• Arkansas: Walmart has expanded its same-day pharmacy delivery to 49 states, up from an initial six states first offered in October. "Same-Day Pharmacy Delivery, one of Walmart's most expansive technology undertakings, is a tech-powered store-to-door service, using a combination of highly complex in-store and cloud-based technology platforms, AI capabilities and a new geospatial platform," the company said in a statement. "Pharmacy Delivery brings together what only Walmart can do at this scale – an extensive nationwide presence coupled with profound expertise in pharmacy and store deliveries – to power an Adaptive Retail experience that brings medications to customers exactly the way they want and need." According to Forbes, Walmart's expansion of its pharmacy delivery comes as Walgreens and CVS are investing in their own same-day delivery services, as well as digital technologies. Amazon is another competitor in the prescription business, offering drone delivery, as well as same-day delivery services. (Japsen, Forbes, 1/30)
• District of Columbia: Doctors for America, a nonprofit physician group, has filed a lawsuit against OPM, CDC, FDA, and HHS over the removal of a "broad range of health-related data and other information used every day" by researchers and healthcare professionals. Last month, Trump issued executive orders ending funding for "gender ideology" and "diversity, equity, and inclusion" across the federal government. In response, several federal health agencies removed webpages related to a broad array of topics, including adolescent health, LGBTQ+ rights, and HIV. In the lawsuit, Doctors for America argued OPM did not have the legal authority to order the removal of information and that the health agencies violated the law by not ensuring access to public information. "The removal of the webpages and datasets creates a dangerous gap in the scientific data available to monitor and respond to disease outbreaks, deprives physicians of resources that guide clinical practice, and takes away key resources for communicating and engaging with patients," Doctors for America wrote in its complaint. The organization has asked the court to declare the government's actions unlawful, order that any removed information be restored, and prohibit the health agencies from taking similar action in the future. (Henderson, MedPage Today, 2/4; Tillman, Bloomberg/Modern Healthcare, 2/4)
• Texas: According to a new report from Vizient, healthcare supply chain costs are expected to increase by 2.3% between July 2025 and June 2026. The predicted increase is likely to be driven by sustained high prices of raw materials, freight and shipping costs, as well as tariffs on medical-surgical products manufactured in China. Items that are expected to rise in price include gloves, needles, syringes, and face masks. Other areas expected to see price increases include construction, water services, and medical gases. (Murphy, Becker's Hospital Review, 1/28)

Join us for a deep dive into the forces reshaping the healthcare industry in 2025 and beyond. In this session, we'll break down the key trends in healthcare data strategy, explain why healthcare data should be viewed as a strategic asset, and unpack the importance of keeping your data secure.