About Covid-19
COVID DATA TRACKER WEEKLY REVIEW “As of October 26, 2022, the current 21-day average of weekly new cases (37,683) decreased 25.1% compared with the previous 21-day average (50,328). A total of 97,329,787 COVID-19 cases have been reported in the United States as of October 26, 2022.”
FDA says two studies showing omicron boosters weren’t much better than old Covid shots were too small to come to any conclusions “Dr. Peter Marks, head of the FDA’s vaccine division, said the new studies are small and subject to limitations. Data from larger well-controlled studies are coming soon, he added.”
About health insurance/insurers
CMS rule change adds Medicare special enrollment periods “A CMS rule finalized Oct. 28 will reduce gaps in Medicare enrollment for new enrollees and adds special enrollment periods for extenuating circumstances.
According to a news release from the agency, enrollees will begin receiving benefits the month after their enrollment, reducing gaps in coverage.
The new rule adds special enrollment periods to allow individuals to sign up for Medicare coverage without a late penalty if they miss the initial enrollment period.
The special enrollment periods apply to individuals if they were affected by a disaster, their employer or health plan misrepresented information about Medicare enrollment, they were incarcerated, or if they lose Medicaid coverage after the COVID-19 public health emergency ends.
The rule also includes a new immunosuppressive drug benefit for Medicare recipients who have had a kidney transplant.”
About the public’s health
Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report “Key Points
Influenza activity continues to increase. Regions 4 (southeast) and 6 (south-central) are reporting the highest levels of flu activity.
The first influenza-associated pediatric death of the 2022-2023 season was reported this week.
CDC estimates that, so far this season, there have been at least 880,000 flu illnesses, 6,900 hospitalizations, and 360 deaths from flu.
The cumulative hospitalization rate in the FluSurv-NET system is higher than the rate observed in week 42 during previous seasons going back to 2010-2011.”
About healthcare IT
Patient preference survey finds drop in telehealth use, ER visits compared to 2021 “Stericycle Communication Solutions, a patient engagement solutions vendor, released the results of its third annual survey, which reached more than 1,000 adults. It found that 45% of respondents had used telehealth in the last year, compared to 78% in 2021 and 71% in 2020. It also found 93% of respondents had their last primary care visit in person. That is likely due to consumer preference, not a lack of telehealth availability, Stericycle’s senior vice president Matt Dickson told Fierce Healthcare.”
About health technology
DA Roundup: October 28, 2022 “The FDA updated the list of Breakthrough Devices that have been authorized for marketing. The list includes 56 Breakthrough Devices that the FDA has authorized for marketing. Online metrics show the number of granted Breakthrough Device designations by fiscal year and by clinical panel, which totals 728 as of September 30, 2022.”
About healthcare finance
Baxter reports $2.8 billion impairment charge on Hillrom acquisition “Baxter International, the Deerfield-based medical device company, revealed in its third-quarter earnings that it took a nearly $3 billion impairment charge related to its $10.5 billion Hillrom acquisition as inflation and supply chain constraints presented challenges for the business this year.
In its third-quarter earnings report, Baxter disclosed impairment charges of $2.8 billion on the acquisition of Hillrom, the maker of hospital beds and other tech-forward health care equipment. The acquisition was intended to help Baxter transform from a medical-products maker into a digital health care company.”