500 Losing Streak!

Posted on April 22, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

HAPPY EARTH DAY

By Staff Reporters

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Feds Open Online Portal for Reporting AntiCompetitive Practices in Healthcare

Federal agencies want to hear from the public about monopolistic and anticompetitive behavior within the healthcare industry. Last Thursday, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) unveiled HealthyCompetition.gov, an online portal where anyone can submit a healthcare competition complaint for potential investigation.

These submissions, the agencies said, can help the agencies ensure healthcare organizations provide quality care and pay their employees a fair wage.

Source: Dave Muoio, Fierce Healthcare [4/18/24]

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The S&P 500 just had its worst week in more than a year, and the NASDAQ is on a four-week losing streak. Blame skepticism that AI will meaningfully boost profits: Since the NASDAQ peaked last month, the largest US tech companies have lost more than $930 billion in market value. NVIDIA alone lost $212 billion in value on Friday, its biggest plunge since March 2020.

PS: Exxon Mobil is worth more than Tesla for the first time in more than a year.

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EARTH DAY: Celebrate 2024!

Posted on April 22, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

CELEBRATE AND PREPARE

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Earth Day is an annual event on April 22nd to demonstrate support for environmental protection.

First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by EARTHDAY.ORG (formerly Earth Day Network) including 1 billion people in more than 193 countries.^[ The official theme for 2024 is “Planet vs. Plastics.” 2025 will be the 55th anniversary of Earth Day.

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Homepage

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DAILY UPDATE: BoA “De-Banks”, Hospitals Merge and Walmart Health Grows as the NASDAQ Dives

Posted on April 20, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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A group of 15 financial officers representing 13 states issued a warning to Bank of America over its alleged practices of “politicized de-banking” targeting conservatives. In a letter to Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan, the officials said the bank’s practices threaten its own financial health and reputation with customers while simultaneously harming the U.S. economy and Americans’ civil liberties. They pointed to examples of Bank of America shuttering the accounts belonging to Christian groups and leaders and joining a net-zero climate alliance in addition to its poor viewpoint diversity rating.

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Texas and Missouri will soon have about two dozen Walmart health centers, the retail giant announced this month, adding to its 50-site roster. The company plans to open eight clinics in the Houston metro area, 10 sites in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and four facilities in Kansas City by the end of 2024, Modern Healthcare reported.

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Hospitals reported the strongest quarter of mergers and acquisitions since 2020, according to consulting firm Kaufman Hall. Four of the 20 announced transactions in the first quarter of 2024 were “megamergers” and brought in $12 billion in revenue in that time period, per the firm’s analysis. The era of consolidation is here.

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 index fell 43.89 points (0.9%) to 4,967.23, down 3% for the week; the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 211.02 points (0.6%) to 37,986.40, little changed for the week; the NASDAQ Composite lost 319.49 points (2.1%) to 15,282.01, down 5.5% for the week.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) dropped more than 2 basis points to 4.623%, still up about 10 basis points for the week.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) rose 0.71 to 18.71.

Nvidia (NVDA) plunged 10% to lead the chip sector lower, sending the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) down 4.1% to a two-and-a-half-month low. Communication Services shares were also among the weakest sectors, fueled by Netflix weakness. There were several pockets of strength, however. Banking shares posted firm gains Friday behind stronger-than-expected quarterly results from some regional lenders. Utilities also advanced.

The S&P 500 has fallen 5.5% from a record close March 28, more than halfway to the 10% threshold that’s traditionally viewed as a correction. The NASDAQ Composite is down 7.1% from a record close on April 11th.

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DAILY UPDATE: Stark Laws & 23andMe as Wall Street Pulls Back

Posted on April 19, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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If the practice makes a reasonable effort to collect from a patient who is experiencing financial hardship (e.g., job loss due to COVID-19), providers may be able to offer a discount (e.g., settle for 70% of the amount owed) without violating Stark Law, says Reed Tinsley, CPA, healthcare consultant in Houston, Texas. “But remember that just because even if someone doesn’t have a job, they could still have money,” he adds. “There are a lot of people out there with big savings accounts.”

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Source: Lisa A. Eramo, MA, Keith A. Reynolds, Physicians Practice [4/3/24]

23andMe cofounder and CEO Anne Wojcicki wants to take the once-hot DNA company private. 23andMe said a Special Committee would evaluate the proposal in light of other options. The company’s valuation has tumbled since its stock market debut in 2021. The struggling DNA company once valued in the billions — was essentially worthless as of Wednesday.
But,shares soared Thursday less than three years after it began selling shares. Wojcicki told board members she is proposing to acquire the company in a potential go-private transaction, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 index fell 11.09 points (0.2%) to 5,011.12; the Dow Jones Industrial Average^® ($DJI) rose 22.07 points (0.1%) to 37,775.38; the NASDAQ Composite lost 81.88 points (0.5%) to 15,601.50.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) gained almost 5 basis points to 4.633%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) dropped 0.22 to 17.99.

Weakness in chip maker shares pushed the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) down 1.7% to a two-month low. Biotechnology and consumer discretionary shares were also among the weakest sectors. Energy companies eroded as WTI Crude Oil (/CL) futures dropped for a third straight trading day and closed at a three-week low.

The S&P 500 is on track for its third consecutive weekly decline, its weakest stretch since September, while the NASDAQ Composite appears headed for a fourth straight weekly slide.

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DAILY UPDATE: PBM Pricing Structure and UnitedHealth Cyber Fury as Stock Markets Tumble

Posted on April 18, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Pharmacy Benefits Managers often need more transparency regarding their pricing structures and the rebates they negotiate with drug manufacturers. Some argue that PBMs might receive hidden fees or undisclosed profits from drug manufacturers in exchange for favorable positioning on their formularies (lists of covered medications). This can be seen as a form of kickback, which is illegal.

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Lawmakers Express Fury Toward UnitedHealth in Change Attack Hearing on the fallout surrounding the unprecedented cyberattack on Change Healthcare in late February. Individuals representing the American Hospital Association, private cybersecurity groups and providers testified before members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee on April 16th to discuss the healthcare industry’s response to the attack and how the federal government should act.

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In March, the cyber criminal organization received $22 million in bitcoins, though UnitedHealth Group has not addressed whether the company paid the ransom. On April 15th, ransomware group RansomHub posted files on its dark web leak site comprising of personal and protected health information on patients whose data was taken in the hack. The files also include contracts and agreements between Change and its clients, marking the first time hackers have posted data from the attack.

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Source: Jakob Emerson, Becker’s Hospital Review

Stocks started the day strong yesterday but ended up slumping before the market closed as investors pulled back on tech stocks, including Nvidia. United Airlines took off after releasing a strong forecast for the year despite saying it took a $200 million hit because of Boeing’s troubles.

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 index lost 29.20 points (0.6%) to 5,022.21; the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 45.66 points (0.1%) to 37,753.31; the NASDAQ Composite dropped 181.88 points (1.2%) to 15,683.37.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) decreased more than 7 basis points to 4.585%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) fell 0.20 to 18.20.

ASML’s slump helped send the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) down 3.3% to its lowest level since late February. Transportation shares were also under pressure after trucking company J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) dropped 8.1% in the wake of disappointing quarterly numbers. Energy shares slipped as WTI Crude Oil (/CL) futures fell 3% to a three-week low.

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JAMIE DIMON: Speaks on the Economy and Artificial Intelligence

Posted on April 18, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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Jamie Dimon is bearish on a soft landing but bullish on AI

In his annual letter to shareholders, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon just said that the odds interest rates return to the Fed’s target of 2% without triggering a recession are “a lot lower” than the 70%–80% chance that several markets seem to have priced in.

Dimon said JPMorgan is preparing for interest rates to possibly spike to 8% in the coming years, citing geopolitical risks, the green transition, and higher energy costs (but he’s notorious for having cautious outlooks). Artificial intelligence also topped Dimon’s list of pressing issues, and he’s “completely convinced” that AI’s impact will be “extraordinary”—maybe even as revolutionary as the printing press or the steam engine.

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DAILY UPDATE: Tesla Lay Offs, Mammograms, Physician Pay, UnitedHealth and Tele-Health as Stock Markets Close Mixed

Posted on April 17, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

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Stat: 10%. That’s the percentage of Tesla employees that will be impacted by its global workforce reduction. Elon Musk sent an email to employees on Monday informing them of the layoffs, which he said were made to “reduce costs and increase productivity,” according to the WSJ. The move comes as the electric vehicle maker deals with a wider slowdown in EV sales. (the Wall Street Journal)

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UnitedHealth Group, reeling from the Change cyberattack, recorded a loss of $1.4 billion in the first quarter. Still, its EPS exceeded expectations and the stock is trading up.

The Florida Medicaid market is a big prize for insurers. Just three plans earned statewide contracts, starting in October.

And … physicians made steady pay gains last year, but increases were undercut by inflation rates. See how other specialties fared, according to a report from Medscape.

The social determinants of health can impact a woman’s chance of being up to date with her mammogram, according to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. Women are less likely to get a mammogram if they feel socially isolated, have lost a job or don’t have reliable transportation.

And…A major House subcommittee is considering whether to issue another short-term extension on telehealth flexibilities as they continue to evaluate cost and quality issues or to enact permanent changes to virtual care reimbursement. The American Telemedicine Association is pushing Congress to make permanent the Medicare telehealth flexibilities implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500^® index (SPX) declined 10.41 points (0.2%) to 5,051.41, its lowest close in almost two months; the Dow Jones Industrial Average^® ($DJI) advanced 63.86 points (0.2%) to 37,798.97; the NASDAQ Composite^® ($COMP) eased 19.77 points (0.1%) to 15,865.25.
The 10-year Treasury note yield gained almost 4 basis points to 4.667%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) fell 0.83 to 18.40.

Scaled-back expectations for Fed rate cuts continued to burden interest-rate-sensitive sectors, such as banks and utilities. The KBW Regional Bank Index (KRX) lost 1.4% and ended near a five-month low. The small-cap Russell 2000^® Index (RUT) dropped 0.4% and ended at a two-month low.

In other markets, the U.S. dollar index (DXY) strengthened for the fifth consecutive trading day and hit its highest level since late October, reflecting expectations rates will stay elevated.

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DAILY UPDATE: Dental and Digital Health Start-Ups as Stock Markets Collapse Again!

Posted on April 16, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Here’s where the major stock market benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 index fell 61.59 points (1.2%) to 5,061.82; the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 248.13 points (0.7%) to 37,735.11; the NASDAQ Composite^® ($COMP) dropped 290.08 points (1.8%) to 15,885.02.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) surged almost 12 basis points to 4.618%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) rose 1.92 to 19.23.

Interest-rate-sensitive sectors like real estate and utilities were among the weakest performers Monday. Technology shares were also under pressure. The small-cap Russell 2000^® Index (RUT) shed 1.4% and ended at a two-month low.

In other markets, the U.S. dollar index (DXY) strengthened for the fourth consecutive trading day and hit its highest level since early November, reflecting expectations rates will stay elevated. Volatility based on the VIX jumped near 19.50, its highest level since late October.

Monday’s session also produced technical damage on the charts of benchmarks like the S&P 500, which closed under its 50-day simple moving average, currently around 5,114, for the first time since early November. The S&P 500 has dropped almost 4% from a record intraday high posted March 28th.

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And, after a tough funding year for digital health startups, the first quarter of 2024 saw a flurry of deals announced—a “positive signal” that the funding landscape is looking up, according to Adriana Krasniansky, head of research at digital health strategy group and venture fund Rock Health’s advisory arm. Overall, the number of digital health funding deals (133) that closed in Q1 was the highest in six quarters, though the average deal size ($20.6 million) was smaller, according to a Rock Health report. Total funding for digital health startups was $2.7 billion, the lowest level since 2019. An increase in the frequency of deals—even if they’re smaller—is a good sign, according to Krasniansky.

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Dental startup Tend aims to simplify the patient billing process via a partnership with health tech startup Cedar, the companies announced on April 11th, 2024. The US spends roughly $165 billion per year on dental services as of 2022, according to professional organization the American Dental Association—but the payment experience can be “opaque” and “confusing,” Matthew Fitzgerald, chief marketing officer at Tend, told Healthcare Brew. “From the outset, Tend has sought to innovate the dental experience by leveraging technology and hospitality to build a company around the patient,” Tend CEO Troy Bage said in a statement. “By partnering with Cedar, we’ll be able to streamline and simplify the payment process for all our members—further enhancing their overall experience with Tend, while unlocking new ways for us to elevate engagement.”

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DAILY UPDATE: IRS Tax Day April 15th Exceptions as American Savings Rate is Down along with Nike, Jeep, Medicare Part C and these States?

Posted on April 15, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

“Worried about an IRS audit? Avoid what’s called a red flag. That’s something the IRS always looks for. For example, say you have some money left in your bank account after paying taxes. That’s a red flag.“

― Jay Leno

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HAPPY APRIL 15th 2024

Americans are saving less at their lowest pace in more than a year, and are apparently spending more than the growth of their incomes, according to an analysis by Wells Fargo that was shared with Newsweek.

In February, the personal savings rate hit 3.6 percent, “marking the lowest rate at which households saved in 14 months,” Wells Fargo economists noted in the Thursday report, adding that spending outpaced income growth for the month. The savings rate is higher than the below 3 percent level it fell to following the COVID-19 pandemic, but is nevertheless way down from the pre-pandemic rate of 6 percent.

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The deadline for most people to file a 2023 tax return with the IRS is fast approaching; returns are due by 11:59 p.m., in your time zone, on Monday, April 15th today, with some exceptions. Taxpayers in Massachusetts and Maine have until April 17th to file and pay taxes because of the Patriots’ Day and Emancipation Day holidays. There are also extensions in some areas impacted by extreme weather. Individuals and businesses impacted by the October 7th attack on Israel have also been given an extension, the IRS announced. There are extensions for certain active-duty military members and citizens living abroad.

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Nike announced plans to lay off around 1,600 employees, or about 2% of its global workforce, as part of a $2 billion cost-cutting strategy. CEO John Donahoe said performance has not been the best and took responsibility. Donahoe said, “This is a painful reality and not one that I take lightly.”

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Stellantis is the world’s fourth-largest automaker by sales, behind Toyota, Volkswagen Group, and Hyundai Motor Group. The company designs, manufactures, and sells automobiles bearing its 14 brands: Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroën, Dodge, DS, Fiat, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram, and Vauxhall. Their headquarters is located in Amsterdam, and they have over 300,000 employees in 130 countries.

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The Biden administration wants to make changes to private Medicare insurance plans that officials say will help seniors find plans that best suit their needs, promote access to behavioral health care and increase use of extra benefits such as fitness and dental plans. “We want to ensure that taxpayer dollars actually provide meaningful benefits to enrollees,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. If finalized, the proposed rules rolled out Monday could also give seniors faster access to some lower-cost drugs. Administration officials said the changes, which are subject to a 60-day comment period, build on recent steps taken to address what they called confusing or misleading advertisements for Medicare Advantage [Part C] plans. Just over half of those eligible for Medicare get coverage through a private insurance plan rather than traditional, government-run Medicare.

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Healthcare varies substantially by state based on dozens of factors. The same is valid for cities. Some of this is due to the availability of medical facilities. Some have to do with health habits. Some have to do with incomes and poverty levels. People who live in poor states, based on income, almost always have unhealthy populations. A new study from Renew Bariatrics shows the “Healthiest (and Unhealthiest) States in the US—2024 Rankings,” and reviews alcohol use, diabetes, drug overdoses, mental health, isolation, tobacco use, exercise, and the presence of heart disease, obesity, and cancer. These, taken together, create an index from 0 to 100, with 100 being the worst possible score. These are the most expensive states to live in.

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DAILY UPDATE: Medicaid and Government Employee Health Insurance Changes as Stocks Tank

Posted on April 14, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued a sharp warning about proposed changes to Medicaid, claiming they could “strip millions of Americans” from access to healthcare. In February 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a new proposed rule that would change long-standing practices for how states fund the non-federal share of Medicaid payments. In particular, the CMS is pushing for greater oversight of how states use of healthcare provider taxes to help fund their programs.

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Democratic lawmakers Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Rep. Andy Kim have partnered up with Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans to introduce legislation aiming to give army reservists and members of the National Guard that also work for the federal government options on the type of health care plans they can receive. The bill, which could impact thousands of federal employees that are also in the U.S. Army, plans to give this group of Americans the ability to decide whether they want military or civilian health care. The lawmakers said in a shared statement that their proposal will fix current regulations that limit service members who also work for the government to enroll in the cheaper Tricare Reserve Select (TRS) health plan when they also qualify for federal health plans.

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Stocks tanked last Friday after the big banks reported underwhelming earnings and the sheen from the Magnificent Seven’s AI-driven surge earlier this week wore off. Meanwhile, oil prices continue to rise near six-month highs as concern grows over geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The tech sector was highlighted in this market, particularly due to the exceptional performance of a group of mega-cap tech giants last year nicknamed the “Magnificent Seven.” This elite group includes Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), Alphabet (GOOGL), Meta Platforms (META), Microsoft (MSFT), Nvidia (NVDA) and Tesla (TSLA).

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DAILY UPDATE: Mike Burry MD, Private Equity in Health Systems, Drug Shortages, United Health Stock Sale and the Change Healthcare Hack as the Stock Markets Re-Collapse!

Posted on April 13, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Medical colleague and our financial planning for physicians textbook contributor Michael Burry MD predicted a second inflation surge, and price growth re-accelerated in March,. 2024.
The “Big Short” investor first warned of inflation in April 2020, over two years before it peaked.
Burry expected a recession, rate cuts, and stimulus spending to reignite inflation.

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A growing number of drugs are in short supply around the U.S., according to pharmacists.

In the first three months of the year, there were 323 active medication shortages, surpassing the previous high of 320 shortages in 2014, according to a survey by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and Utah Drug Information Service. It also amounts to the most shortages since the trade group started keeping track in 2001. “All drug classes are vulnerable to shortages. Some of the most worrying shortages involve generic sterile injectable medications, including cancer chemotherapy drugs and emergency medications stored in hospital crash carts and procedural areas,” ASHP said in a statement.

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Scheduling an appointment with a primary care doctor who belongs to a large health system might cause an increase in health care spending, according to a recent study. Such physicians tend to make more referrals to specialists, and emergency room visits and hospitalizations sometimes increase, according to the research out of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

In short, physicians who work for health care systems like hospitals are more likely to recommend that patients use other services within those systems, compared with independent physicians. For the study — which was published in JAMA Health Forum, a journal of the American Medical Association — researchers analyzed the experiences of more than 4 million patients in Massachusetts.

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UnitedHealth Chairman Stephen Hemsley and other executives sold $102 million in company stock months before a federal antitrust probe became public, Bloomberg reported.

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Small physician practices are still struggling in the wake of February’s Change Healthcare cyberattack, according to an American Medical Association (AMA) survey released Wednesday.

More than half of ~1,400 respondents (55%) reported that they’ve had to use personal funds to cover their practice’s expenses due to the cyberattack’s effects on cash flow. Practices across the country have been unable to fill prescriptions or process insurance claims as Change Healthcare systems went offline, Healthcare Brew previously reported. About two-thirds of respondents said they’ve experienced restrictions to core functions, such as suspending claim payments (36%), not being able to submit claims (32%), and not being able to obtain electronic remittance advice (39%), according to the survey.

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 index fell 75.65 points (1.5%) to 5,123.41, down 1.6% for the week; the Dow Jones Industrial Averagelost 475.84 points (1.2%) to 37,983.24, down 2.4% for the week; the NASDAQ Composite^® ($COMP) dropped 267.10 points (1.6%) to 16,175.09, down 0.5% for the week.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) fell more than 5 basis points to 4.52%, still up about 12 basis points for the week.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) rose 2.38 to 17.30.

Semiconductor shares were also among the weakest performers Friday as chip makers reversed Thursday’s sharp gains. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) dropped more than 3% and ended with its third straight weekly decline. Energy companies were also under pressure after crude oil prices retreated from the morning rally. Oil futures are still up 20% this year. The small-cap Russell 2000^® Index (RUT) lost 1.9% and posted a 2.9% drop for the week.

In other markets, the U.S. dollar index (DXY) strengthened to a five-month high and gained 1.7% this week, reflecting beliefs the hotter-than-expected inflation readings earlier this week will keep interest rates elevated. Volatility based on the VIX jumped to its highest level since late October.

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DAILY UPDATE: Costco Gold, CPI, US Stamps and the Mexican Peso as Technology Stocks Rise and Private Equity Takes on Medicine

Posted on April 12, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Costco started selling gold bars to its members last August, and Wells Fargo analysts believe that the product is now bringing in between $100 million and $200 million a month. The retailer doesn’t reveal the price of the 1-ounce bullion to nonmembers online, but it’s estimated to be ~2% above the spot price gold trades at, per CNBC—and that price has soared since Costco got into the gold game. The price of gold has gone up 13% this year and reached record highs as investors pile in amid inflation worries.

The big numbers from the Consumer Price Index data released on Thursday

In March, inflation rose 3.5% from the year before, up from 3.2% in February.
The “core” CPI reading, which excludes volatile food and fuel prices, came in even higher, rising 3.8% on an annual basis. That’s the same as in February, but this time it’s serious.
Half of the increases came from rising gas prices and housing.

After seeing inflation fall by 3% over the course of 2023, Fed officials believed that higher inflation readings in January and February 2024 represented a hiccup in an otherwise downward trajectory. However, with the March reading also coming in hotter than anticipated, analysts say this is more than a fluke. That means hopes for a June interest rate cut are dashed. Even the US Postal Service plans to raise the price of “forever” stamps to $0.73 in July. Get yours now. And the Mexican peso is on an absolute tear, leaving the US dollar behind.

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Here’s where the major stock benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500^® index (SPX) advanced 38.42 points (0.7%) to 5,199.06; the Dow Jones Industrial Average^® ($DJI) lost 2.43 points to 38,459.08; the NASDAQ Composite gained 271.84 points (1.7%) to 16,442.20.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) rose nearly 2 basis points to 4.578%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) fell 0.89 to 14.91.

Chip maker strength lifted the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) more than 2% and extended the benchmark’s year-to-date gain to more than 17%. Communications services and transportation shares were also among the strongest sectors. Financial shares were mixed ahead of expected quarterly results Friday from some major banks including JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Citigroup (C), and Wells Fargo (WFC).

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Big businesses such as hospital systems, insurers, and PE firms are gobbling up medical clinics.
Some doctors and industry experts fear corporate owners could prioritize profits ahead of patients.
The federal government is dialing up scrutiny of PE firms and other corporate owners in healthcare.

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QUESTION: Are Independent doctors almost a thing of the past?

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DAILY UPDATE: KPMG Fined, Aging Doctors, Water Fluoridation Outcries, Medicare Part C Down, CBO Deficit with Inflation Up as Stock Markets Crash!

Posted on April 11, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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NEW YORK (Reuters) -The U.S. accounting watchdog on Wednesday said it has hit KPMG Netherlands with a $25 million civil penalty, a record for the regulator, in response to “egregious” and widespread exam cheating at the foreign affiliate of the major audit firm.

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As millions of Americans approach age 66, they face the inevitable question, is it time to retire? The physician population is aging alongside the general population—more than 40% of physicians in the U.S. will be 65 years or older within the next decade. In the case of surgeons, there is little guidance on how to best ensure their competency throughout their career and at the same time maintain patient safety while preserving mature physician dignity.

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It is a scenario playing out nationwide. From Oregon to Pennsylvania, hundreds of communities have in recent years either stopped adding fluoride to their water supplies or voted to prevent its addition. Supporters of such bans argue that people should be given the freedom of choice. The broad availability of over-the-counter dental products containing the mineral makes it no longer necessary to add to public water supplies, they say. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that while store-bought products reduce tooth decay, the greatest protection comes when they are used in combination with water fluoridation.

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More health systems are going to be opting out of Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, George Hill, a managing director at Deutsche Bank in Boston, predicted Monday at a “Wall Street Comes to Washington” webinar hosted by the Brookings Institution. “I think you’re going to see more large provider organizations threaten to opt out of networks, particularly as it relates to MA,” Hill said, adding that there are a number of reasons for this. “Prior authorizations are the problem, claims denials are a huge problem, delayed payments and rates are the problem — barriers in access to care in all varieties are the problem.”

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The latest budget update from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found that the federal government has spent more on paying interest on the national debt than on the military in fiscal year 2024. The CBO’s budget report for March showed that the U.S. has spent $412 billion on military programs at the Department of Defense through the first half of FY-2024, according to preliminary figures from CBO and the Treasury Department.

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Consumer price increases remained high last month, boosted by gas, rents, and car insurance, the government said Wednesday in a report that will likely give pause to the Federal Reserve as it weighs when and by how much to cut interest rates this year. Prices outside the volatile food and energy categories rose 0.4% from February to March, the same accelerated pace as in the previous month. Measured from a year earlier, these core prices were up 3.8%, unchanged from the year-over-year rise in February. The Fed closely tracks core prices because they tend to provide a good read of where inflation is headed.

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500^® index (SPX) dropped 49.27 points (1.0%) to 5,160.64; the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 422.16 points (1.1%) to 38,461.51; the NASDAQ Composite^® ($COMP) fell 136.28 points (0.8%) to 16,170.36.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) soared more than 18 basis points to 4.548%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) jumped 0.82 to 15.80.

Interest-rate-sensitive sectors like banks, real estate, and utilities led Wednesday’s decliners. The KBW Regional Bank Index (KRX) tumbled 5% to its lowest point since late November. The small-cap Russell 2000^® Index (RUT) lost 2.5%. Energy shares were among the few gainers as WTI Crude Oil (/CL) futures rebounded after three-straight losing sessions.

In other markets, the U.S. dollar index (DXY) jumped 1% to a five-month high amid expectations interest rates will remain elevated.

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Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Accounting, Breaking News, Ethics, Experts Invited, Financial Planning, Health Economics, Health Insurance, Health Law & Policy, Healthcare Finance, iMBA, Inc., Information Technology, Investing, Marcinko Associates, Recommended Books, Taxation, Touring with Marcinko | Tagged: Accounting, CBO, CBOE, CDC, consumer prices, CPA, DJIA, dollar, fluoridation, IRS, KPMG, KPMG Netherlands, Marcinko, mature physicians, NASDAQ, NYC, physicians aging, Reuters, S&P 500, textbooks, TNX, Treasury Department, VIX | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Stocks Slightly Up Awaiting CPI Report

Posted on April 10, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

***

Boeing had yet another rough day, at one point dropping 2.5% to its lowest mark in five months after reports that the FAA is investigating a whistleblower’s claims about safety issues with the 787 Dreamliner.

***

***

And, US stocks on Tuesday ended with small moves, weighed down by the financial sector ahead of key earnings reports later this week. Market participants also exhibited caution a day before the latest consumer inflation data. Wall Street’s three major averages opened in the green but then spent most of the day languishing in negative territory.

Finally, the tech-heavy NASDAQ Composite (COMP:IND) eventually closed 0.32% higher at 16,306.64 points, while the benchmark S&P 500 (SP500) added 0.15% to settle at 5,209.94 points. The blue-chip Dow (DJI) fell marginally by 0.02% to conclude at 38,883.67 points.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500^® index (SPX) gained 7.52 points (0.1%) to 5,209.91; the Dow Jones Industrial Average^® ($DJI) lost 9.13 points (0.02%) to 38,883.67; the NASDAQ Composite^® ($COMP) rose 52.68 points (0.3%) to 16,306.64.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) fell more than 6 basis points to 4.358%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) fell 0.21 to 14.98.

Financial and industrial shares led Tuesday’s decliners. Oil services stocks were also soft as WTI Crude Oil (/CL) futures dropped for a third consecutive trading session. The Philadelphia Oil Service Index (OSX) lost 0.7% and ended at its lowest point since April 1.

In other markets, Gold (GC) futures neared $2,400 per ounce and hit a record high for the eighth consecutive trading session. Gold’s rally has been driven by factors including reports of purchases by China’s central bank as well as expectations for lower interest rates and escalating conflict in the Middle East. Bitcoin (BTC) tumbled about 3.5% and fell to less than $70,000, giving up much of Monday’s gain.

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Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Alternative Investments, Breaking News, Experts Invited, Financial Planning, Investing | Tagged: Bitcoin, Boeing, BTC, CBOE, crude oil, DJIA, DOW, dreamliner 787, FAA, GC, gold, NASDAQ, NYC, OSX, S&P 500, VIX | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: U.S.A. Stock Markets Little Changed

Posted on April 9, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

***

***

Like use, investors were a little checked out yesterday, focusing on the eclipse or maybe the fact that earnings season starts later this week, and stocks were relatively flat. Diamondback Energy hit an all-time high following several other energy companies that did so last week as oil prices surge.

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500^® index (SPX) lost 1.95 points (0.04%) to 5,202.39; the Dow Jones Industrial Average^® ($DJI) eased 11.24 points (0.03%) to 38,892.80; the NASDAQ Composite^® ($COMP) gained 5.44 points (0.03%) to 16,253.96.
The 10-year Treasury note yield rose more than 4 basis points to 4.422%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) fell 0.84 to 15.19.

Bank shares were among Monday’s strongest performers, sending the KBW Regional Banking Index (KRX) up 1.5%. Consumer discretionary companies were also strong. WTI Crude Oil (/CL) futures fell sharply earlier in the session following reports Israel had removed some troops from Gaza but bounced back to end down 0.5% at around $86.47 per barrel.

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Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Breaking News, Experts Invited, Financial Planning, Health Insurance, Investing | Tagged: banking index, CBOE, crude oil, diamondback energy, DJIA, DOW, gold, KRX, NASDAQ, NYC, oil, oil prices, S&P 500, VIX, WTI | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Nvidia in Medicine, IRs and the Big Banks

Posted on April 8, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

SAFE SOLAR ECLIPSE DAY

***

***

NVIDIA is accelerating the pace of healthcare innovation! Last week they unveiled a suite of AI microservices for developers, launched cutting-edge healthcare AI tools, and deepened their collaborations with giants like Johnson & Johnson. Plus, they’re ramping up investment in clinical trials and drug design.

Do you ever struggle with finding the best sources of information about healthcare AI? Check out my new video, where I share my favorite newsletters, websites, sub-reddits, and a list of must-follow experts. With this toolkit, you won’t miss anything important. Also, I hope you enjoyed a restful and Happy Spring Break – should you celebrate it!

Bertalan Meskó, PhD
The Medical Futurist

***

Last week, several Fed officials said they were in no rush to slash interest rates in 2024, which investors have been banking on this year. Meanwhile, oil prices have risen to five-month highs due to concerns about supply shocks in key areas around the world.

And, Wall Street is preparing for a crammed week, with crucial inflation data dropping on Wednesday and big banks (JPMorgan, Wells Fargo, Citigroup) inaugurating earnings season on Friday. The pressure is on companies to post beefy profits to back up their strong stock performance in Q1.

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Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Breaking News, Drugs and Pharma, Ethics, Experts Invited, Financial Planning, Health Economics, Health Insurance, Healthcare Finance, Information Technology, Interviews, Investing | Tagged: AI, Artificial Intelligence Medicine, banks, Bertalan Meskó, bog banks, CBOE, Citi Group, DJIA, fed, IORS, Jensen Huang, JP Morgan, medical futurist, Nvidia, nvidia healthcare, nvidia medicine, NYC, S&P 500, VIX, Wells Fargo | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Microsoft Developer Thwarts Potential Linux Cyber Security Attack

Posted on April 7, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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***

It’s not often a guy on a computer is the hero of the story. Andres Freund, a Microsoft developer, found a malicious backdoor in popular open-source software last week. Programmers scrambled to fix the problem but warned that if they hadn’t, it could have led to hundreds of millions of compromised devices and a catastrophic cybersecurity breach.

Freund told the New York Times that he first noticed an unusual error message while doing routine maintenance on the Linux operating system—a vital software used by banks, governments, and corporations around the globe. At first, he wrote it off, but a few weeks later, he noticed an application used to log into computers remotely was using a lot more power in the system than it was supposed to.

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Filed under: Alerts Sign-Up, Breaking News, Experts Invited, Information Technology, Risk Management | Tagged: Andres Freund, CBOE, cyber hacks, Cyber Security, DJIA, linux, MSFT, New York Times, NSDAQ, NYC, NYT, S&P 500, VIX | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Stock Markets Surge

Posted on April 6, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

***

***

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

Markets: Stocks pulled it out for a Friday win after the government dropped encouraging economic data. But all three major indexes were still down for the week, with the Dow enduring its worst of 2024.
Stock spotlight: Tesla took a wild ride, plunging after Reuters reported it had scrapped plans to produce its long-awaited Model 2 affordable EV only to regain some ground after Elon Musk denied it. The company then jumped after hours because Musk said it’ll debut a robotaxi on August 8.

The S&P 500 index gained 57.13 points (1.1%) to 5,204.34, down 1.0% for the week; the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 307.06 points (0.8%) to 38,904.04, down 2.3% for the week; the NASDAQ Composite^® ($COMP) rose 199.44 points (1.2%) to 16,248.52, down 0.8% for the week.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) rose more than 8 basis points to 4.392%.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) fell 0.32 to 16.03.

Meta Platforms (META) and Netflix (NFLX), two members of the “Magnificent Seven” mega-cap group, both jumped around 3% Friday, helping lift the S&P 500 Communication Services Index ($SP500#50) 1.6% to lead top-performing sectors. Meta shares closed at a record above $527, up 49% for the year.

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Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Breaking News, Drugs and Pharma, Ethics, Experts Invited, Financial Planning, Health Economics, Health Insurance, Healthcare Finance, Investing | Tagged: CBOE, DJIA, elon musk, Facebook, FB, Meta, musk, NASDAQ, Netflix, NFLX, NYC, Reuters, S&P 500, Tesla, TNX, VIX | Leave a comment »

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