About Covid-19
Mask mandate extended for airline flights and on public transportation until April 18: “Travelers will have to continue to wear masks until April 18 when flying commercially and in other transportation settings, including on buses, ferries and subways, officials announced Wednesday.”
House Passes $1.5 Trillion Spending Bill as Democrats Drop Covid Aid: “The House on Wednesday passed a sprawling $1.5 trillion federal spending bill that includes a huge infusion of aid for war-torn Ukraine and money to keep the government funded through September, after jettisoning a package to fund President Biden’s new Covid-19 response effort.”
And in a related story: Pelosi says separate coronavirus relief bill will be put on the floor 'hopefully today'
Pfizer launches trial to test Covid pill in children: “Pfizer announced Wednesday that it has started a clinical trial testing its Covid-19 antiviral pill in children as young as 6.
The drugmaker said it aims to enroll approximately 140 participants in the trial, which will look at whether the drug, called Paxlovid, can safely treat Covid in children who are at risk of becoming severely ill.
Paxlovid has already been authorized for people ages 12 and older.”
Architect of Sweden’s no-lockdown Covid strategy resigns: “Anders Tegnell, one of the most high-profile and divisive figures of the Covid-19 pandemic, is stepping down from his role as Sweden’s state epidemiologist and taking a job with the World Health Organization…
The 65-year-old will leave his position at Sweden’s public health authority on Tuesday to take up a role as senior expert at WHO, looking to co-ordinate the global health body’s vaccination efforts with those of the UN’s Children’s Fund and the Gavi vaccine alliance.”
HMMMMM….
About health insurance
Anthem, Inc. Announces Intent for Corporate Rebranding: “Anthem, Inc. today announced its intent to change its name to better reflect the company’s business and its bold purpose of improving the health of humanity. Anthem intends to become Elevance Health, Inc., subject to shareholder approval. The new name underscores the company’s commitment to elevating whole health and advancing health beyond healthcare.”
16 Defendants, Including 12 Physicians, Sentenced to Prison for Distributing 6.6 Million Opioid Pills and Submitting $250 Million in False Billings: “Sixteen Michigan and Ohio-area defendants, including 12 physicians, have been sentenced to prison for a $250 million health care fraud scheme that included the exploitation of patients suffering from addiction and the illegal distribution of over 6.6 million doses of medically unnecessary opioids. Five physicians were convicted in two separate trials, while 18 other defendants pleaded guilty. Seven defendants await sentencing.”
About hospitals and healthcare systems
The Crisis in Rural Health Care: “More than 130 rural hospitals have closed over the past decade, and nearly 900 additional rural hospitals — over 40% of all rural hospitals in the country — are at risk of closing in the near future. Over 500 hospitals are at immediate risk of closure because they have experienced large financial losses over multiple years. Over 300 additional hospitals are at high risk of closing due to low financial reserves or high dependence on local taxes or state grants.”
About pharma
Which Companies Aren’t Exiting Russia? Big Pharma: “…drugmakers, medical device manufacturers, and health care companies, which are exempted from U.S. and European sanctions, said Russians need access to medicines and medical equipment and contend that international humanitarian law requires they keep supply chains open.”
10 Prescription Drugs That Cost Medicare the Most: From AARP based on 2020 data. #1 is Eliquis, with $9.9 billion spent and used by 2,641,941 beneficiaries.
Judge favors boosting Sackler payment in Purdue Pharma deal: “A judge said Wednesday that he would approve a plan that locks members of the Sackler family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma into pumping at least another $1.2 billion into a nationwide lawsuit settlement that, if ultimately confirmed, would transform the company into a public trust.”
About the public’s health
Trust, the less-discussed social determinant of health: “ How much trust a patient places in the healthcare system is a significant determinant of good health behavior, according to a report released March 10 by marketing consultancy firm Edelman….
Here are four takeaways:
Fifty-five percent of respondents said medical science is becoming politicized or being used to support political agendas, a concern that makes patients have less trust in the healthcare system.
Patients with lower trust levels are less likely to receive preventive care.
Seventy-two percent of respondents with high levels of trust are likely to accept changing recommendations from healthcare officials, whereas 51 percent of respondents with low trust are likely to accept the same recommendations.
Eighty-two percent of respondents with high trust are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, whereas 61 percent of respondents with low trust are fully vaccinated.”
About healthcare IT
HHS, health organizations roll out single sign-in for medical records: “The launch later this month will set up a test environment for integrating the technology, said Ryan Howells, principal at Leavitt Partners and program manager at the CARIN Alliance, which is spearheading the efforts. CARIN will issue a public report on how it worked by the end of the year. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the federal health IT office will serve as ‘observers,’ Howells said Tuesday at the ViVE health tech conference.
The effort has a range of 20 health care organizations, including health care systems like Kaiser Permanente and Providence, health plans like CVS Health and Cambia, and credential service providers like ID.me.”
Will this action be the first step in a unique patient identifier?
Epic launches software geared toward independent physicians: “Epic released a new shared environment software service that will give small and independent physician groups access to Epic electronic health records…
Garden Plot is intended to be an avenue for independent medical groups to work with the company when the Community Connect program, which systems can use to extend their Epic instances to nearby medical groups, isn't an option.
The new model will include integrated products from Availity, Biscom, Change Healthcare, Healthwise, Intelligent Medical Objects, Iron Bridge, Lyniate, OSG Billing Services, Solarity, Sphere, Surescripts and Wolters Kluwer, as well as access to Epic's software suite.”
About health technology
World’s first pig heart transplant patient dies 2 months later: “David Bennett died on Tuesday at the age of 57 after his health deteriorated over a number of days, said the University of Maryland Medical Centre, which carried out the pioneering operation. Highlight text The hospital said it as not immediately obvious whether Bennett’s immune system had rejected the pig’s heart, which was supplied by Revivicor, part of the US-based United Therapeutics biotech group. The Maryland doctors and scientists will conduct a thorough postmortem examination to established the cause of death.”