Today on HITshow:







Major payer moves are reshaping virtual care economics while the federal government doubles down on AI-powered cost controls. We're tracking UnitedHealthcare slashing remote patient monitoring coverage, a controversial AI prior authorization pilot raising alarm bells on Capitol Hill, the $50 billion rural health positioning officially underway, pharma giants striking White House deals to cut GLP-one prices, Microsoft targeting medical superintelligence, and breakthrough funding for brain-computer interfaces that could transform neurology care.







HOST: RHONDA BROOKS







📍 Virtual Care Economics — Xavier Banks







Starting January 1, 2026, UnitedHealthcare will only cover remote patient monitoring for heart failure and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy under Medicare Advantage, eliminating coverage for diabetes, hypertension, and COPD monitoring. Legal experts are calling this legally dubious and a dangerous precedent that blows a massive hole in virtual chronic care economics.







📍 AI Prior Authorization Pilot — Anika Shah







CMS selected six tech companies to run an AI-powered prior authorization pilot called the WISeR model in six states starting January 2026 through 2031. The concerning part: vendors get paid based on how much they save Medicare—deny more services, earn more money. Congressional pushback is already brewing, with ongoing lawsuits against UnitedHealth and Humana for AI-driven denials in Medicare Advantage.







📍 Rural Health Transformation — Teresa Vaughn







All 50 states submitted applications by the November 5 deadline for the federal Rural Health Transformation Program, designed to offset Medicaid funding cuts over five years. The positioning and partnerships phase begins now, with fairness concerns about whether politically strong health systems could crowd out fragile rural hospitals that need help most.







📍 GLP-One Price Agreements — Jade Romero







Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk struck new White House agreements to make GLP-one medications like Ozempic and Wegovy much more affordable through TrumpRx and future Medicare and Medicaid pricing guarantees. Hospitals must anticipate major shifts in bariatric surgery, endocrinology, and cardiometabolic service line volumes as access broadens at lower cost.







📍 Medical Superintelligence — Nate Collier







Microsoft is forming a dedicated AI team led by Mustafa Suleyman to pursue medical superintelligence for diagnostics, with a line of sight to deployment in 2-3 years. This signals AI moving from hobby pilots to core infrastructure requiring partnerships, imaging workflow integration, and robust governance frameworks.







📍 Brain-Computer Interfaces — Logan Stokes







Synchron raised $200 million in Series D funding for their brain-computer interface platform, preparing for pivotal trials and commercial launch of their Stentrode system for paralysis patients. The minimally invasive, catheter-based approach represents a longer-term signal about neuro-restorative care models and rehabilitation differentiation opportunities.







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