About the public’s health
'No Evidence' Yet That Recovered COVID-19 Patients Are Immune, WHO Says: “In a scientific brief dated Friday, the United Nations agency said the idea that one-time infection can lead to immunity remains unproven and is thus unreliable as a foundation for the next phase of the world's response to the pandemic.”
FDA warns 10 firms against sale of products promoting teen vaping: “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday warned 10 manufacturers and retailers against selling or producing products likely to promote e-cigarette use among teenagers.”
U.S. deaths soared in early weeks of pandemic, far exceeding number attributed to Covid-19: ”The excess deaths are not necessarily attributable directly to Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. They could include people who died because of the epidemic but not from the disease, such as those who were afraid to seek medical treatment for unrelated illnesses, as well as some number of deaths that are part of the ordinary variation in the death rate. The count is also affected by increases or decreases in other categories of deaths, such as suicides, homicides and motor vehicle accidents.”
U.S. states build stockpiles of malaria drug touted by Trump: “At least 22 states and Washington, D.C., secured shipments of the drug, hydroxychloroquine, according to information compiled from state and federal officials by The Associated Press. Sixteen of those states were won by Trump in 2016, although five of them, including North Carolina and Louisiana, are now led by Democratic governors.” Oklahoma alone spent $2 million. I suppose if there is that much money to waste on ineffective treatments that there is plenty to help people get good health care.
About health insurance
HHS files appeal to reinstate controversial MA overpayment rule: “The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has filed an appeal to reinstate a key rule that handles overpayments to Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, arguing a lower court's ruling was based on a flawed premise.
The appeal…could decide how much money MA plans, an increasingly lucrative market for insurers, will have to give back to Medicare for diagnosis errors.” Recall MA plans’ payments depend on the diagnoses.
About hospitals
Amid coronavirus distress, wealthy hospitals hoard millions: This article is a nice review of the disparities in hospital financial viability.