About pharma
Trump’s drug card plan sows confusion – even within administration:”President Donald Trump’s surprise pledge to send $200 drug discount cards to older Americans has left even his top deputies and health officials scrambling to explain how it would all work — assuming it’s even legal…
Skeptics seized on the way the administration may rely on projected savings from a new drug pricing initiative still under development to justify the more than $6 billion expense as a sign the plan is built on flimsy promises.”
Calif. To Manufacture Its Own Generic Drugs Under New Law: “California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday signed legislation allowing the Golden State to manufacture its own generic prescription drugs, which is aimed at lowering the cost of prescription drugs…”
Once-weekly insulin had similar effects to daily insulin in type 2 diabetes, industry-funded trial finds: “Once-weekly treatment with insulin icodec, an investigational treatment not yet approved by the FDA, had glucose-lowering efficacy and a safety profile similar to those of once-daily insulin glargine U100 in patients with type 2 diabetes, an industry-funded study found.”
Pfizer to Supply $22 Million in Drugs to Covid Stockpile:”Pfizer Inc. will supply almost $22.2 million in drugs to the national medical stockpile to treat patients with Covid-19 and prepare for future emergencies.
The Strategic National Stockpile is purchasing the pharmaceuticals as part of a plan to restructure and resupply, known as SNS 2.0, so that there are enough in the case of future Covid-19 flare-ups.”
About healthcare IT
Efficacy of Smartphone Applications for Smoking CessationA Randomized Clinical Trial: “In this 2-group stratified, double-blind, individually randomized clinical trial of 2415 adult smokers with a 12-month follow-up and high retention, participants assigned to the smartphone application based on ACT [acceptance and commitment therapy] 1.49 times higher odds of quitting smoking compared with the participants assigned to the smartphone application based on US clinical practice guidelines.”
Health Insurer Pays $6.85 Million to Settle Data Breach Affecting Over 10.4 Million People: “Premera Blue Cross (PBC) has agreed to pay $6.85 million to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and to implement a corrective action plan to settle potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy and Security Rules related to a breach affecting over 10.4 million people. This resolution represents the second-largest payment to resolve a HIPAA investigation in OCR history.”
Major hospital system hit with cyberattack, potentially largest in U.S. history: “Computer systems for Universal Health Services, which has more than 400 locations, primarily in the U.S., began to fail over the weekend, and some hospitals have had to resort to filing patient information with pen and paper, according to multiple people familiar with the situation.”
Drug Reimbursement Regulation in 6 Peer Countries: Drug regulation varies across countries; before we decide to import or benchmark prices, we need to understand those processes. This article is a good overview of how 6 countries handle this issue. Also, see the editorial: Sophisticated Purchasing of Pharmaceuticals- Learning From Other Countries.
About the public’s health
Feds to ship millions of tests in bid to reopen K-12 schools: “The tests will go out to states based on their population and can be used as governors see fit, but the Trump administration is encouraging states to place a priority on schools. White House officials said at a Rose Garden event that 6.5 million tests will go out this week and that a total of 100 million tests will be distributed to governors over the next several weeks.”
1 in 3 parents won't get flu shots for their child during Covid-19, study finds:”One-third of American parents have no plans to get their children vaccinated for the flu this year, according to the National Poll on Children's Health released Monday, despite the very real possibility their child could also catch the deadly Covid-19.
In addition, two-thirds of parents don't believe getting a flu shot for their child is more important this year, despite advice to the contrary from major government organizations and pediatricians.”
Pfizer urged to hold off on coronavirus vaccine until late November: “Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla and his vaccine partner BioNTech have said the companies expect phase 3 data by the end of October—and that an FDA application could soon follow. But more than 60 researchers and bioethicists urged the partners to wait for more safety data before submitting their shot for a green light…”
United Airlines teams up with Color to make COVID-19 tests available to passengers: “United Airlines is working with health technology and genomics company Color to roll out the first COVID-19 testing program for air travelers.
The airline will offer COVID-19 tests—either rapid tests at the airport or mail-in at home tests prior to travel—to passengers flying from San Francisco International Airport to Hawaiian airports beginning Oct. 15.”
Heavy consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages[SSBs] significantly declines in US: “Overall, the percentage children and adults who drank about 3.5 12-ounce cans of regular soda each day dropped in the United States during a recent 13-year period, researchers reported.”
The reason given for this decrease among all age groups is “likely due to the enforcement of beverage taxes and ordinances that require restaurants to offer only healthy beverages to children instead of SSBs with their meals.”
New U.S. COVID-19 cases rise in 27 states for two straight weeks:”The number of new COVID-19 cases in the United States has risen for two weeks in a row in 27 out of 50 states, with North Carolina and New Mexico both reporting increases above 50% last week, according to a Reuters analysis.
The United States recorded 316,000 new cases in the week ended Sept. 27, up 10% from the previous seven days and the highest in six weeks, according to the analysis of state and county data.”
Coronavirus: New global test will give results 'in minutes': “A test that can diagnose Covid-19 in minutes will dramatically expand the capacity to detect cases in low- and middle-income countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.
The $5 (£3.80) test could transform tracking of Covid-19 in less wealthy countries, which have shortages of healthcare workers and laboratories.
A deal with manufacturers will provide 120 million tests over six months.”
About health insurance
12 Leading Medicare Advantage Payers by 2020 CMS Star Ratings: “Leading into 2020, twelve payers rose above the rest with their Medicare Advantage-prescription drug plans.
These plans earned five stars from CMS for delivering high quality service to their members according to 45 quality measures…
The data showed that Medicare Advantage plans continued to grow more competitive going into 2020, with the average star rating hovering around 4.16. This rise in competition may have been aided by the October 2019 executive order giving plans more flexibility with benefits and changes to payment models.
The year boasted 20 five-star Medicare Advantage-prescription drug plans, a slight decrease from 2018.”
Molina Healthcare to Acquire Affinity Health Plan:”Molina Healthcare, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets of Affinity Health Plan. The purchase price for the transaction is approximately $380 million, net of expected tax benefits and inclusive of an amount representing Molina’s target allocation of required regulatory capital. Molina intends to fund the purchase with cash on hand.”
Short-term plans spent little on medical claims in 2019: “Health insurers selling the plans reported an average medical loss ratio of 61.6%, meaning they spent roughly 62 cents of every dollar they collected in premiums on members' medical claims.”
About healthcare quality
AMA and others ask CMS not to finalize proposed ACO quality changes: “Citing the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency, 10 leading healthcare organizations are urging CMS not to move forward with changes to how accountable care organizations and other alternative payment models are assessed on quality in the Medicare Shared Savings Program and the merit-based incentive payment system.
The proposed changes are in the 2021 proposed physician fee schedule.
CMS proposes to abruptly end the use of the Web Interface reporting mechanism, a tool that has been used since the MSSP's inception, the group said.
The proposed rule would also remove the pay-for-reporting year currently provided to ACOs beginning an initial MSSP contract, as well as individual measures that are newly introduced to the measure set.”
About diagnostics
FDA Allows Use of CapsoVision’s Capsule Endoscope at Home: “The FDA has said it will allow CapsoVision’s CapsoCam Plus, a small bowel capsule endoscope, to be used at home during the pandemic.
The agency said it will exercise “enforcement discretion,” meaning that it won’t enforce its normal requirements for the devices because it has determined that the risk to patients is low.”
About hospitals and health systems
Common Spirit plans $2 billion bond issue amid rush to borrow: The headline speaks for itself.