Trendline Health | OH Pulse | 2026 | Issue 8
Policy & Regulation
Feds & Ohio AG sue OhioHealth for allegedly blocking lower-cost insurance plans
The U.S. Department of Justice and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against OhioHealth on Feb. 20, accusing the 16-hospital Columbus powerhouse of leveraging market dominance to force insurers to include all its facilities in every commercial network and prohibit “budget-conscious” plans that steer patients to lower-cost rivals or provide price transparency. Prosecutors argue OhioHealth’s above-market rates lack corresponding quality advantages, inflating costs across central Ohio. The complaint seeks injunctions against enforcing the restrictive clauses and against retaliation toward insurers offering innovative products.
OneHealth’s 17 hospital locations in Central Ohio, Credit: OneHealth.com U.S. Department of Justice – Complaint | Becker’s Payer – 4 Things to Know | Dallas Express – National Angle
Ramaswamy and Acton trade barbs on Medicaid work requirements and health affordability fixes
Republican gubernatorial hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy endorses Medicaid work requirements (federally mandated by Jan. 2027) and pitches broader affordability through zero state income tax, property tax relief and lower utility/housing costs. Democratic candidate Dr. Amy Acton agrees work rules should exist with “easy” compliance paths (e.g., training) but stresses most Medicaid recipients already work, highlights that 40% of Ohio births and many children depend on the program, and warns recent coverage cuts threaten rural hospitals and force long travel—or even roadside births—for basic care.
Innovation & Tech
Cleveland Clinic performs first U.S. robotic prostatectomy with newly FDA-cleared Hugo RAS system
Cleveland Clinic completed the first U.S. prostatectomy using Medtronic’s Hugo robotic-assisted surgery system shortly after its December 2025 FDA clearance. The modular, open-console design improves surgeon ergonomics and flexibility while delivering classic robotic benefits: less blood loss, shorter hospitalizations, faster recovery and reduced pain. Dr. Jihad Kaouk, principal investigator of the landmark Expand URO trial, hailed the milestone as a platform for expanding minimally invasive options across specialties.
Hugo RAS ronbotic surgical system, Credit: Medtronic
University Hospitals deploys OneDose eMACC across its EMS network — first major system-wide adoption
University Hospitals (Cleveland) became the first large health system to implement OneDose’s electronic Medication Administration Cross-Check (eMACC) across its entire EMS footprint, digitizing a protocol shown to reduce medication errors by more than 40%. The mobile app enables single-provider verification, instant dose/concentration checks, real-time protocol updates and a timestamped digital trail—replacing cumbersome annual 430-page PDF distributions for >300 Ohio EMS agencies. EMS Medical Director Dr. John Hill calls OneDose the single trusted source for protocols and safety.
EIN Presswire – Partnership Announcement
Workforce & Leadership
Ohio hospital executive moves: CHRO at Hocking Valley, revenue cycle VP at Kettering Health
Angela Anderson, a 20-year healthcare HR veteran, was appointed Chief Human Resources Officer at Hocking Valley Community Hospital (Logan), where she will lead recruiting, benefits, payroll, engagement, performance management and more at the critical-access facility. Separately, Kettering Health named Murry Ford Vice President of Revenue Cycle; he arrives from Grady Health System (Atlanta), where he most recently held the same title.
Becker’s – Hocking Valley CHRO
Becker’s – Kettering Revenue Cycle VP
Access & Delivery
Mercy Health–St. Rita’s goes 24/7 OB coverage as rural maternity units close
Mercy Health–St. Rita’s Medical Center (Lima) introduced 24/7 in-house obstetric coverage so laboring patients receive immediate evaluation without waiting for their personal physician—a proactive step as roughly a dozen Ohio hospitals have closed, consolidated or paused maternity services since 2022 due to staffing shortages, rising costs and falling birth rates. President/CEO Ronda Lehman framed the investment as a direct counter to rural service erosion while modernizing facilities for families; the hospital averages ~1,300 deliveries per year.
WLIO / Hometown Stations – Local Coverage
Growth & Partnerships
Kettering Health deepens university partnership with expanded education, research and physical footprint plans
Kettering Health and Ohio University are intensifying their longstanding academic alliance, expanding collaboration in workforce development, residency training and research while actively exploring physical expansions into each other’s geographies to combat southwest Ohio’s growing clinician shortages and improve retention.
Dayton Business Journal – Partnership UpdateOhioHealth advances plan to repurpose former Big Lots headquarters for medical uses
OhioHealth secured critical Columbus city approvals to proceed with transforming the former Big Lots corporate headquarters into healthcare space; the system is still evaluating exact medical office, outpatient or clinical configurations for the prominent site.
Columbus Business First – Redevelopment Progress
Sources: Justice Department, Becker’s, Cleveland Clinic Newsroom, EIN Presswire, WLIO/Hometown Stations, Dayton Business Journal, Statehouse News Bureau, Columbus Business First.
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