About Covid-19
Assessment of Efficacy and Safety of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines in Children Aged 5 to 11 Years “These data support the safety and efficacy of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines among children aged 5 to 11 years and endorse the universal age-based recommendations.”
FDA eyes major vaccine strategy changes “The FDA is considering a new COVID-19 vaccination strategy that would mirror the process for creating and administering annual flu shots, federal documents show.
The FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee will convene Jan. 26 to discuss and vote on the proposed process.”
About health insurance/insurers
Majority in U.S. Still Say Gov't Should Ensure Healthcare From a Gallup poll: “STORY HIGHLIGHTS
57% say government should ensure health coverage for all in U.S.
53% favor health system based on private insurance; 43%, a government-run one
72% of Democrats, 13% of Republicans support government-run system”
HUMANA PROGRAM TARGETING LONELINESS FOR SENIORS ALSO CUTS MEDICAL COSTS “KEY TAKEAWAYS
Loneliess affects some 40% of seniors in the US and accounts for roughly $6.7 billion in associated medical costs.
Humana and Wisdo Health launched a one-year pilot program in which almost 1,400 senior Medicare Advantage members with chronic health concerns were matched through an AI analysis with a trained peer, weekly coaching sessions and referrals to clinical and social determinants of health resources.
The program not only reduced loneliness and isolation, but cut down on ER and urgent care visits and saved roughly $1,000 per participating member per year in medical costs.”
Evaluation of High-Deductible Health Plans [HDHPs] and Acute Glycemic Complications Among Adults With Diabetes “In this study, patients with diabetes who switched to HDHPs were significantly more likely to experience serious, but preventable, acute diabetes complications compared with patients who remained in conventional insurance plans; these findings suggest the need for policy solutions to address health plan-mediated barriers to diabetes care.”
The questions remain: what is the proper out of pocket expenses and to which conditions do the apply?
CENTENE COMPLETES DIVESTITURE OF MAGELLAN SPECIALTY HEALTH “Centene Corporation announced today that it has completed the previously announced divestiture of Magellan Specialty Health to Evolent Health, Inc. (Evolent).”
About pharma
Civica chooses exclusive distributor “Civica Rx, a nonprofit drugmaker formed four years ago by health systems, picked AmerisourceBergen as its exclusive distribution partner.”
About the public’s health
Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report Highlights:
—CDC estimates that, so far this season, there have been at least 25 million illnesses, 270,000 hospitalizations, and 17,000 deaths from flu.
—The cumulative hospitalization rate in the FluSurv-NET system was 1.6 times higher than the highest cumulative in-season hospitalization rate observed for week 2 during previous seasons going back to 2010-2011. However, this in-season rate is still lower than end-of-season hospitalization rates for all but 4 pre-COVID-19-pandemic seasons going back to 2010-2011.
—The majority of influenza viruses tested are in the same genetic subclade as and antigenically similar to the influenza viruses included in this season’s influenza vaccine.
—All viruses collected and evaluated this season have been susceptible to the influenza antivirals oseltamivir, peramivir, zanamivir, and baloxavir.”
About healthcare personnel
From STAT+ newsletter: “Roughly 2.9% of health care workers quit their jobs in November, equating to about 600,000 resignations, according to new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s the second-highest quit rate in recent health care history, only behind the 3.1% rate in November 2021….
Burnout from caring for Covid-19 patients, rigorous work schedules, and stagnant or low wages continues to push many hospital nurses, technicians, nursing home staff, and others to switch to other health care settings — or leave the profession completely. But health care employers are still desperate for people to care for patients, which is giving employees leverage to demand higher paychecks.
The average hospital employee made $40 per hour this past November, up from $34 per hour before the pandemic in November 2019, according to BLS. But people who work in physician offices continue to make more: over $46 per hour as of November. Those working in outpatient centers are making about $36 per hour, up from about $31 before the pandemic. People who work in nursing homes and residential care facilities are still making only $23.65 per hour, up from a little over $19 per hour in November 2019.”