About Covid-19
Free covid tests by mail program revived by Biden administration Use this site to order your free Covid tests.
About health insurance/insurers
Insurers Expand Coverage Of Prescriptions Written By Pharmacists “Health insurance companies are beginning to pay for more prescriptions written by pharmacists as more states ease prescribing rules.
The expansion of reimbursement and health insurance coverage of prescriptions written by pharmacists comes following so-called “test to treat” legislation, which bestows prescribing status on pharmacists. Such state laws are sweeping the country as more lawmakers pass legislation that expands the role of pharmacists to prescribe certain medicines.”
About hospitals and healthcare systems
AGE-FRIENDLY HOSPITAL RATING “The Age-Friendly Hospital Rating is a new structural measure included in the CMS 2025 IPPS Final Rule. This measure is designed to assess hospitals' commitment to delivering high-quality care to patients 65 and older. The rating focuses on five key domains: patient goals, medication management, frailty screening, social vulnerability, and leadership commitment.”
Estimation of Tax Benefit of US Nonprofit Hospitals “Analyzing data from Medicare Cost Reports, a total of 2927 US nonprofit hospitals received a $37.4 billion total tax benefit in 2021. Tax benefit varies widely across states and is highly concentrated among a small number of hospitals. More than half of the total tax benefit was received at the state and local levels.”
This research invites the question: Are these hospitals providing community benefit commensurate with these tax breaks?
About the public’s health
EPA must address fluoridated water's risk to children's IQs, US judge rules “A federal judge in California has ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to strengthen regulations for fluoride in drinking water, saying the compound poses an unreasonable potential risk to children at levels that are currently typical nationwide.
U.S. District Judge Edward Chen in San Francisco on Tuesday sided with several advocacy groups, finding the current practice of adding fluoride to drinking water supplies to fight cavities presented unreasonable risks for children’s developing brains.”
Comment: USPHS recommends water concentration of fluoride of 0.7mg/L. Adverse effects on children begin at 1.5mg/L.
Almost 200 Chemicals Linked to Breast Cancer Are Found in Food Packaging “Key Takeaways
Food packaging materials contain nearly 200 chemicals linked to breast cancer
Researchers identified 143 suspected carcinogens in plastic packaging, and 89 in paper or cardboard
There’s strong evidence that humans are regularly exposed to at least 76 of these chemicals “