Philip R. Lee, MD passed away at age 96. He was a giant in the field of healthcare public policy. Here is a fitting tribute to his career: UCSF Remembers Philip Lee, Former Chancellor and Health Care Reformer Who Served 2 US Presidents
About health insurance
2022 Medicare Advantage and Part D Advance Notice Part II: On Friday, CMS “released Part II of the Calendar Year (CY) 2022 Advance Notice of Methodological Changes for Medicare Advantage (MA) Capitation Rates and Part C and Part D Payment Policies (the Advance Notice). CMS released Part I of the CY 2022 Advance Notice on September 14, 2020. CMS will accept comments on both parts of the CY 2022 Advance Notice through Friday, November 30, 2020, before publishing the final Rate Announcement by April 5, 2021.” Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D payments are expected to increase by 2.82% in 2022.
‘Obamacare’ sign-ups begin as millions more are uninsured: Open enrollment started yesterday and lasts until December 15.
BCBS Insurers Reach $2.67B Antitrust Deal In Alabama: “The nation's Blue Cross Blue Shield insurers tentatively agreed late Friday to a $2.67 billion class settlement fund and sweeping anti-competitive practice reforms to settle a long-running multi-district suit based in Alabama federal court that was filed by dozens of subscriber groups. A memorandum in support of the deal filed by attorneys for subscribers in the Northern District of Alabama described the deal as ‘historic,’ with far-reaching competitive benefits."
HHS grants Georgia a waiver to bypass the ACA: The previously reported application has been approved for the period January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2026. A summary is on page 5 of the document. It is yet unclear, but likely, that a Biden win will overturn this type of waiver.
Medicare Fines Half of Hospitals for Readmitting Too Many Patients:”The penalties are the ninth annual round of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program created as part of the Affordable Care Act’s broader effort to improve quality and lower costs. The latest penalties are calculated using each hospital case history between July 2016 and June 2019, so the flood of coronavirus patients that have swamped hospitals this year were not included.”
About the public’s health
Study links Trump rallies to more than 700 Covid deaths: “President Donald Trump's campaign rallies between June and September may have caused some 30,000 coronavirus infections and more than 700 deaths, according to a new study by Stanford University economists.”
The Latest: Trump says he may fire disease specialist Fauci: “President Donald Trump is suggesting that he will fire the nation’s top infectious disease expert after Tuesday’s election, as he expresses frustration that the coronavirus remains in the news amid a nationwide spike of COVID-19.”
Transmission of SARS-COV-2 Infections in Households — Tennessee and Wisconsin, April–September 2020: From the CDC: “Findings from a prospective household study with intensive daily observation for ≥7 consecutive days indicates that transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among household members was frequent from either children or adults.
Household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is common and occurs early after illness onset. Persons should self-isolate immediately at the onset of COVID-like symptoms, at the time of testing as a result of a high risk exposure, or at time of a positive test result, whichever comes first. All household members, including the index case, should wear masks within shared spaces in the household.”
THE SCIENCE OF SUPERSPREADING: The article is a great explanation (with helpful graphics) of how superspreading works.
The Challenges of Contact Tracing as U.S. Battles COVID-19: This study from the Pew Research Center highlights why contact tracing is difficult— about 40% of respondents would be not at all/not too likely to speak with a public health official about the corona virus outbreak if they were contacted by phone, text or in person.
Gloves in demand for hospitals facing shortages due to COVID-19: Premier: “A survey of 905 hospitals that are members of Premier found 40% are having a shortage of nitrile exam gloves.
The survey found that 28% face a N95 mask shortage, and another 10% need more gowns.”
5th Circ. To Rehear Planned Parenthood Texas Abortion Suit: “The Fifth Circuit agreed on Friday to rehear en banc Whole Woman's Health and multiple Planned Parenthood affiliates' suit challenging a 2017 Texas statute that limits physicians performing second-trimester abortions, vacating a divided panel's opinion finding the law violates the 14th Amendment by overburdening women. A majority of the Fifth Circuit judges voted in favor — on the court's own motion — to rehear the case en banc…”
FDA Publishes List of Essential Medicines, Medical Countermeasures, Critical Inputs Required by Executive Order:”As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration continues our work to address the current pandemic, we are also looking ahead to prepare for the next potential public health emergency. A recent executive order directed the agency, in consultation with federal partners, to identify a list of essential medicines, medical countermeasures and critical inputs that are medically necessary to have available at all times in an amount adequate to serve patient needs and in the appropriate dosage forms.”
Here is a list of those items.
About pharma
FTC nod clears way for merger between Pfizer's Upjohn unit, Mylan: In order to overcome antitrust concerns, the FTC said that “it is requiring that the rights and assets related to Upjohn's amlodipine besylate/atorvastatin, phenytoin, prazosin, spironolactone, gatifloxacin and medroxyprogesterone be divested to Prasco. The parties must also divest the rights and assets related to Mylan's eplerenone. In addition, the proposed order also requires prior FTC approval before Pfizer, Mylan or Viatris [the new company’s name] may gain an interest in, or exercise control over, any third party's rights to levothyroxine, sucralfate and varenicline.
The regulator noted that the divested generic drugs will continue to be manufactured by Upjohn and Mylan's current suppliers, reducing the risk of any supply interruptions…”
Novartis changes its position of 340B drugs: The company will still provide discounted drugs to contract pharmacies, but only if those facilities are within 40 miles of the 340B hospital’s location.
About healthcare IT
Teladoc Health Completes Merger with Livongo: The merger was completed within 3 months.
Nearly 700,000 health records breached in October: “In October, 35 organizations reported to HHS a total of 692,490 individuals being affected by data breaches.” Check the article for a summary. Wonder why people do not trust healthcare systems to keep their data private? However…
More than half of Americans would use virtual care, UnitedHealth Group survey finds: “According to UnitedHealth Group's fifth annual UnitedHealthcare Consumer Sentiment Survey, which examines Americans’ opinions about multiple areas of healthcare, a survey-record 56% said it is likely they would use virtual care for medical services.”