About pharma
Think JPM seemed slow this year? You're not alone—and here's why: Here is a rundown of the annual JP Morgan Healthcare Conference. Slower than usual. Here are some thoughtful questions from hospitals CEOs.
FDA says ’no’ to another new opioid: “For the third time this week, a joint FDA advisory committee rejected a new opioid drug, highlighting a growing conviction among experts that abuse-deterrent formulations can do little to slow the opioid epidemic.”
About health insurance
Urban Institute: Premiums for cheapest ACA silver plan fell across 31 states in 2020: The headline is the “bottom line” for the story. This finding is significant because of the “silver loading” of plan premiums (so insurers can get maximum governmental subsidies). Keep in mind, though, rates vary greatly among states and there are some where premiums increased.
MedPAC recommends 3.3% payment boost for hospitals in 2021: The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission is recommending a 3.3 percent raise in Medicare payments for hospitals in 2021; CMS planned on a 2.8% increase. The 3.3% would be divided between a 2% overall increase and a 1.3% quality performance bonus.
”MedPAC said it is recommending the payment boost to reduce the disparity in payments at different care sites and is part of a larger effort to introduce site-neutral payments.”
Congress has the final word on the funding.
About healthcare professionals
29 physician specialties ranked by burnout rates: Physician burnout has been a big topic over the past year. Causes such as stress due to EMR use have been discussed. This article provides a ranking of which specialties are stressed the most and least.
About the public’s health
Millennials least likely to get a flu shot, and anti-vax beliefs may play a role: 55 percent of “people in their 20s and 30s said they did not get the flu vaccine this year. Their reasoning, usually, was that they didn't have time or simply forgot.
But the poll also uncovered another potential reason for forgoing the flu shot: 61 percent of millennials familiar with the anti-vaccination movement said they agreed with at least some of those beliefs.”
About diagnostics
Foxconn backs digital X-ray startup Nanox’s $26M round: The technology explained in this article is interesting but perhaps more so is the business model— pay per scan by the radiologists.
Harnessing wearable device data to improve state-level real-time surveillance of influenza-like illness in the USA: a population-based study: This article explains how Fitbit can be used as an epidemiologic tool to isolate early cases of the flu: Pulse goes up with fever as activity decreases.