Elevated medical costs and policy turmoil continued to affect the financial performance of payers and providers in the second quarter. Providers are still feeling the sting of fluctuations in ACA plan enrollment, while payers pointed to the No Surprises Act’s arbitration process as a major challenge.

Fierce Healthcare editor Dave Muoio and senior writer Paige Minemyer sit down for another deep dive into the biggest trends emerging from second-quarter earnings calls.

To learn more about the topics in this episode: 
Insurers see positive results in managing health costs in Q2
Ardent Health offsets Q2 volume stumble by tightening costs, renegotiating contracts
CVS enhances supports for patients taking GLP-1s
Universal Health Services tops Q2 expectations, but dials back full-year earnings
Tenet Healthcare shrugs off ACA headwinds with sweeping Q2 outperformance, boosts 2026 guidance
HCA Healthcare's H1 ACA volume dropoffs 'almost one for one' shifted to uninsurance
UnitedHealthcare exec says 'ineffective' No Surprises Act IDR process demands reform

Elevated medical costs and policy turmoil continued to affect the financial performance of payers and providers in the second quarter. Providers are still feeling the sting of fluctuations in ACA plan enrollment, while payers pointed to the No Surprises Act&rsquo;s arbitration process as a major challenge.
Fierce Healthcare editor Dave Muoio and senior writer Paige Minemyer sit down for another deep dive into the biggest trends emerging from second-quarter earnings calls.
To learn more about the topics in this episode:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/payer-2026-q2-earnings-unitedhealth-cvs-cigna-elevance-health" data-processed-url="true">Insurers see positive results in managing health costs in Q2</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/providers/ardent-health-offsets-q2-volume-stumble-tightening-costs-renegotiating-contracts" data-processed-url="true">Ardent Health offsets Q2 volume stumble by tightening costs, renegotiating contracts</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/cvs-raises-guidance-it-posts-3b-profit-106b-revenue-q2" data-processed-url="true">CVS enhances supports for patients taking GLP-1s</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/providers/universal-health-services-tops-q2-expectations-dials-back-full-year-earnings" data-processed-url="true">Universal Health Services tops Q2 expectations, but dials back full-year earnings</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/providers/tenet-healthcare-shrugs-aca-headwinds-sweeping-q2-outperformance-boosts-2026-guidance" data-processed-url="true">Tenet Healthcare shrugs off ACA headwinds with sweeping Q2 outperformance, boosts 2026 guidance</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/finance/hca-healthcare-reports-203b-q2-revenue-amid-aca-coverage-disruptions" data-processed-url="true">HCA Healthcare's H1 ACA volume dropoffs 'almost one for one' shifted to uninsurance</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/unitedhealthcare-exec-says-ineffective-no-surprises-act-idr-process-demands-reform" data-processed-url="true">UnitedHealthcare exec says 'ineffective' No Surprises Act IDR process demands reform</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.