We have rounded up some reports and surveys from around the industry that we thought were of interest.
Featured Survey: National NSA Report on Aggressive Provider Billing
The No Surprises Act was designed to protect patients from unexpected medical bills. But what is happening behind the scenes to employer-sponsored health plans? In this national analysis, The Phia Group examined 1,256,822 federal IDR disputes across all 50 states to uncover emerging provider billing and arbitration trends. The data reveals a pattern: In certain markets, arbitration is increasingly being used not simply to resolve disputes, but to maximize reimbursement.
2026 AI Adoption in U.S. Health Systems
Artificial intelligence has dominated the healthcare conversation and health systems demand measurable returns. Our second annual survey was conducted in 2026 using Eliciting Insights’ proprietary panel of healthcare leaders to uncover exactly how health systems deploy AI, the solutions they prioritize, and the ROI they actually achieve.
Where Senior Care Costs Are Rising Fastest Across the U.S.
Long-term care cost growth slowed in 2025 following multiple years of elevated increases, according to the latest CareScout Cost of Care Survey. While most care settings saw year-over-year growth between 1% and 5%, adult day health care services proved an outlier with a 5% decline. Despite ongoing inflation, workforce pressures, and rising demand, this year’s findings suggest a period of relative stabilization across many care types.
Antibiotic use and gut microbiome composition links from individual-level prescription data of 14,979 individuals
Antibiotics may treat infections quickly, but their impact on the gut could linger for years after usage. A new study analyzing prescription data of nearly 15,000 people found that antibiotic use can significantly alter the gut microbiome long after treatment ends, with some changes lasting up to eight years after a single course.
The Human Costs of Practicing in a Profit-Driven System
A national survey of physicians shows many doctors believe corporate practices aimed at increasing profits within the U.S. health care system cause widespread psychological harm among clinicians, with serious consequences for patients and the entire health care system. The report, prepared by Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, draws on findings from research including a national survey of more than 1,200 physicians, physician focus groups, individual physician interviews, and consumer focus groups to examine how “financialized” corporate health care structures shape the daily realities of patient care.
Rising Coding Intensity and Its Impact on Health Care Affordability
New research from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) and its data analytics partner Blue Health Intelligence® (BHI®) suggests that the growing use of AI in hospital billing is driving higher health care costs by increasing the number and severity of diagnoses billed without any record of the expected treatment.
National Survey of Workers with ESI Key Findings
A survey commissioned by AHIP examining employee attitudes toward employer-sponsored health insurance (ESI).
Applying machine learning to identify unrecognized COVID-19 deaths recorded as other causes of death in the United States
A peer-reviewed study published last week, in Science Advances used machine learning to analyze U.S. death certificates from March 2020 through December 2021, estimated that approximately 155,000 COVID-19 deaths went unrecognized during that period, meaning 19% more people died of the virus than official counts reflect. The study found that unrecognized deaths were concentrated among Hispanic, American Indian, Alaska Native, Asian, and Black decedents; individuals with less than a high school education; counties with lower household incomes and worse baseline health; and communities in the South.
2026 AI in Healthcare Market Research Survey
Carta Healthcare, the award-winning leader in enterprise clinical data management, released survey findings that show artificial intelligence (AI) delivers the greatest value in healthcare when combined with clinical expertise. The “2026 AI in Healthcare” market research survey is based on responses from healthcare professionals across the United States.
Imagine Pediatrics Releases First Annual Impact Report Demonstrating Proven Outcomes in Pediatric Value-Based Care
New data from Imagine Pediatrics shows that a 24/7 integrated virtual and in-home care model can reduce preventable emergency department and urgent care visits, improve outcomes, and lower costs for children with special health care needs at a time when inpatient pediatric care units are closing at a rate that’s catching many communities off guard. In its first annual Impact Report, Imagine Pediatrics details how its pediatrician-led, multidisciplinary care teams have supported more than 70,000 children with special health care needs with 300,000+ virtual and in-home encounters helping them avoid more than 5,000 preventable hospital visits, decrease Admissions Per Thousand (APK) by 24%, and achieve more than 8,350 safe days at home.
Novel Flu Vaccine Offers Broad Protection in Mice, Study Finds
A novel vaccine platform has been developed to induce broad, protective immunity against numerous influenza virus infections, showing promise as an effective mucosal vaccine strategy, according to a study published by researchers in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University.
UnitedHealthcare outperforms market benchmarks in total cost of care
Rising costs impact consumers and employers alike, with data showing that health care spending in the U.S. has tripled from 2000 to 2024. UnitedHealthcare’s total cost of care is 11% to 17% lower than national benchmarks for large group PPO products, according to a new study commissioned by UnitedHealthcare and completed by Milliman*. The range of savings varied by geography. Read the full white paper.
Garmin Health Diabetes Insight Report
The Garmin Health Diabetes Insight Report explores how data from wearable technology can help illuminate patterns in daily habits that impact diabetes management. Drawing on metrics such as physical activity, sleep, heart rate, and stress, the report highlights how continuous monitoring can support better understanding of glucose trends and overall health. It also underscores the potential for integrating real-world data into more personalized, proactive care strategies for individuals living with diabetes.
Practice Growth Playbook
Clinical demand is up, but margins keep getting tighter. Rising operating costs, staffing challenges, payer complexity, and Medicare’s new -2.5% efficiency adjustment are pressuring practice economics from every direction. Revele published a comprehensive guide to 18 technologies and strategies that practices can use to protect existing revenue, unlock new revenue streams, and build for the future.
Administrative AI: Current Use and Potential Impact
In January 2026, the Peterson Health Technology Institute (PHTI) convened senior leaders from health systems, health plans, technology developers, investment firms, and federal agencies to discuss how technology and policy can enable AI to reduce administrative costs, accelerate payment cycles, and promote appropriate high-value care. The workshop focused on two administrative use cases where AI adoption is accelerating: prior authorization and medical billing. The workshop was held under the Chatham House Rule to encourage candid dialogue. Check out the full report to read more, including discussion highlights and detailed themes.
State of AI in Medicine
As the leading digital platform for U.S. medical professionals, with more than 3 million members, including over 85% of physicians, Doximity is uniquely positioned to elevate physician perspectives and assess AI adoption at scale. Drawing on survey responses from 3,151 U.S. physicians across 15 specialties and two study periods — March–April 2025 and November 2025–January 2026 — this report examines who is adopting AI, how it is being used, what benefits physicians are experiencing, and where barriers remain.
2025 Insider Risk Report [Cogility]
To explore how cybersecurity leaders are addressing these escalating insider threats, Cybersecurity Insiders surveyed 635 CISOs and cybersecurity professionals in early 2025. The findings reveal a stark disconnect between recognizing insider threats and having the practical tools, processes, and maturity to manage them proactively. Critically, they highlight the urgent need to move beyond reactive monitoring toward integrated, predictive, whole-person intelligence.
Behavioral Health Report 2026
The ongoing behavioral health crisis – encompassing mental illness and substance use disorders – is one of the most pervasive and unresolved healthcare issues in the U.S. Emerging trends suggest that the behavioral health crisis will likely intensify and increasingly affect younger populations.
Mental Health Parity Index
A new tool unveiled provides the first look at real-time commercial insurance data on mental health and substance use coverage metrics. The Mental Health Parity Index raises the potential of widespread issues for patient access and clinician pay, which can mean longer wait times, higher out-of-pocket costs, and increased reliance on out-of-network care for individuals seeking treatment. The Index was launched by The Kennedy Forum in collaboration with Third Horizon, the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Psychological Foundation, and Ballmer Group.
Changes in Burnout and Satisfaction With Work–Life Integration in Physicians and the General US Working Population Between 2011 and 2023
New data from the American Medical Association (AMA) show physician burnout continuing to decline nationwide, but significant differences across medical specialties underscore the need for more targeted solutions within health systems.
