Navigating mask mandates and vaccine recommendations; Biden administration wants employers to have naloxone on hand; NIH nominee to receive a confirmation hearing.
CDC Challenges Over Mask Mandates, Booster Recommendations With COVID-19 Uptick
A vote on Tuesday by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will determine if vaccines will be recommended for all Americans above 6 months of age, and not just those are at the highest risk of serious illness from COVID-19 infection, according to Kaiser Health News. However, former White House chief medical advisor Anthony Fauci announced that the recent increase in COVID-19 cases will not likely result in federal mask mandates, according to The Hill. Despite this uptick in cases, Fauci said that he is concerned people would not follow CDC guidelines, even if masks are recommended again.
Should Employers Have Opioid Reversal Drugs on Hand?
The Biden administration is urging employers to keep naloxone on hand amid record levels of overdoses from lethal forms of opioids, such as fentanyl, according to Axios. This recommendation by the government is similar to that of workplaces preparing emergency plans in case of a fire. Furthermore, health officials believe that office buildings, restaurants, and even schools should not only be stocking naloxone nasal spray but should offer written and verbal instructions guiding users or bystanders on how to administer the drug.
Bernie Sanders to Hold a Confirmation Hearing for NIH Nominee, Monica Bertagnolli
Senator Bernie Sanders will hold a confirmation hearing next month for the National Institutes of Health’s nominee, Monica Bertagnolli, according to STAT. Prior to this announcement, Sanders had refused to hold a hearing on Bertagnolli until President Biden promised more drug pricing reform. On Friday, HHS announced a deal with Regeneron on the development of the COVID-19 monoclonal antibody, with Sanders adding that the administration must include reasonable pricing to all drugs developed with the aid of government funding.
CMS Medicare Final Rule: Advancing Benefits, Competition, and Consumer Protection
May 7th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with Karen Iapoce, senior director of government products and programs at ZeOmega, about the recent CMS final rule on Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage.
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Navigating Health Policy in an Election Year: Insights From Dr Dennis Scanlon
April 2nd 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with Dennis Scanlon, PhD, the editor in chief of The American Journal of Accountable Care®, about prior authorization, price transparency, the impact of health policy on the upcoming election, and more.
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The Senate Finance Committee has introduced bipartisan legislation that proposes using Medicaid and Medicare programs to help prevent and reduce generic drug shortages; US indicators for COVID-19, flu, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) declined further last week; findings from a recent study reveal growing disparities in child death rates across racial and ethnic groups.
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