Henry Ford Health offers new sleep apnea implant for patients who can't tolerate CPAP. The Genio implant stimulates nerves that control the tongue and throat muscles to keep the airway open during sleep - no mask required. Millions of Americans live with sleep apnea and don't know it. If you snore, wake up tired, or fight fatigue through the day, you could be one of them. For those who can't tolerate CPAP - the first-line treatment - Henry Ford Health is now offering a newer surgical implant called Genio. Posted 1 hour and 26 minutes ago and last updated 1 hour and 26 minutes ago WEST BLOOMFIELD - Millions of Americans live with sleep apnea and don't know it. If you snore, wake up tired, or fight fatigue through the day, you could be one of them. For those who can't tolerate CPAP - the first-line treatment - Henry Ford Health is now offering a newer surgical implant called Genio. See the full story in the video below Jody DeLavern has been an avid cyclist for 29 years. But lately, fatigue has been getting in the way. "Some days I don't wanna ride my bike because I'm too tired," DeLavern said. The problem isn't her fitness. It's what happens when she sleeps. DeLavern has obstructive sleep apnea, a condition in which muscles in the tongue and throat relax enough to block the airway, interrupting breathing and compromising sleep. "I have this little app that has like how bad you snore, and mine went to epic," DeLavern said. She didn't initially realize what was happening. "And I thought I was waking myself up because I was snoring real loud, but now I realize it's because I was gasping for air," DeLavern said. Left untreated, sleep apnea can increase the risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and stroke. DeLavern tried CPAP - more than once. "I just could not do it. I really really tried," DeLavern said. The mask and hose made sleep more difficult, not less. So she went looking for another option and found one with Dr. Andrea Plawecki, an otolaryngologist and sleep medicine specialist at Henry Ford Health. Plawecki implanted the Genio device through a single 2.5-inch incision under DeLavern's chin. The FDA approved the device about a year ago. "This is what the implanted component looks like. And this part goes under the chin that sits over the parts of the nerve that control the muscles of the tongue and the airway," Plawecki said. The device works by stimulating the nerves in the neck that control the muscles of the tongue and throat. "It causes the muscles to stay open and keep the airway open during sleep," Plawecki said. Before closing the incision, Plawecki tests the implant to confirm it is responding as intended. The stimulation causes the tongue to move forward, expanding the airway. "So it's like a gentle stimulation, kind of like a pulse that's delivered to those muscles to keep them open, to basically keep them from collapsing," Plawecki said. Unlike some implanted sleep apnea devices, Genio's battery is not placed inside the body. Instead, an external battery attached to a small disposable patch worn under the chin powers the device each night - eliminating the need for a later procedure to replace a dying battery. As a patient's needs change over time, doctors can also adjust the stimulation externally. To use the device, patients apply the patch before bed. "You take one of your disposable adhesive patches, attach the two, apply it, and then you're ready to go to sleep," Plawecki said. The treatment is for patients who meet specific criteria, including having moderate to severe sleep apnea and being unable to tolerate CPAP. For DeLavern, the goal goes beyond quieter nights. "I'd like to be able to say that I'm sleeping well, that my head is clear," DeLavern said. "So I'm hoping no more epic snoring," DeLavern said. DeLavern completed two months of healing after surgery, and the implant was scheduled to be activated this week. From there, her care team can fine-tune the stimulation over time to find the settings that work best for her. Wxyz will follow up with DeLavern to see whether Genio translates into better sleep and more energy in the weeks ahead. This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Its editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Henry Ford Health sues CVS over improper diversion of 340B savings. * Hall Benefits Law, LLC * September 15, 2026 Henry Ford Health recently filed suit in federal district court against CVS Health and its affiliates, claiming an improper diversion of more than $29 million in savings derived from the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program. In its lawsuit, Henry Ford Health, which consists of four hospitals, alleges that CVS manipulated reimbursements for specialty drugs to avoid remitting the funds to it under a pharmacy services agreement. Other CVS affiliates named as defendants in the suit include CaremarkPCS Health, CVS Specialty, and WellPartner. According to Henry Ford, CVS exercised its control over different steps in the prescription-drug payment process to keep funds that Henry Ford should have received under pharmacy services agreements. These legal claims include racketeering claims under the federal RICO statute. The 340B program allows eligible hospitals and healthcare providers to buy outpatient drugs at a discount. The purpose of the 340B program is to allow covered entities to make federal resources go further, reach more patients, and offer more comprehensive healthcare services. Hospitals commonly contract with outside pharmacies to fill prescriptions for specialty drugs that their own pharmacies cannot fill. Henry Ford had an agreement with CVS that allowed CVS Specialty to keep a dispensing fee. However, the agreement also required CVS to remit any remaining third-party reimbursement to Henry Ford. Henry Ford claims that CVS used a back-end pricing process to reduce reimbursement for prescription drugs that were 340B-eligible. Using this mechanism allowed CVS affiliates to keep the difference in reimbursement rates. As a result, Henry Ford estimates that CVS and Caremark kept about 55% of the savings from drugs filled under the pharmacy services agreements, while Henry Ford received only about 44.5%. CVS then terminated its pharmacy services agreements in April, which Henry Ford claims was a retaliatory move. In its suit, Henry Ford is asking for repayment of the savings that CVS allegedly retained inappropriately, treble damages, reinstatement of the terminated agreements, and an injunction barring CVS's back-end pricing practices concerning claimed eligibility under the 340B program. This lawsuit mirrors allegations that the other hospitals have made against CVS, including the University of Michigan Health System, Mount Sinai Health System, and the University of Kansas Health System. Collectively, these health systems allege that CVS diverted about $250 million in 340B program savings over five years. According to the University of Michigan Health System, CVS initially processed claims pursuant to pharmacy services agreements at standard network reimbursement rates. However, after WellPartner identified them as claims subject to the 340B program, CVS reprocessed the claims at lower rates. For instance, a Stelara prescription initially resulted in a reimbursement of $24,878 through a University of Michigan specialty pharmacy, but $18,456 through CVS Specialty. Both Henry Ford and University of Michigan also claim that CVS has refused to provide records necessary to audit the agreements. The suits describe CVS's alleged actions as a way to increase its profits by diverting funds meant to support safety-net hospitals, a claim CVS denies. HBL has experience in all areas of benefits and employment law, offering a comprehensive solution to all your business benefits and HR/employment needs. Hall Benefits Law help ensure you are in compliance with the complex requirements of ERISA and the IRS code, as well as those laws that impact you and your employees. Together, Hall Benefits Law reduce your exposure to potential legal or financial penalties. Learn more by calling 470-571-1007. Search. Are you an attorney? Let's talk! Request your free book. Case Studies in ERISA: Why It Matters And How It Benefits You, A Plan Sponsor's Guide To Employee Benefits Legal Compliance

50 years on the front lines: Henry Ford Hospital Emergency Medicine residency program marks milestone. September 24, 2026 * Established in 1976 as just the 11th emergency medicine residency program in the U.S., Henry Ford Hospital's program has trained more than 660 emergency physicians over the past 50 years. * Research led by Henry Ford Health emergency medicine physicians helped advance cardiac arrest care, sepsis treatment and acute stroke management, influencing emergency and critical care practices worldwide. * Looking ahead, Destination: Grand - the $2.2 billion expansion of Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit - will include a new emergency department that is nearly double the size of the current facility. DETROIT - When Henry Ford Hospital launched its emergency medicine residency program in 1976, the field of emergency medicine itself was still in its infancy. In fact, it wouldn't be until three years after Henry Ford Hospital's program was established that emergency medicine was officially recognized as a medical specialty in the U.S. Over the next five decades, the hospital's program - only the 11th emergency medicine residency in the country - would grow alongside the specialty, training hundreds of emergency physicians and contributing research and medical advances that transformed patient care across the globe. "Our program was one of the nation's earliest emergency medicine residency programs and, in many ways, helped define what the field would become," said Dr. John Deledda, chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Henry Ford Health. "What makes me most proud is that the values that shaped the program then - a pioneering spirit, a commitment to academic excellence and a deep belief that every patient deserves exceptional care - still guide us today." More than 660 emergency physicians have completed residency at Henry Ford Health since 1976, taking the lessons learned in Detroit to communities around the world. About 200 of those alumni returned to their former training grounds on Sept. 16-17 to mark the residency program's 50th anniversary and reflect on its history and future. In the 1960s and 1970s, emergency departments were often staffed by a rotating mix of physicians from other specialties. With many of the technologies and treatment protocols now considered standard in emergency medicine still years away, physicians often relied on ingenuity and quick thinking to care for critically ill patients. "Emergency medicine has changed dramatically over the last half-century, but the heart of this program has stayed the same," said Dr. Jason Folt, the program's current residency director. "We've always been committed to training physicians who put patients first and serve the needs of their communities." The program's influence extends beyond physician training. Over the years, research from Henry Ford Health emergency physicians has led to advances that changed how emergency and critical care is delivered around the world. Research conducted at Henry Ford Hospital laid the foundation for modern cardiac arrest care by identifying more effective CPR techniques and medication strategies, while its pioneering sepsis research established standardized treatment protocols and demonstrated the lifesaving benefits of early, aggressive intervention. Henry Ford Hospital also played an instrumental role in a landmark national stroke trial that showed rapid treatment with a clot-busting medication could reverse stroke symptoms, an advance that fundamentally changed stroke care. "One thing that has always set this program apart is that our physicians weren't afraid to challenge conventional thinking if it meant improving patient care," said Dr. Christopher Lewandowski, executive vice chair emeritus of the Department of Emergency Medicine and a longtime former residency program director. "We trained leaders who asked difficult questions and tested new ideas that changed the way we care for patients both in the U.S. and abroad." That same commitment to innovation and patient-focused care is helping guide the next chapter of emergency medicine at Henry Ford Health. As part of a $2.2 billion Henry Ford Hospital campus expansion project known as Destination: Grand, Henry Ford Health is investing in a new emergency department designed to serve the Detroit community for generations to come. The 75,000-square-foot facility will be roughly twice the size of the current emergency department and will include 100 private treatment spaces, fast-track services and a dedicated behavioral health treatment area. "The challenges facing emergency medicine today are different than they were 50 years ago, but our mission has remained the same," Deledda said. "For more than a century, Henry Ford Hospital has served as a beacon of hope and healing for the Detroit community, and our emergency medicine physicians have been a vital part of that story, providing outstanding care, advancing the specialty and training the next generation of leaders. That's what has defined us for the last 50 years, and that's what will continue to guide us moving forward."