What We’re Reading: Reproductive Health Interest; ADA Anniversary; Confidential Teen Contraception
July 26th 2024The ending of the 2023 film “Barbie,” where she sees a gynecologist, has increased online search interest in gynecology; yesterday marked 34 years of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA); Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing the Biden administration over Title X, a federal contraception program that provides teens birth control without parental consent.
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How Chevron’s Overturn Could Complicate the Health Policy Environment
July 25th 2024Legal and policy experts on a KFF webinar explained how the Supreme Court’s recent decision to overturn the Chevron precedent will impact legislators, agencies, and courts as they interpret and enforce policies in the health care realm.
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A federal appeals court ruled yesterday that a group of Republican-led states do not have legal standing to impose restrictions on the abortion pill mifepristone; the US infant mortality rate increased by 3% in 2022; a twice-yearly injection could prevent 100% of HIV infections.
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Lisa Gomez Explains How EBSA Is Addressing Barriers to Minority Mental Health
July 24th 2024For Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, the Employee Benefits Security Agency (EBSA) in the US Department of Labor highlights the critical need to address mental health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities.
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BeiGene Opens $800M Flagship US Facility in New Jersey
July 23rd 2024New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy joined BeiGene CEO John Oyler and about 300 guests to open the facility, located in Hopewell, New Jersey. Company officials said the new site will offer increased flexibility and supply chain diversity.
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Misleading ads are under scrutiny for their role in signing up consumers for Affordable Care Act (ACA) coverage without their permission; Sen Elizabeth Warren (D, Massachusetts) said there are enough votes in the Senate to suspend the filibuster to codify Roe v Wade in 2025 with a Democratic majority; women with endometriosis have about a fourfold risk of developing ovarian cancer.
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New Report Shows Worsening Health Outcomes for Women in States With Abortion Bans
July 18th 2024The Commonwealth Fund scorecard ranks Mississippi, Texas, Nevada, and Oklahoma among the poorest-performing states overall for women’s health care access, quality, and outcomes, while Massachusetts, Vermont, and Rhode Island rank at the top.
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Almost half of all Americans struggle to afford quality health care and prescription medications; the cyberattack on UnitedHealth Group's Change Healthcare unit will cost the company between $2.3 billion and $2.45 billion in 2024; CMS releases the final part 2 guidance for plan outreach and education for the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan.
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What We're Reading: Pfizer Plans Daily Weight Loss Pill; Toxic Metals in Tampons; Telehealth in PFS
July 12th 2024Pfizer announced plans for a once-a-day weight-loss pill; toxic metals have been found in over a dozen popular tampon brands across the US; CMS proposed a new rules impacting telehealth in the Medicare physician fee schedule (PFS) for 2025.
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CMS Unveils Proposed 2025 Physician Fee Schedule, Maternal Health Standards
July 11th 2024The 2025 Physician Fee Schedule includes a conversion factor reduction, expanded behavioral health services, extended telehealth waivers, new Quality Payment Program pathways, and measures to address suspect billing, alongside a Biden administration initiative introducing federal maternal health standards for hospitals.
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New Report Highlights Health Inequities Among Medicaid-Eligible Populations in New England
July 11th 2024Today, the Siftwell 2024 Medicaid-Eligible Health Equity Index report highlighted ongoing challenges and barriers that underscore the need for systemic changes to improve health care access and outcomes for vulnerable groups.
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What We’re Reading: FTC Lawsuit Against PBMs; Ozempic Price Cuts; Hospital Outpatient Pay Bump
July 11th 2024The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is preparing a lawsuit against the 3 largest drug middlemen over their use of rebates for insulin and other drugs; Sen Bernie Sanders (I, Vermont) feels confident that Novo Nordisk will cut Ozempic and Wegovy costs after hearing; CMS proposed a payment rule that would increase Medicare reimbursement for hospital outpatient departments by 2.6% next year.
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A Breathtaking Crisis, Part 2: Climate Change Worsens Asthma for Underserved Communities
July 3rd 2024Underserved communities, already facing higher asthma prevalence due to social determinants of health, are disproportionately affected by the impact climate change is having on asthma exacerbations. Potential solutions include education for patients and health care providers, climate litigation to establish environmental rights, and policy changes to curb climate change.
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Insurers continue to raise consumer costs despite covering fewer drugs and having more drug coverage restrictions; the Biden Administration is investing hundreds of millions of dollars to train geriatricians; the Federal Trade Commission has opened an investigation into Teva Pharmaceuticals after the company refused to take down patents for its asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease inhalers.
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What We’re Reading: Plan B Use Plunges; Lower Drug Costs; Clinical Trial Diversity Guidance
June 27th 2024The use of Plan B fell by 60% in states that implemented near-total abortion bans after Roe v. Wade was overturned; the Biden administration will impose inflation penalties on 64 prescription drugs in the third quarter of 2024; the FDA recently released draft guidance to ensure that drug companies and medical device makers enroll more women and people of color in clinical trials.
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What We’re Reading: Surging Global Dengue Cases; EHR Blocking Ban Finalized; Weight-Loss Drug Access
June 26th 2024The CDC issued a warning to doctors on Tuesday to look out for dengue cases amid a global surge; HHS has finalized disincentives to prevent health care organizations from unreasonably blocking the exchange of electronic health record (EHR) information; patients in some states, like West Virginia, cannot afford weight-loss medications due to the high costs and lack of insurance coverage.
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