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According to new CDC data, the total number of U.S. measles cases this year has reached over 4,800, over double the number of cases recorded last year, in today's bite-sized hospital and health industry news from Arkansas, Georgia, and Missouri.
- Arkansas: Walmart is partnering with General Medicine to help expand its digital healthcare platform Better Care Services. General Medicine is an online marketplace that allows customers to search, compare, and purchase care with guidance from a licensed clinician. Through the partnership, Walmart customers can now access services from General Medicine, as well as over 10 other existing third-party providers. General Medicine also now powers the underlying digital health platform and manages Better Care Services customer accounts separately from Walmart's retail business. "We're building the care catalog that makes options easier to understand, compare, and buy," said General Medicine CEO TJ Parker. "Walmart is an important partner in bringing that vision to life, showing how a more shoppable healthcare experience can meet customers where they already turn for everyday needs." (Landi, Fierce Healthcare, 10/26)
- Georgia: According to new CDC data, the United States has seen 4,852 measles cases so far this year, roughly double the number of cases recorded last year. In 2025, there were 2,289 measles cases. In 2026, there have been 42 new measles outbreaks across the country. Pennsylvania is currently seeing the largest outbreak with over 1,200 cases and six reported deaths. Other states reporting a large number of new measles cases include Kentucky, New York, and Ohio. Of the reported measles cases, 96% have occurred in people who are unvaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status. Next month, the United States and Mexico will meet at the Pan American Health Organization to determine their respective measles elimination statuses. Before last year, measles was considered to be eliminated from the United States since 2000. However, measles has been spreading across the country since January 2025, leading to a significant jump in cases compared to previous years. (Choi, The Hill, 10/16; Szabo/Dall, CIDRAP News, 10/16; CDC Measles Cases and Outbreaks, 10/30)
- Missouri: Centene has filed a lawsuit against CMS over the agency's Medicare Advantage (MA) Star Ratings for 2027. According to Centene, federal regulators used illegal measures to determine the 2027 ratings, which caused the insurer's ratings to decrease and threaten hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. In its lawsuit, Centene has called out 17 measures that may have caused its ratings to decline. In 2026, 16% of Centene's members were in MA plans rated four stars or above, which decreased to 12% in 2027. This is the third lawsuit filed against CMS over the 2027 MA Star Ratings. Alignment Healthcare is currently suing to overturn 10 measures while Healthfirst is suing to overturn five measures. (Parduhn, Healthcare Dive, 10/26)
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