About Covid-19
ACIP Immunization Schedule Vote “CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended updates to the 2023 childhood and adult immunization schedules, which includes incorporating additional information for approved or authorized COVID-19 vaccines. CDC only makes recommendations for use of vaccines, while school-entry vaccination requirements are determined by state or local jurisdictions.”
Pfizer expects to raise COVID vaccine price to $110-$130 per dose “Pfizer executive Angela Lukin said the company expects to roughly quadruple the price of its COVID-19 vaccine to about $110 to $130 per dose after the US government's current purchase program expires, reported Investing.com.
She indicated that the vaccine, which is currently provided for free to all by the government, will likely be made available at no cost to people who have private insurance or government paid insurance.
The US government currently pays around $30 per dose to Pfizer and partner BioNTech, although the market is expected to move to private insurance next year after the US public health emergency expires.”
About health insurance/insurers
Characteristics of Terminated Medicare Advantage Contracts, 2011 to 2020 “This study included 935 unique MA contracts that were offered for at least 1 year between 2011 and 2020. Of these contracts, 170 (18.2%) were terminated, affecting 2.4% of MA beneficiaries. Terminated contracts tended to have lower quality (mean star rating 3.1 vs 3.6, P < .001), tended to have $0 premiums (20.0% vs 13.2%, P = .001), and enrolled a greater proportion of Black (21.9% vs 14.3%, P < .001) beneficiaries. In all years but 2020, terminated contracts disproportionately enrolled Black beneficiaries compared with nonterminated contracts.
About hospitals and healthcare systems
HCA revenues, net income slip in Q3 “Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare saw revenues of $14.97 billion in the third quarter of 2022, down from $15.28 billion over the same period last year, according to its financial report released Oct. 21.
The 182-hospital, for-profit system saw a net income of $1.13 billion in the quarter ended Sept. 30, down from $2.27 billion over the same period last year
The third-quarter results include Hurricane Ian's impact, primarily at the system's Florida facilities, causing additional expenses and lost revenues estimated at $35 million, according to the report. That amount is before any potential insurance recoveries.”
About pharma
CMS to pay all eligible 340B drug claims for CY 2022 at ASP plus 6% due to AHA’s legal victory “Medicare Administrative Contractors will pay 340B hospitals Average Sales Price plus 6%, rather than ASP minus 22.5%, for all CY 2022 drug claims with modifier “JG,” the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services confirmed for AHA yesterday. Judge Rudolph Contreras of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Sept. 18 ordered CMS to immediately halt its unlawful outpatient payment reimbursement for certain 340B hospitals.
Affected 340B hospitals should reach out to their MAC if the contractor has not notified them about the adjustment to ensure eligible 2022 claims for drugs provided before Sept. 28 are adjusted.”
About healthcare personnel
AMN Healthcare Survey: 85% of Healthcare Facilities Face Shortages of Allied Healthcare Professionals “Eighty-five percent of hospitals, medical groups, home health providers and other healthcare facilities are experiencing a shortage of allied healthcare professionals, according to a new survey conducted by AMN Healthcare… Eighty-two percent hired newly graduated allied healthcare professionals over the last 12 months to help address staffing shortages.
The survey of 1,005 healthcare facilities indicates that the majority of facilities are seeking newly graduated allied healthcare professionals in order to address a widespread shortage of therapists, imaging technologists, laboratory technologists, and other allied healthcare providers. Eighty-five percent of facilities surveyed said they are experiencing shortages of allied healthcare professionals ‘great deal, ‘a lot’ or ‘a moderate amount.’ Only 15% responded ‘a little’ or ‘not at all.’”
Definitive Healthcare Analysis: Billed Claims Show Worsening of Staffing Shortages “Leaders at the Framingham, Mass.-based Definitive Healthcare on Oct. 20 released the results of a study that they’ve produced, based on medical claims data, that provides a different lens through which to look at clinician staff shortages in hospitals, medical groups, and health systems.
The report, ‘Addressing the Healthcare Staffing Shortage,’ involved an analysis of data from Definitive Healthcare’s ClaimsMx and PhysicianView products, with the analysis focusing on the numbers of providers billing each year, by primary specialty on medical claims, based on August 2022 data….
Key findings include:
> 333,942 healthcare providers dropped out of the workforce in 2021
> 33 percent of all physicians are over 59 years old. The average age of a nurse is 57, psychiatrist is 55, surgeon is 56, and family practice physician is 52
> Internal medicine was the specialty that lost the most providers in the last year, followed by family practice and emergency medicine
> The largest healthcare systems added 10,000 beds, 35 hospitals, and 163 physician groups in the past three years
Based on their analysis, the Definitive Healthcare leaders believe found that 117,000 physicians left the workforce in the fourth quarter of 2021, while 53,295 nurses did so…
he analysis also found that the average increase in contract labor expense rose dramatically as a percentage of total organizational expense by bed size, with a 4.1-percent increase for contracted labor being far more devastating to hospitals with 25 or fewer beds, than a 10.6-percent increase for hospitals with more than 250 beds.”