The healthcare industry is preparing for significant regulatory change in the latter half of 2025, and much of the conversation on the first quarter earnings calls was about setting the tone for those complications. Tariffs, Medicaid cuts and the likely end of the enhanced ACA subsidies all have major implications for payers and providers, and industry behemoth UnitedHealth Group is headlining those trends with an unusual miss and the departure of its CEO, Andrew Witty.

This week on "Podnosis," Associate Editor Dave Muoio and Senior Writer Paige Minemyer sit down to take a look back at the first quarter earnings season and forecast what’s ahead for these industries. 

To learn more about the topics in this episode: 
Elevated medical costs continued to drag insurers in Q1 2025. Here's a look at how the major payers fared
UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty steps down, company suspends 2025 outlook
Flu volumes, payer battles, policy uncertainty take center stage during CHS' Q1 earnings
UnitedHealth Group shares plunge, CEO calls out 'unusual and unacceptable' Q1 results
HCA Healthcare reaffirms 2025 guidance, beats on Q1 earnings
Elevance Health execs seek to ease Wall Street's concerns about elevated MA costs
Molina Healthcare sees opportunities for more acquisitions
Cigna's Evernorth unveils 2 new programs aimed at GLP-1s
Backstopped by Q1 overperformance, Tenet Healthcare will stay aggressive amid policy uncertainties
Centene CEO London weighs in on state of Medicaid cuts, enhanced ACA subsidies on the Hill
Universal Health Services waves off Q1 behavioral volume stumble, Medicaid supplemental payment uncertainty
Why Humana is focusing on 'diversification' as it shores up MA business
Aetna to exit the ACA exchanges in 2026
Alignment Healthcare grows Q1 revenue to $927M, hires former MultiPlan CFO
Clover Heath raises guidance, revenue jumps 33% with net loss trimmed to $1M
Ardent Health on the lookout for M&A, JV deals following strong Q1 performance
Oscar Health hits $275M profit, decries proposed shortened enrollment window

The healthcare industry is preparing for significant regulatory change in the latter half of 2025, and much of the conversation on the first quarter earnings calls was about setting the tone for those complications. Tariffs, Medicaid cuts and the likely end of the enhanced ACA subsidies all have major implications for payers and providers, and industry behemoth UnitedHealth Group is headlining those trends with an unusual miss and the departure of its CEO, Andrew Witty.
This week on "Podnosis," Associate Editor Dave Muoio and Senior Writer Paige Minemyer sit down to take a look back at the first quarter earnings season and forecast what&rsquo;s ahead for these industries.&nbsp;
To learn more about the topics in this episode:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/elevated-medical-costs-continued-drag-insurers-q1-2025-heres-look-how-major-payers-fared">Elevated medical costs continued to drag insurers in Q1 2025. Here's a look at how the major payers fared</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/unitedhealth-group-suspends-2025-outlook-ceo-andrew-witty-steps-down">UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty steps down, company suspends 2025 outlook</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/providers/community-health-systems-posts-13m-net-loss-revenue-gains-q1-2025">Flu volumes, payer battles, policy uncertainty take center stage during CHS' Q1 earnings</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/unitedhealth-group-cuts-profit-outlook-citing-higher-expected-medicare-advantage-care-costs">UnitedHealth Group shares plunge, CEO calls out 'unusual and unacceptable' Q1 results</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/providers/hca-healthcare-reaffirms-2025-guidance-beats-q1-earnings">HCA Healthcare reaffirms 2025 guidance, beats on Q1 earnings</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/elevance-health-beats-street-22b-q1-profit-elevated-cost-trends-pressure-industry">Elevance Health execs seek to ease Wall Street's concerns about elevated MA costs</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/molina-healthcare-sees-opportunities-more-acquisitions">Molina Healthcare sees opportunities for more acquisitions</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/cigna-bucks-medical-cost-trend-posts-13b-q1-profit">Cigna's Evernorth unveils 2 new programs aimed at GLP-1s</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/providers/backstopped-q1-overperformance-tenet-healthcare-will-stay-aggressive-amid-policy">Backstopped by Q1 overperformance, Tenet Healthcare will stay aggressive amid policy uncertainties</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/centene-boosts-revenue-guidance-2025-it-brings-466b-q1">Centene CEO London weighs in on state of Medicaid cuts, enhanced ACA subsidies on the Hill</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/providers/universal-health-services-waves-q1-behavioral-volume-stumble-medicaid-supplemental">Universal Health Services waves off Q1 behavioral volume stumble, Medicaid supplemental payment uncertainty</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/humana-reaffirms-guidance-it-posts-12b-q1-profit-beat">Why Humana is focusing on 'diversification' as it shores up MA business</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/aetna-exit-aca-exchanges-2026">Aetna to exit the ACA exchanges in 2026</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/alignment-healthcare-revenue-grows-927m-hires-former-multiplan-cfo">Alignment Healthcare grows Q1 revenue to $927M, hires former MultiPlan CFO</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/clover-heath-raises-guidance-revenue-jumps-33-net-loss-trimmed-1m">Clover Heath raises guidance, revenue jumps 33% with net loss trimmed to $1M</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/providers/ardent-health-lookout-ma-deals-following-strong-q1-performance">Ardent Health on the lookout for M&amp;A, JV deals following strong Q1 performance</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/oscar-health-reaches-275m-profit-decries-shortened-enrollment-window">Oscar Health hits $275M profit, decries proposed shortened enrollment window</a></li>
</ul>

Podnosis: the pulse of the healthcare industry. Every week, journalists from Fierce Healthcare dive into some of the industry’s biggest trends. We talk to the experts about what’s important now so you can prep for the future. Hear about all things healthcare, from physician practices to hospital chains and insurance giants—and those that mix all three—plus the tech they use, disruptors looking to compete and people moving the sector forward. Follow Podnosis on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon or wherever you get your podcasts.

Podnosis: the pulse of the healthcare industry. Every week, journalists from Fierce Healthcare dive into some of the industry’s biggest trends. We talk to the experts about what’s important now so you can prep for the future. Hear about all things healthcare, from physician practices to hospital chains and insurance giants—and those that mix all three—plus the tech they use, disruptors looking to compete and people moving the sector forward. Follow Podnosis on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon or wherever you get your podcasts.

Podnosis

Podnosis: the pulse of the healthcare industry. Every week, journalists from Fierce Healthcare dive into some of the industry’s biggest trends. We talk to the experts about what’s important now so you can prep for the future. Hear about all things healthcare, from physician practices to hospital chains and insurance giants—and those that mix all three—plus the tech they use, disruptors looking to compete and people moving the sector forward. Follow Podnosis on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon or wherever you get your podcasts.

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