About the public’s health
‘Warp Speed’ Officials Debut Plan for Distributing Free Vaccines: “Federal officials outlined details Wednesday of their preparations to administer a future coronavirus vaccine to Americans, saying they would begin distribution within 24 hours of any approval or emergency authorization, and that their goal was that no American ‘has to pay a single dime’ out of their own pocket.” Manufacturers say they are gearing up production in anticipation of successful Phase III studies. CDC says it will cost $6B to distribute the vaccine to local authorities, who need to develop delivery plans of their own. Two questions remain: who will keep track of dosing if two shots are needed and will the distribution channels have sufficient capacity if special delivery conditions (like freezing) are needed.
World Health Organization announces distribution plan for COVID-19 vaccine: “The World Health Organization and its appointed Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization, or SAGE, have released a worldwide vaccine distribution plan -- it pushes back on so-called vaccine nationalism, the idea that each country should prioritize its own citizens.
Instead, the WHO touts a global approach, prioritizing vaccination among the most vulnerable people everywhere.”
CDC director says face masks may provide more protection than coronavirus vaccine:
“A potential coronavirus vaccine will likely be available in limited quantities by the end of this year, but it may only be about 70% effective, CDC Director Robert Redfield said.
A 50% effective vaccine would be roughly on par with those for influenza but below the effectiveness of one dose of a measles vaccination, which is about 93% effective, according to the CDC…
Face coverings are “the most powerful public health tool” the nation has against the coronavirus and might even provide better protection against it than a vaccine, the head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told lawmakers Wednesday.”
In a related story: Trump contradicts CDC director on vaccine, masks: 'He was confused': “‘I think he made a mistake when he said that,’ Trump said of Redfield’s testimony. ‘I don’t think he means that. When he said it, I believe he was confused.’
Trump said a vaccine may be available in a matter of weeks and that there was a plan to begin distributing it widely soon after the Food and Drug Administration approves it…
Trump also criticized Redfield for saying wearing a mask can be just as effective as a vaccine.”
Lack of antigen test reporting leaves country 'blind to the pandemic': “More than 20 states either don’t release or have incomplete data on the rapid antigen tests now considered key to containing the coronavirus, which has sickened more than 6 million Americans.”
AACR Cancer Disparities Progress Report 2020: From the American Association for Cancer Research, this monograph is a comprehensive look quantifying disparities and offering suggestions to eliminate them.
About pharma
Here's how much faster drug prices are rising compared to other healthcare services: “Drug prices are rising at a rate that outpaces other healthcare services, a new analysis from GoodRx shows.
Provided exclusively to Fierce Healthcare, the analysis finds that drug prices have increased by 33% since 2014. The next biggest cost increase was for inpatient care, at 30%.
Across the board, prices for medical services have risen 17% since 2014, according to the report.”
Eli Lilly’s Investigational Antibody Shows Promise as Outpatient COVID-19 Treatment: “Eli Lilly has announced positive results from a phase 2 trial of its investigational antibody treatment LY-CoV555 as an outpatient treatment for mild-to-moderate COVID-19.
Most patients who received a 2,800-mg dose of the antibody demonstrated near-complete viral clearance after 11 days, the company said. The trial enrolled just over 450 patients who either received a 700-mg, 2,800-mg, or 7,000-mg dose of LY-CoV555 or a placebo.”
About healthcare IT
When telehealth cost-sharing waivers expire for 5 payers: Many insurers have had out-of-pocket expense waivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article is a list of which plans will modify those waivers and when.
Cerner senior exec: Amazon cloud partnership is driving Cerner's shift to become digital platform company: “As part of a new deal with Amazon, Cerner is letting users of Amazon's new Halo fitness tracker share wearable data directly with their providers. It's just one example of how the health IT company is expanding beyond its traditional medical records business as part of a broader strategic partnership with Amazon.”
About health insurance
GAO report finds brokers offered false info on coverage for pre-existing conditions: “Some health insurance brokers provided misleading or false information to potential customers about whether their plans covered preexisting conditions, according to an undercover audit completed by the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office.
The audit, requested by Senate Democrats, sought to determine whether companies selling health plans exempt from Affordable Care Act coverage requirements were being honest about the limitations of the plans, which tend to be cheaper but aren’t comprehensive and typically don’t cover preexisting conditions like cancer or diabetes.”
Emergency Triage, Treat, and Transport (ET3) Model: “Emergency Triage, Treat, and Transport (ET3) is a voluntary, five-year payment model that will provide greater flexibility to ambulance care teams to address emergency health care needs of Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) beneficiaries following a 911 call. Under the ET3 model, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will pay participating ambulance suppliers and providers to 1) transport an individual to a hospital emergency department (ED) or other destination covered under the regulations, 2) transport to an alternative destination partner (such as a primary care doctor’s office or an urgent care clinic), or 3) provide treatment in place with a qualified health care partner, either on the scene or connected using telehealth.”
CMS innovation agency to launch risk-based model for dual eligibles: “CMS' innovation center is about to roll out a new model allowing insurance plans to take on financial risk for patients enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid, Brad Smith, director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, said Tuesday at payer lobby AHIP's virtual conference…
Roughly 12.2 million people were dually enrolled in 2018, per CMS data. The population has high rates of chronic conditions and social risk factors, with many needing extensive long-term care. As such, they make up a disproportionate amount of spending in federal programs.
Dually eligible people make up just 20% of Medicare and 15% of Medicaid, but account for 34% and 33% of program costs respectively…”
About hospitals and health systems
FTC Expert Predicts 20% Price Hike From Pa. Hospitals Merger: Nothing new except the specifics. This article is a reminder about what happens when hospitals in the same area merge:
“A merger of two Philadelphia-area health systems could bump up some acute care hospital costs by 9% and inpatient rehab costs by as much as 20%, a government-commissioned economist testified Tuesday during the second day of a Federal Trade Commission injunction hearing. Loren K. Smith, a principal with The Brattle Group's global antitrust and competition group, said the estimated $599 million tie-up of Thomas Jefferson University health system and Albert Einstein Healthcare network was likely to have anti-competitive effects both in Philadelphia County as well as adjacent Montgomery County.”