About Covid-19
Pfizer says new booster shot increases omicron-fighting antibodies “Pfizer announced Friday that its updated coronavirus booster shot targeting the omicron variant succeeded in strengthening the body’s army of disease-fighting antibodies, even as questions persist about the vaccine’s continued effectiveness against a swarm of later-generation versions of omicron.”
About health insurance/insurers
Consolidated Appropriations Act shifts more power, responsibility to employers next year “The Consolidated Appropriations Act that passed this year will next year make self-insured employers the fiduciaries for the healthcare services that they purchase, which means they’ll have more say about quality and cost but also more responsibility.
This portion of the approximately 5,600-page act hasn’t gotten as much attention as, for instance, the parts that guard against surprise billing of patients or expand patient access to telehealth, but it could mean a significant shift in power toward employers, experts say.
‘That is a role that they are prepared to take on effectively, but that means all the partners that they rely on—their PBMs, pharma, health plans, consultants—will have to become transparent and accountable,’ Elizabeth Mitchell, CEO of the Purchaser Business Group on Health…”
Private Medicare Plans Misled Customers Into Signing Up, Senate Report Says “Companies selling private Medicare plans to older adults have posed as the Internal Revenue Service and other government agencies, misled customers about the size of their networks and preyed on vulnerable people with dementia and cognitive impairment, according to a new investigation of deceptive marketing practices in the industry released Thursday by Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee.
Many individuals say they were enrolled in plans without realizing it.
The report catalogs complaints from 14 states, and a multitude of marketing materials generated by the insurers and the companies they hire to help sell the private plans.”
New study shows Medicare Advantage markets lack competition “The 2022 edition of Competition in Health Insurance: A Comprehensive Study of U.S. Markets for the first time examines Medicare Advantage markets in 380 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) and presents the two largest insurers' market shares and market concentration levels as measures of competition. Nearly 4 out of 5 (79%) MSAs had Medicare Advantage markets with low levels of competition as these local-level markets ranked “highly concentrated” according to federal guidelines.”
About hospitals and healthcare systems
631 rural hospitals at risk of closure by state “Across the U.S., a total of 631 rural hospitals — or about 30 percent of all rural hospitals — are at risk of closing in the immediate or near future due to persistent financial losses on patient services, inadequate revenues to cover expenses, and low financial reserves, according to a report from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform.
More than 200 of the rural hospitals in the report are identified as being at immediate risk of closure.”
Half of All Hospitals Have Charity Care Costs That Represent 1.4% or Less of Their Operating Expenses “Half of hospitals reported that the cost of providing charity care to patients represented 1.4% or less of their operating expenses in 2020, though the rates vary widely from hospital to hospital, a new KFF analysis finds.
Based on a review of hospital cost report data, the analysis finds some hospitals provide little or no charity care (0.1% or less of operating expenses at 8% of hospitals), while others provide far more charity care (at least 7% of operating expenses at 9% of hospitals).”
About the public’s health
CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain — United States, 2022 “This guideline provides recommendations for clinicians providing pain care, including those prescribing opioids, for outpatients aged ≥18 years.” The CDC last revised these criteria in 2016.
AstraZeneca, Sanofi bag first approval for RSV preventative Beyfortus with EU nod “AstraZeneca and Sanofi announced Friday that Beyfortus (nirsevimab) gained approval in the EU for the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) lower respiratory tract disease in newborns and infants during their first RSV season. The companies noted that clearance by the European Commission is the first regulatory authorisation for the single-dose, long-acting antibody.”
About healthcare IT
Telehealth physical therapy associated with decreased utilization, patient satisfaction “Researchers found telehealth PT utilization decreased from 1,676 visits in 2020 to 340 visits in 2021, while in-person PT utilization increased from 22,586 visits in 2020 to 37,055 visits in 2021.
After review of the 1,012 completed patient surveys, Kim and colleagues found 75% of telehealth patients and 89.1% of in-person patients were likely to recommend their encounter to others, while 71.7% of telehealth patients and 88.6% of in-person patients rated their overall visit as the top-box score. Researchers also noted telehealth users were more often female, English-speaking, in the lowest quartile for median household income, had Medicare insurance carriers, were living out-of-county or living in nonurban areas.”