Amy Towner

Rock Health Summit has become one of the defining spaces for conversations on the future of digital health. What makes it powerful isn’t just the technology, but the collective commitment from institutions, investors, and innovators to build ecosystems that are more inclusive and impactful. Healthcare innovation doesn’t happen in silos. It happens when diverse players — from providers and policymakers to entrepreneurs and capital partners — come together to push boundaries and reimagine what care can look like. For those of us building in emerging markets, the takeaway is clear: the same collaborative energy that drives progress in places like Silicon Valley can (and must) be translated globally. The future of health depends on ecosystems that are not only digital, but also accessible, sustainable, and human-centered. #HealthcareInnovation #DigitalHealth #EcosystemBuilding

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$556 MILLION. That’s what Kaiser Permanente is paying to settle Medicare claims — and this isn’t noise, it’s a warning shot. Federal prosecutors say Kaiser affiliates inflated Medicare Advantage diagnoses to make patients look sicker, triggering higher payouts from taxpayers. More risk codes = more money. Kaiser denies wrongdoing, but the settlement is one of the largest Medicare Advantage recoveries ever. Why it matters: over HALF of all seniors are now in Medicare Advantage. If aggressive coding boosts profits without real medical need, the system bleeds billions — and trust collapses. This isn’t paperwork. It’s how Medicare money gets quietly rerouted. And Washington is done looking away. #Medicare #MedicareAdvantage #HealthcareFraud #KaiserPermanente #BreakingNews #HealthCare #TaxpayerMoney #SeniorCare #MedicalBilling #FraudInvestigation #DOJ #CMS #HealthPolicy #CorporateAccountability #BigHealthcare #PublicFunds #HealthNews #Regulation #Oversight #Insurance #WallStreet #Hospitals #MedicalIndustry #USNews #FYP #ForYou #ViralNews

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Approximately one-third of Californians report carrying medical debt, a figure that rises to half for low-income families. An annual growth target for health care spending is set by the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI). This target is phased in, starting at 3.5% for 2025 & 2026, then gradually decreasing to 3.2% for 2027 & 2028 and 3% for 2029. The goal is to align the growth of health care costs with the growth of California families' median household income. There is a framework of state and federal laws requiring hospitals and health plans to disclose pricing information. These requirements include publishing standard charges, providing an online tool for estimated costs for common procedures, and disclosing negotiated rates to the public and health plans. The aim is to empower consumers with information to make informed decisions about their healthcare costs. California allocates as little as 7 cents per health care dollar to primary care. It will be increased to 15 cents per health care dollar over the next decade per the Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA). For more insights, visit the link provided.

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Yesterday at the Sacramento Business Journal Healthcare Leadership Forum, I was asked what long-term commitment to a region really looks like in healthcare. In Sacramento, it looks like action and intentional investment.   At Sutter Health, we’re investing in flagship projects like Advanced Orthopedics & Sports Medicine—a downtown destination that brings imaging, procedures and rehab together in one coordinated setting. We’re also reconfiguring our Midtown and Roseville campuses and expanding across Elk Grove, Folsom, Roseville and Natomas to make care more connected and more convenient.   It also means investing in people. We’re hiring hundreds of physicians in the Sacramento region and strengthening our clinical teams at every level. Today, 90% of our Sacramento employees say they would recommend Sutter as a great place to work, and turnover continues to trend down—proof that culture and stability matter.   Appreciate the thoughtful conversation with David Lichtman and sharing the stage with great Sutter leaders Grace I Davis and Rachael McKinney, MHA, FACHE.

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UCI Health is showing the industry what it looks like to combine bold vision with meaningful action. Their new Irvine hospital is more than an impressive facility. It represents a commitment to creating a patient experience that is intelligent, connected, and designed for measurable clinical and financial impact.     By integrating the Get Well (part of GW RhythmX, Get Well + RhythmX AI) platform across their new campus, they are enabling smarter bedside technology, personalized procedural pathways, and post discharge navigation that strengthens both care delivery and operational reliability.     What stands out most is UCI Health’s ability to think beyond individual tools and focus on the full patient journey. They understand that modern engagement must influence outcomes, reduce care team burden, and create a consistent experience across inpatient and post-acute settings.     At GW RhythmX, we're advancing the vision of precision care AI and super medical intelligence, setting a new standard for reliable, personalized healthcare at scale. This is how health systems future‑proof themselves while delivering better care today.     #NextGenSmartRoom #HealthAI #FutureOfCare #PrecisionCareAI Full press release here - https://lnkd.in/eJb-8hKa

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Yesterday, Health Care Foundation for Ventura County (HCFVC) was named an awardee of Action for Women’s Health, a $250 million global open call funded by Pivotal, launched in 2024 to support organizations working to improve women’s mental and physical health around the world. Founded by Melinda French Gates in 2015, Pivotal Ventures works to advance social progress and expand women's power and influence in the U.S. and around the world. HCFVC received between $1 million and $5 million in funding in support of Ventura County Medical Center and Ventura County Health Care Agency. HCFVC is honored to be selected to help steward this impactful funding to Ventura County’s safety-net health and hospital system.

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Carexa Health Consultant Highlight: From Unit Secretary to California Association of Health Facilities (Official) Chapter President Some careers are planned. Others are answered. Maricris R. journey in healthcare leadership is the latter. She didn’t set out to become a Director of Nursing. She didn’t chase titles. And yet, through service, grit, faith, and relentless commitment to doing things the right way, she rose from unit secretary and medical records to DON, to President of the CAHF San Bernardino–Riverside. Along the way, she helped turn the facility from 0 stars to 5 stars—not through shortcuts, but through systems, and people-first leadership. As a testament to her service, she won the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF DIRECTORS OF NURSING ADMINISTRATION 2025 Nurse Leader of the Year Award and Circle of Excellence Awards! 3 Leadership Takeaways: 1️⃣ Fill Your Cup First-Because Burnout Helps No One Maricris is clear about this: you cannot pour from an empty cup. In a role that operates 365 days a year, where emergencies don’t respect weekends or holidays, prioritizing health isn’t optional—it’s survival. She runs. A lot. Not for medals—but for mental clarity, discipline, and resilience. Her message: Prioritize your health. Protect what matters most—so you can show up fully for others. 2️⃣ Leadership Is a Calling: Not for the Faint of Heart Maricris never planned to be a DON. But healthcare leadership kept calling. Being a DON isn’t normal. It’s 365 days a year. 3️⃣ Early Detection Is a 10/10 When Maricris was asked how important early detection is, her answer was immediate and unwavering: “10 out of 10.” Because early detection isn’t optional. It’s foundational. How do you prevent falls if you don’t have the clinical expertise to assess risk? How do you protect residents if you can’t recognize subtle changes in condition before they escalate? Vital signs are called vital for a reason. They are the earliest warning system we have—often speaking long before a crisis does. This conviction is exactly why Maricris serves as a Clinical AI Consultant for Carexa Health. She believes in the mission—deeply. Using technology not to replace clinical judgment, but to amplify it. To detect risk sooner. To support nurses and leaders with timely, actionable insight. To help teams intervene before harm occurs. Maricris sets the standard: Because safety isn’t reactive—it’s intentional. Leadership isn’t comfortable—it’s accountable. And when innovation is guided by mission-driven clinical leadership, it protects lives. Call to Action If you are a healthcare leader who believes in early detection, clinical excellence, and shaping the future of care—and you’re interested in becoming an AI Consultant? 👉 DM me and let’s change healthcare together. 👇 Or comment “Carexa Health” below to start the conversation. This is the calling. This is the responsibility. And this is how lives are protected—every single day. BK Nayak, PhD PNAA

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𝗞𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲, 𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗡𝗩 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 Kaiser Permanente and Renown Health plan to launch Kaiser Permanente Nevada, combining Renown’s Hometown Health insurance plan and a Reno clinic with new outpatient centers. Kaiser will take a majority stake and begin enrolling members in 2026, while Renown remains independent. The 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗞𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹 into northern Nevada and gives Renown access to national scale and expertise. Kaiser is the largest US nonprofit health system, with 12.6M members and $116B in revenue across eight states and D.C.

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I’m so proud to see this level of trust and endorsement for Soluna - huge thanks to our team that have been so crucial to ensuring that Soluna is delivering effective and safe care to the youth of California that need our support. It's this kind of alignment - where our services are rooted in the real-world networks of trusted professionals that know their communities best - that has always been so crucial to our model at Kooth. 25 years of delivering digital mental health services have shown us that building a great service is not enough. Digital services need to be trusted and rooted in the communities they serve. Building and commissioning an amazing product or service is useless if nobody uses it. As with the UK, it's clear that when support is available at no cost, requires no referral (or insurance), and is designed to complement the work already taking place in schools, it can become part of the fabric of how we care for young people. I’m grateful to our partners across California for their leadership and for continuing to move this work forward. This is the kind of progress that expands access, strengthens systems, and ultimately improves outcomes for young people.

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Rising healthcare premiums hit low-income and working Californians the hardest—putting affordable care further out of reach. But the impact goes far beyond coverage. As premiums climb, families are forced to make impossible tradeoffs between healthcare, rent, groceries, and peace of mind. Many are already making these difficult decisions. Our own Njeri McGee-Tyner, Senior Director of Healthcare Access, highlights this growing confusion and anxiety in a recent The New York Times article, drawing directly from what patients across our member community health centers are experiencing. Njeri and her Healthcare Access team work alongside our #CHCs every day to help people navigate the increasingly complex process of enrolling in healthcare and safety-net programs—challenges that are only intensifying amid federal cuts and shifting access to care. Read more below to see what Njeri and other experts in the field are saying. ➡️ https://bit.ly/3ZappLl Covered California #ObamaCare #HealthEquity #ValueCHCs

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Average Family Premiums Exceed $28,000 in California Over 17 million nonelderly Californians (55%) received health benefits through an employer in 2023. The California Health Benefits Survey (CHBS) tracks trends in these workers’ coverage, including premiums, employee premium contributions, cost sharing, offer rates, and employer benefit strategies. In 2025, the survey also included questions about provider networks, coverage for GLP-1 agonists, premium cost drivers, and employee concerns about utilization management....

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Integrated nonprofit health systems Kaiser Permanente and Renown Health have announced a joint venture giving the former an entry into northern Nevada. The deal, announced Wednesday, is still pending regulatory approval but is expected to close in early 2026. With it, the partners would own and operate a health plan and new outpatient care network under the banner of Kaiser Permanente Nevada.

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This one’s worth paying attention to. Health Net’s $4.4M investment in @NewGen Administrative Services is not just about expanding programs in LA County. It highlights something we do not talk about enough in Medi-Cal transformation: the role of place. We have spent years building benefits, defining services, and launching pilots. But on the ground, what I keep seeing is simpler. If there is not a real place for people to go, where services connect, where staff are supported, where trust can build, the model struggles. Not because the idea is wrong. Because the conditions are not there yet. That is why this investment stands out. A facility like this becomes more than a building. It is where: job training, housing support, and behavioral health intersect community-based providers have a stable base to operate from people show up more than once, which is where change actually starts In other words, it gives the system somewhere to work. We do not scale transformation through programs alone. We scale it by strengthening the environments those programs depend on. Appreciate Dorothy Seleski and the Health Net team leaning into that reality, and partnering with organizations like NewGen that already hold trust in the community. This is what progress looks like when it is grounded.

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San Diego County and Scripps Health are blessed to have a District Attorney (and staff) dedicated to help healthcare workers who are, sadly, assaulted by patients and others in the course of their duties. It’s important to remember that those found guilty are not always sent to jail. On the contrary, they can be mandated to mental health care, chemical dependency programs and other programs. But healthcare workers should not be victims of crime while just doing their jobs and using their skills to help others. Thank you DA Stephan and your staff for helping to protect hospital staff. Scripps Health San Diego County District Attorney's Office #hospitals #sandiego

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Are you an impactful board member? In my roles as Board Chair, Vice Chair, and Governance Committee Chair I’ve had the opportunity to engage the Boards in shaping our agendas. We’ve been focusing on 5 key areas in 2025 (see slide below). I’ll share posts highlighting 1 key area each week for the next 5 weeks. Here’s the first: Agenda Topic: AI Oversight & Cyber Resilience Boards & Algorithms: Are We Ready? AI is no longer just an operational tool—it’s a governance issue. As directors, we must understand how algorithms impact decision-making, bias, and risk. Cyber threats are evolving too, with AI-powered attacks on the rise. Discussion questions for the board: • Is our AI use ethical and transparent? • Are we prepared for AI-driven cyber risks? Action Items: What do we need to do to move from awareness to accountability. #AIgovernance #CyberResilience #BoardLeadership #boardofdirectors #impactfulboards

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Expanding access to care starts with the right partnerships. At Alignment Health, we believe health equity isn’t a goal – it’s a responsibility. That’s why we’re proud to join forces with Suvida Healthcare to bring culturally attuned care to the growing Hispanic senior community in Arizona. Through this new agreement, Alignment members in Pima and Maricopa counties can access Suvida’s bilingual care teams at their Tucson and Phoenix neighborhood centers – connecting them with providers who understand their culture, language and community. This collaboration aims to reduce obstacles to senior health as 1 in 5 older Americans report skipping care due to cultural and language barriers, according to our 2025 Social Threats to Aging Well" survey. #MedicareAdvantageDoneRight #MedicareAdvantage #AEP #MedicareEnrollment #Arizona https://lnkd.in/gpJT4wB6

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HEALTH CARE LA, IPA’s partnership with @Samaritan continues to deliver excellent results for 148 patients in Los Angeles County who previously relied on emergency departments for all of their health care needs. Samaritan has helped these patientsestablish a medical home and a dedicated primary care physician within HCLA IPA’s primary care network of health centers. The program has also addressed some of these individuals’ primary health and social needs such as funds to access food, housing, transportation and more. Patients are also showing significant engagement with the program, connecting with case managers on a regular basis and completing nearly 98% of their program action steps. It’s exciting to see patients improve their health and quality of life through this impactful program. #HealthcareLAIPA #Samaritan #HealthCareforAll #LosAngelesHealthcare #CommunityHealth #PrimaryCare

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Don’t miss this week’s OCBJ OC Leader Board authored by Michael Hunn and Amalia Kaufman. Access to quality healthcare is vital in any community, and a strong healthcare ecosystem in Orange County is also good for business. Healthcare is one of the largest and fastest-growing sectors in Orange County. Yet the system is under strain, especially with an aging population and ongoing retirements of key healthcare professionals. Despite training programs, the pipeline of qualified healthcare workers is not keeping pace. CLAOC Healthcare Coalition members CalOptima Health, CHOC Children's, City of Hope Orange County, Coalition for Orange County Community Health Centers, Kaiser Permanente OC, Kaiser Permanente South Bay, and UCI Health are aligning efforts to expand the healthcare talent pipeline and ensure Orange County has the qualified workforce needed to deliver exceptional care now and into the future. To learn more, read the full Leader Board in Orange County Business Journal. Peter J. Brennan Nancy Luna CalOptima https://lnkd.in/gs8wp32G

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For over 60 years, community health centers like LifeLong Medical Care have expanded access to care for millions across California. Nearly 1 in 5 Californians rely on more community clinics for their health care. Many don’t realize just how vital community health centers are, or what Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) really do. Last week's National Health Center Week was all about celebrating the people, patients, and partners who bring our mission to life every day at LifeLong. FQHCs serve those too often left out: people who are uninsured, people experiencing homelessness, seniors, and families facing poverty, reentry from incarceration, or chronic illness. We provide care through approaches rooted in respect, dignity, integration, and prevention. When we invest in primary care and community-based care models, we don’t just treat illness. We transform lives, families, and communities.  Looking ahead, the need is undeniable. And, so is the opportunity. With investment and support, community health centers can reach more people, break down barriers, and help build a healthier, more just future for all.  #FQHCs #CommunityHealth #NHCW25 #ValueCHC

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