About Covid-19
In addition to production problems, J&J’s vaccine now has other issues that will decrease its use:
2 health systems pause J&J vaccinations after adverse patient reactions: “Centura Health in Centennial, Colo., said April 7 it temporarily closed a mass vaccination site in Commerce City, Colo., that it runs with the state after 11 people had adverse reactions to Johnson & Johnson's vaccine.
Colorado's public health department said that the 11 people who had adverse reactions at Centura Health's vaccine site experienced symptoms including nausea and dizziness…
UNC Health in Chapel Hill, N.C. said April 8 it paused administering Johnson & Johnson's vaccine after a small number of patients experienced adverse reactions…
According to a statement emailed to Becker's from UNC Health, less than 1 percent of people who have received Johnson & Johnson's vaccine at the health system's clinics have reported lightheadedness or fainting.”
Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine under scrutiny at EMA after 4 'serious cases' of unusual blood clots: “So far in the J&J vaccine’s U.S. rollout, EU officials have tracked three cases of unusual blood clots with low blood platelets following vaccination, the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA's) Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee said Friday. Another case came in a clinical trial. One of the cases was fatal.”
Blood clot warning added to AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine by EMA: The lead article in this link has a really good graphic showing risks and benefits for the AZ vaccine by age groups. It is clear from this display why many countries are only using this vaccine in those > 60 yrs old.
Hologic inks its largest COVID-powered acquisition yet with $795M for test maker Mobidiag: “After reaping a windfall from COVID-19 diagnostic demand, Hologic’s spending spree continues with its largest acquisition yet: It’s claimed Mobidiag, the Finnish-French molecular test maker, with a $795 million deal.
Hologic saw its diagnostic sales jump 450% over the last quarter alone, built on the back of its high-throughput Panther and Panther Fusion laboratory hardware and coronavirus kits. Now, adding Mobidiag promises to bring in molecular tests for various infectious diseases used at the point of care.”
About health insurance
April 2021 MACPAC Public Meeting: MACPAC met yesterday and today and issued the following reviews and recommendations [click on the pdf tab when you access each site]:
High-Cost Specialty Drugs Review of Draft Chapter and Recommendations
Strategies for State Contracts with Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans
Access to Mental Health Services for Adults: Draft Chapter and Recommendations
Access to Behavioral Health Services for Children and Adolescents: Draft Chapter and Recommendations
Electronic Health Records as a Tool for Integration of Behavioral Health Services
Mandated Report: Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Benefit
Update on Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS)
Panel Discussion: What States are Learning from Expanded Use of Telehealth
CMS selects applicants for opioid use disorder treatment model: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has selected 61 applicants for the Value in Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Demonstration, a four-year Medicare payment model beginning this month for selected health care providers who agree to participate.
Participants will test whether a new care management fee and performance-based incentive payment for OUD treatment services reduces hospitalizations and improves health outcomes for Medicare fee-for-service patients with OUDs, including those dually eligible for Medicaid. The Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act of 2018 authorizes $10 million annually in fiscal years 2021-2024 to pay for the treatment services.”
Global and Professional Direct Contracting (GPDC) Model: “The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Innovation Center) is excited to announce that 53 Direct Contracting Entities (DCEs) are participating in the first Performance Year (PY2021) of the GPDC Model, which runs from April 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021. A list of all PY2021 participating DCEs (including DCEs continuing participation from the Implementation Period and DCEs beginning participation in PY2021) is available here. The Innovation Center no longer intends to solicit applications from new organizations interested in participating in the GPDC Model beginning on January 1, 2022…
The GPDC Model was previously called the Direct Contracting Model for Global and Professional Options. As part of the Direct Contracting initiative, CMS has also announced the Geographic Direct Contracting Model, which is currently under review.”
About healthcare IT
Cyberattack exposes 1.2 million California health plan members' data: The California insurer, whose parent company is Centene, is part of a nationwide attack on data transfer file service provider Accellion…
Breached information may include birthdates, insurance numbers, addresses and more.”
New information-blocking rules: What doctors should know: A good, clear source of information about this topic.
About hospitals and health systems
Healthcare Merger & Acquisition Activity Report: Q1 2021: From KaufmanHall: “One year ago, Q1 2020 was closing with an emerging awareness of the pandemic that was about to occur. The quarter ended with a relatively high number of announced transactions, but with very few large transactions, leaving average seller size by revenue at just $172 million for the quarter. This year, however, as the pandemic seems closer to being contained, the reverse is true. The number of transactions is down in Q1 2021, but the average size of those transactions is significantly larger. Average seller size by revenue is $676 million, which is the third highest quarterly figure for average seller size we have recorded in the past 10 years…”