Morning Consult Health Presented by the Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare: Advisory Group Recommends Anxiety Screenings for All Adults Under 65
 

Health

Essential health care industry news & intel to start your day.
September 21, 2022
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Graham’s Proposed Abortion Ban Is Divisive

Sen. Lindsey Graham’s introduction of a 15-week abortion ban last week was met with groans from some Republican leaders, still smarting from a run of Democratic wins in special elections following the reversal of Roe v. Wade.

 

The Morning Consult/Politico survey this week underscores some reasons for the GOP consternation: The electorate is split down the middle on the South Carolinian’s proposed ban, with women and independent voters more likely to oppose it. 

 

Check out the full story here: Voters Are Divided on Lindsey Graham’s 15-Week Abortion Ban.

 

Today’s Top News

  • The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended that all adults under 65 be screened by doctors for anxiety, the first such recommendation from the panel of medical experts that they say is intended to ensure that mental health disorders don’t go untreated. The Health and Human Services Department-appointed advisory group, which pointed to a study that found that the share of U.S. adults exhibiting recent symptoms of an anxiety or depressive disorder jumped to 41.5% from 36.4% from August 2020 to February 2021, will review public comments through Oct. 17 and issue final guidance sometime after that. (The New York Times)
  • The American Hospital Association and the American Medical Association dropped their lawsuit against the federal government over the implementation of Congress’ surprise billing law, which alleged that the rulemaking process shifted from lawmakers’ intent and favored payers during independent arbitration. AHA and AMA believe their lawsuit became unnecessary after the final rule on the No Surprises Act was released in August, though the trade groups suggested that fresh legal action could follow. (Healthcare Dive)
  • Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. will acquire an additional 30% stake in Shields Health Solutions for $1.37 billion, giving the pharmacy giant full ownership of the company that partners with providers to deliver specialty pharmacy services. Walgreens, which began building its stake in Shields in July 2019, is expected to close the deal to assume total ownership by the end of 2022. (The Wall Street Journal)
  • A report from HHS’ Office of Inspector General found that Medicare paid out more than $1 million in duplicate claims in 2019 to critical access hospitals and providers, and called on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to launch post-payment reviews. The watchdog report said the creation of a new claims system would “prevent and detect overpayments for professional service payments,” while CMS in response said developing that kind of system “may not be appropriate at this time due to the low dollar amount of the errors.” (Fierce Healthcare)

Worth watching today (all times local): 

  • 8:30 a.m. The Hill event: “The Cost of Mental Health Inequities,” featuring Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.).
  • 10 a.m. Senate Appropriations Committee hearing: “VA’s Electronic Health Record Modernization: An Update on Rollout, Cost, and Schedule.”
  • 12:45 p.m. Dr. Anthony Fauci interview at The Atlantic Festival.
  • 2 p.m. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis hearing: “Examining Long-Term Care in America: The Impact of the Coronavirus in Nursing Homes.”
  • 3 p.m. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing: “Ensuring Veterans’ Timely Access to Care in VA and the Community.”
 

Chart Review

 
 

What Else You Need to Know

Coronavirus
 

FDA releasing millions of Moderna boosters as states warn of shortages 

Dan Diamond, The Washington Post 

The federal government is releasing millions of Moderna booster shots that were delayed by the Food and Drug Administration as a result of a safety inspection at an Indiana packaging plant, even as states report shortages and encourage people to get Pfizer boosters instead.

 

FDA Finds Flaws at Vaccine Factory, Accepts Moderna’s Assurances 

Anna Edney and Angelica Peebles, Bloomberg 

US inspectors found shortcomings at a Catalent Inc. factory that produces Covid-19 shots but allowed some doses to be cleared for use after receiving assurances from vaccine maker Moderna Inc.

 

Biden clarifies comments declaring “pandemic over”

Rebecca Falconer, Axios 

Biden acknowledged at a New York City fundraiser that he was criticized for the remarks — which sparked a protest outside the White House, organized by the nonprofit MEAction Network, campaigning for long COVID sufferers. “But it basically is not where it was,” Biden added.

 

Coronavirus origin debate looms over guidelines for risky lab research 

Joel Achenbach, The Washington Post 

Biosecurity advisers to the federal government are calling for tighter scrutiny of experiments with potentially dangerous viruses and other pathogens, reflecting an ongoing debate within the scientific community over the benefits and risks of such laboratory research. This contentious issue has become even more rancorous amid speculation that some kind of “lab leak” might have played a role in the origin of the coronavirus.

 

Long COVID might be a lot more common than we think, as symptoms linger 2 years later for 20% of survivors, new study finds 

Erin Prater, Fortune 

How long do long COVID symptoms linger? It’s the question on the mind of millions of sufferers. Less than three years into the pandemic, answers are limited. But those in Wuhan, China—where the outbreak began in late 2019—would know best, as they’ve lived with the virus’ repercussions the longest.

 

Food scheme stole $250 million meant for low-income children in “the largest pandemic fraud in the United States,” feds say

CBS News 

Federal authorities charged 47 people in Minnesota with conspiracy and other counts on Tuesday in what they said was a massive scheme that took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to steal $250 million from a federal program that provides meals to low-income children.

 
General
 

FDA report details agency fumbles during infant formula investigation that hampered response

Brenda Goodman, CNN 

A perfect storm of “systemic vulnerabilities” at the US Food and Drug Administration unfolded as the agency investigated contaminated baby formula and slowed its response to the worsening formula shortage, an internal review shows.

 

CVS, Walmart reach $147.5 mln opioid settlement with West Virginia 

Dietrich Knauth, Reuters 

CVS Health Corp (CVS.N) and Walmart Inc (WMT.N) have agreed to pay $147.5 million to settle West Virginia’s claims over their alleged roles in the state’s opioid crisis, state attorney general Patrick Morrisey said Tuesday.

 

Cancer death rates continue to fall, driven by new treatments and improved screening

Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC News 

Significant strides in cancer treatments, diagnostic tools and prevention strategies continue to drive down cancer death rates, according to a report published Wednesday by the American Association for Cancer Research. 

 

New bill aims to curtail surprise medical bills for sexual assault survivors 

Aria Bendix, NBC News

The new bill was introduced by Reps. Linda T. Sánchez, D-Calif.; Gwen Moore, D-Wis.; and Carol Miller, R-W.Va. It would give the departments of Labor, the Treasury, and Health and Human Services the authority to designate types of providers beyond SANEs who’d be eligible to give forensic exams that would be fully covered by private insurance, starting in 2025. The lawmakers’ hope is that survivors with private insurance would not get billed for an exam, regardless of where it’s performed.

 

FDA User Fee Lapse Would ‘Devastate’ Public Health, Califf Says

Jeannie Baumann et al., Bloomberg Law 

The head of the FDA says he’s optimistic Congress will reauthorize the agency’s user fees as time dwindles for lawmakers to reach an agreement.

 

Anti-Trans Health Care Laws Are the Latest Republican Target 

Kelsey Butler and Andre Tartar, Bloomberg 

In the last year, there’s been a sharp rise in the number of state bills going after transgender-related health care, a Bloomberg analysis finds. 

 

Cooking chicken in NyQuil is dangerous, FDA says, citing video on TikTok

Minyvonne Burke, NBC News 

The Food and Drug Administration has issued an update advising consumers that cooking chicken in NyQuil is dangerous and potentially harmful.

 

When to Get Your Flu Shot and Other Advice for This Flu Season 

Alex Janin, The Wall Street Journal

A surge in cases in Australia, where winter is just wrapping up, may portend a similar rise in the coming season here as temperatures start to cool. A widespread reduction in Covid-19 precautions also points to the possibility of a more substantial flu season this year compared with the past two, which were relatively mild.

 

Poxviruses, outbreaks, and Ebola: A Q&A with a retiring CDC expert on bad bugs

Helen Branswell, Stat News 

To outside eyes, the timing of Inger Damon’s departure could be seen as odd or unfortunate, given that after years of relative obscurity, poxviruses are at the center of the world’s infectious diseases radar, thanks to the ongoing monkeypox outbreak. Though the growth of case numbers had slowed, there was no sign the crisis was under control. Many challenges remain ahead.

 

A new study asks: Are we harming blood donors by taking blood?

Brittany Trang, Stat News 

One question has plagued the field of blood donation for as long as there have been transfusions: Are we harming blood donors by taking blood from them?

 

Drinking certain teas is linked with lower diabetes risk 

Kristen Rogers, CNN 

Drinking at least four cups of any of these teas per day has been linked with a 17% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes over an average period of 10 years, according to research published Saturday. The research, which hasn’t yet been published in a scientific journal, will be presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes Annual Meeting in Stockholm this week.

 

Coors, Mondelez, and other big food companies want to sell CBD-filled food and drinks. The FDA is staunchly opposed 

Nicholas Florko, Stat News

Major food makers are ready to cash in on selling CBD-filled foods and drinks. But the Food and Drug Administration isn’t having it.

 
Payers
 

DOJ mulls appeal of UnitedHealth-Change Healthcare ruling 

Nona Tepper, Modern Healthcare 

The U.S. Department of Justice is weighing whether to appeal a federal judge’s decision that denied its legal challenge to UnitedHealth Group’s $13 billion proposed acquisition of technology company Change Healthcare.

 

Youth mental health concerns grew pre-COVID, study shows 

Frank Diamond, Fierce Healthcare

Younger people and children were seeking out more mental health resources even before the COVID-19 pandemic began, according to a new report from the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI).

 
Providers
 

MercyOne, Genesis Health System pursuing ‘strategic partnership’

Dave Muoio, Fierce Healthcare 

Trinity Health’s MercyOne and Genesis Health System have signed a letter of intent to explore a “strategic partnership” intended to fuel growth, support workforce efforts and ensure quality care, the nonprofit systems announced last week.

 

Hospitals grow apprenticeships to stabilize workforce 

Alex Kacik, Modern Healthcare 

For many healthcare occupations, hospitals and physician groups have not been able to recruit enough qualified workers to meet the demand. While apprenticeships are common in other industries, more health systems and physician groups are exploring or expanding these programs as they hope to boost recruitment and retention amid persistent labor shortages.

 
Pharma, Biotech and Devices
 

The Inflation Reduction Act aims to lower drug costs — but here’s how Big Pharma could get around it

Berkeley Lovelace Jr., NBC News 

The Inflation Reduction Act is set to lower drug prices for millions of people in the U.S. — but experts fear pharmaceutical companies could exploit loopholes in the bill, ultimately keeping prescription costs high for many.

 

FDA warns of cybersecurity risk with certain Medtronic insulin pumps 

Reuters 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday warned that certain types of insulin pump systems manufactured by Medtronic (MDT.N) were vulnerable to cyberattacks and that hackers could potentially hamper insulin delivery by accessing the device.

 

Merck to start studying lower dose of HIV drug after FDA hold 

Reuters 

Merck & Co Inc (MRK.N) said on Tuesday it would start fresh late-stage studies of its HIV treatment, islatravir, months after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration put the trials on hold, citing safety concerns.

 

A dirty business: How the medical device sterilization process sickens some to heal others 

Kara Hartnett, Modern Healthcare 

For more than a year, medical device manufacturer Becton Dickinson has been working with government officials in Tucson, Arizona, to erect a plant that would sterilize products vital to the supply chain. But many residents in the local community don’t want it.

 

FDA seems poised to approve a new drug for ALS, but does it work?

Jon Hamilton, NPR News

The Food and Drug Administration is likely to approve a controversial new drug for ALS by the end of the month. But it’s still not clear whether the drug, called AMX0035, truly helps people with ALS, a rare and fatal neurological disorder that eventually leaves a person unable to walk, talk, swallow and breathe.

 

Bipartisan Insulin Bill Delayed to After Midterms, Senator Says

Alex Ruoff, Bloomberg Law 

A bipartisan bill to lower the cost of insulin will only get a vote after the November midterms, the bill’s main Democratic sponsor says.

 

Juul Sues FDA for Documents Related to Vape Product Denial Order

Celine Castronuovo, Bloomberg Law

Juul Labs Inc. is suing the Food and Drug Administration to obtain documents related to an order banning the company’s vaping products from the market.

 

Illumina’s Grail expands use of cancer detection test with life insurer deal 

Deena Beasley, Reuters 

Cancer detection test maker Grail, acquired by Illumina Inc (ILMN.O) last year despite ongoing antitrust challenges, on Tuesday said it would expand use of its flagship Galleri test through a new agreement with life insurer John Hancock, a division of Manulife Financial (MFC.TO).

 
Health Technology
 

Post-Dobbs data privacy law in flux as tech buoys anonymity 

Annie Burky, Fierce Healthcare

Following the Supreme Court ruling that ended federal abortion protections, legislators, tech companies and users are asking how complicit tech should be in the prosecution of those seeking the procedure where it’s banned. In the foggy landscape of a post-Dobbs world, eyes are turning to geolocation data, message encryption and period-tracking apps.

 

What’s next for eased restrictions around teleheath?

Frank Diamond, Fierce Healthcare 

A recent study in JAMA Health Forum looks at how patients used the technology to access providers across state lines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

New paper offers clinicians a framework for using AI in behavioral health

Anastassia Gliadkovskaya, Fierce Healthcare 

Health tech developers must work with front-line clinicians when developing artificial intelligence tools, a new paper argues. 

 
Opinions, Editorials and Perspectives
 

Who Is Still Dying From Covid? The CDC Can’t Answer That 

Faye Flam, Bloomberg 

Joe Biden isn’t the only American to think the pandemic is over. But the virus is still killing 400 to 500 people a day, and data is sketchy about how to save lives.

 
Morning Consult