Private health coverage for working-age adults fell amid pandemic, Census data shows
The drop from March 2019 to March 2021 was largely offset, however, by coverage gains in programs like Medicaid.
Preventable hospitalization costs among unvaccinated patients surged to $3.7B in August, KFF says
More than 280,000 hospitalizations from COVID-19 between June and August could have been prevented by vaccination, researchers found.
Delta patients clog hospitals, spur more procedure delays
Intermountain is the latest system to announce it’s putting non-emergency procedures back on hold at 13 of its hospitals, and expects the pause to last several weeks, CEO Marc Harrison said Friday.
CMS moves to scrap Medicare coverage of breakthrough devices due to clinical evidence concerns
AdvaMed said the repeal of the Medicare Coverage of Innovative Technology rule is the wrong decision for patients. Analysts noted the reimbursement pathway could be resurrected in Cures 2.0 legislation.
HHS to release $25.5B in COVID-19 relief funding for providers
Some providers have been anxiously waiting on additional disbursements from the provider relief fund, especially for the period of the pandemic that saw the highest hospitalization rates.
Departing FDA officials, WHO leaders argue against broad rollout of COVID-19 booster shots
Marion Gruber and Philip Krause, two top FDA vaccine reviewers who are unexpectedly departing this fall, joined senior WHO officials in saying booster vaccine doses are not yet widely needed.
Insurers to disclose relationships with brokers, agents in new CMS proposed rule
Other proposals would require air ambulances to disclose additional data to HHS and outline how CMS can enforce surprise billing protections if states fail to act.
Humana’s reported rise in hospitalizations among seniors is a trend worth watching
It’s potentially troubling because people who are eligible for Medicare have a higher vaccination rate than the rest of the population. Humana’s report raises questions about what’s driving the uptick in hospitalizations among this cohort.
Biden pushes forward on Medicare price negotiation
But opposition from the drug industry and congressional Republicans could make the Democrats’ signature proposal an uphill battle.
How to alleviate clinical placement challenges & navigate uncertainty in the fall
Meet three programs navigating the potential headaches of Clinical Placements with ease.