• California: Three bills focused on artificial intelligence (AI), which have passed California's State Assembly and Senate but have not been signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), could have a significant impact on providers and digital health companies. The first bill, AB-3030: Healthcare Services: Artificial Intelligence, would require licensed or certified healthcare providers to disclose when they use generative AI in patient communications. The second bill, SB-942 California AI Transparency Act, would require entities operating in the state with more than 1 million monthly website visitors or users to disclose which content is AI-generated. Organizations would also have to create an AI detection tool and help users assess if content is AI-generated. The third bill, SB-1047 Safe and Secure Innovation for Frontier Artificial Intelligence Models Act, would allow the state's attorney general to bring legal action against AI model developers and protect whistleblowers who provide information to regulators. According to René Quashie, VP of digital health at industry trade group Consumer Technology Association, more state legislatures are likely to follow the lead of California and Colorado, both of which have introduced AI legislation. (Turner, Modern Healthcare, 9/12)
• California: Kaiser Permanente is exiting the nursing home business, closing its only skilled nursing facility (SNF). Kaiser plans to shut down its 176-bed nursing home in San Leandro, California, in November, which will displace around 250 workers. According to a spokesperson, staff members are currently working to transition patients to either their homes or to other SNFs. According to Kaiser, the reason for the closure is a steady decline of patients over the last 11 years. The organization also said it is looking to grow its capacity to deliver care in the home. One of Kaiser's initiatives in this is Habitat Health, a joint venture with investment firm Town Hall Partners, that aims to provide Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly. (Eastabrook, Modern Healthcare, 9/11)
• New York: Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) last week announced that she had been diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, a common type of skin cancer. According to Hochul, her physician discovered "[a] tiny, tiny speck on my nose, you can't even see it" that turned out to be skin cancer "a few weeks ago." On Friday, Hochul had surgery to remove the tumor from her nose. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer, and around 3.6 million cases are diagnosed each year. The American Cancer Society has also noted that the disease is becoming more common due to better skin cancer detection, more sun exposure overall, and people living longer. Although the cancer grows slowly and is typically not life threatening, it can "wrap around nerves and blood vessels" and spread to muscle and bone, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. "I encourage everyone to make sure that they do get regular checkups and follow through," Hochul said. (O'Connell-Domenech, The Hill, 9/12)

Oncology screening and diagnostics are quickly evolving, including innovations in genetic testing and multi-cancer early detection. Here are six essential questions for healthcare leaders to consider to prepare for the future of oncology screening and diagnostics.