About health insurance/insurers
12 key insurance industry lawsuits in 2024 FYI
About hospitals and healthcare systems
From -10.2% to 21.3%: 41 health systems ranked by operating margins FYI
About pharma
Incidence of side effects associated with acetaminophen in people aged 65 years or more: a prospective cohort study using data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink “Results: In total, 180,483 acetaminophen-users and 402,478 non-users were included in this study. Acetaminophen use was associated with an increased risk of peptic ulcer bleeding (aHR 1.24; 95% CI 1.16, 1.34), uncomplicated peptic-ulcers (aHR 1.20; 95% CI 1.10, 1.31), lower gastrointestinal-bleeding (aHR 1.36; 95% CI 1.29, 1.46), heart-failure (aHR 1.09; 95% CI 1.06, 1.13), hypertension (aHR 1.07; 95% CI 1.04, 1.11), and chronic kidney disease (aHR 1.19; 95% CI 1.13, 1.24). [Emphases added]
Conclusion: Despite its perceived safety, acetaminophen is associated with several serious complications. Given its minimal analgesic effectiveness, the use of acetaminophen as the first-line oral analgesic for long-term conditions in older people requires careful reconsideration.”
US accuses CVS of filling, billing government for illegal opioid prescriptions “The US Department of Justice announced a lawsuit on Wednesday accusing pharmacy chain CVS of filling illegal opioid prescriptions and billing federal health insurance programs, contributing to a nationwide epidemic of opioid addiction and overdose.
The newly unsealed complaint in Providence, Rhode Island, federal court alleges that, from October 2013 to the present, CVS violated the federal Controlled Substances Act by filling prescriptions for dangerous quantities of opioids and dangerous combinations of drugs.”
About the public’s health
FDA Finalizes Updated “Healthy” Nutrient Content Claim “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued a final rule to update the “healthy” nutrient content claim to help consumers identify foods that are particularly useful as the foundation of a diet that is consistent with dietary recommendations. Manufacturers can voluntarily use the claim on a food package if the product meets the updated criteria.”
Transgender Minors Unable to Stop Lawmakers' UNC Records Request “Transgender minors, their parents, and a doctor challenging North Carolina’s gender-affirming care ban for youths can’t block lawmakers’ request for mental-health records of nonparty adolescents treated by the plaintiff doctor, a federal court said.
The minors and parents lacked standing to request an order preventing the University of North Carolina Health System’s release of the documents, and the doctor didn’t show that the records were protected from discovery, the US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina said. UNC wasn’t a party to the action, nor were the patients whose records were sought.”
Mortality in the United States, 2023 “Data from the National Vital Statistics System
Life expectancy for the U.S. population in 2023 was 78.4 years, an increase of 0.9 year from 2022.
The age-adjusted death rate decreased by 6.0% from 798.8 deaths per 100,000 standard population in 2022 to 750.5 in 2023.
Age-specific death rates decreased from 2022 to 2023 for all age groups 5 years and older.
The 10 leading causes of death in 2023 remained the same as in 2022, although some causes changed ranks; heart disease, cancer, and unintentional injuries remained the top 3 leading causes in 2023.
The infant mortality rate of 560.2 infant deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023 did not change significantly from the rate in 2022 (560.4).”