Biden expected to pick former FDA head Califf to run health agency: reports
If officially nominated and confirmed by Congress, the cardiologist would return to lead an agency taxed by a heavy workload reviewing COVID-19 drugs and vaccines.
Advocate Aurora bumps minimum wage to $18 per hour
The pay increase will affect roughly 41% of the health system’s more than 75,000 employees. Workers set to see a boost in pay, include food and environmental service workers, pharmacy techs and licensed practical nurses.
Moderna, escalating dispute with NIH, claims government had no role in key vaccine patent
The biotech claimed its NIH partners were involved only after a key discovery was made “by Moderna scientists using Moderna technology.” The dispute could end up in court.
GE unveils plan to spin off healthcare business
The independent company, expected to be completed in early 2023, is being positioned as having more flexibility to pursue acquisitions as it sharpens its focus on precision health and struggles with supply chain shortages.
Family premiums rise as employers boost virtual, mental health benefits, KFF finds
About half of employers with at least 200 workers reported healthcare utilization among their plan enrollees had been in line with expectations for the most recent quarter, but 32% said it had been below estimates.
Siemens software vulnerabilities potentially put millions of medical devices at risk
A U.S. cybersecurity agency issued an alert about the weaknesses, one of which was scored 9.8 on a 10-point risk scale, which could allow hackers to disrupt the operation of anesthesia machines and bedside monitors.
Delta surge spurs Amwell’s urgent care growth as specialty, behavioral visits drop off
Urgent care visits are lower revenue, so the higher urgent care mix had an unfavorable impact on total revenue per visit. Amwell’s revenue was down 1% year over year to $62.2 million, lower than analyst expectations.
Health centers raise alarm about rolling back Medicaid coverage post-public health emergency
The clinics are worried about people with Medicaid coverage being deemed ineligible and losing insurance once states revert back to pre-COVID-19 Medicaid policies and eligibility, a new survey found.
Anthem plans to buy Integra Managed Care in New York
The acquisition expands the payer’s Medicaid business, a service line that has experienced major growth over the past year.
1 in 3 patients defer healthcare due to existing medical debt, TransUnion finds
The credit bureau’s healthcare data analytics unit also reported seeing a 55% rise in financial assistance transactions from September 2020 to September 2021.