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October 4, 2026

Takeaways from the most recent news in the technology and policies shaping healthcare.

Payers

CVS Caremark Names Keith Reynolds Chief Growth Officer

By Healthcare Technology News ·

CVS Caremark, the pharmacy benefit manager owned by CVS Health, is adding Keith Reynolds as chief growth officer, according to an Aug. 7 LinkedIn post cited by Becker's Hospital Review. Chief Sales Officer Jim Fowler is transitioning into retirement.

Reynolds is an internal promotion with deep roots at the company. He spent 25 years across CVS Health and Aetna and most recently served as a chief operating officer. That continuity signals CVS wants an insider to protect and expand Caremark's client base rather than shift strategy under an outsider.

The move lands as PBMs face intense pressure. Caremark, along with rivals Express Scripts and Optum Rx, is under fire from the Federal Trade Commission, Congress, and employers over drug pricing and rebate practices. A growth chief must defend market share while the business model itself is being challenged by regulators and by newer transparent-pricing competitors. How Reynolds balances expansion with mounting political risk will be worth watching.

Sources

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Payers

7 Health System Insurers to Exit Medicare Advantage in 2027

Seven health system-owned insurers are among 11 health plans exiting the individual Medicare Advantage market in 2027, with several others narrowing to special needs plans only.

Why it matters: The exits signal that even provider-owned plans are struggling with Medicare Advantage economics, forcing seniors to find new coverage.

Payers

CMS Projects Lower MA Premiums, Flat Enrollment for 2027

CMS projects lower average Medicare Advantage premiums and flat enrollment of 34 million for 2027, a figure that already trails current membership of 36.1 million.

Why it matters: Medicare Advantage now covers nearly half of all Medicare enrollees, so its premium and growth trajectory shapes revenue for insurers, providers, and the federal budget.

Payers

PBMs Become Rare Bipartisan Target in Washington and States

A bipartisan push in Congress and statehouses aims to rein in pharmacy benefit managers, including proposals to force CVS and rivals to split their PBM and pharmacy businesses.

Why it matters: PBMs sit at the center of US drug pricing, and forced divestiture would upend the business models of the largest healthcare conglomerates.