The Biden administration recently met with manufacturers of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunizations to encourage them to increase access to the vaccine; since the Dobbs v Jackson decision, many patients have been seeking more permanent reproductive health care solutions; a Mathematica analysis showed that Medicare prescription drug price negotiations could have cut seniors’ out-of-pocket costs by nearly a quarter had the program been in effect in 2021.
The Biden administration said in a statement Thursday that it recently met with manufacturers of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunizations, including nirsevimab (Beyfortus) for infant and toddlers, to increase access to the vaccines, according to Reuters. The officials met with representatives from AstraZeneca, Sanofi, and Thermo Fisher, urging them to work expeditiously to meet immunization demand this winter through the commercial market. Nirsevimab has been in tight supply since US RSV cases began to trend upward sharply in mid-October. The White House noted that, so far, the companies have committed to producing tens of thousands of additional RSV immunizations and sped up the release of 77,000 doses.
Since the Dobbs v Jackson decision, which took away the constitutional right to abortion, many patients have been increasingly worried about reproductive health care access, causing them to seek more permanent solutions, according to Side Effects Public Media. The Kaiser Family Foundation surveyed more than 500 gynecologists nationwide, and about half of doctors in states with abortion restrictions since the decision reported an increase in the number of patients seeking sterilization or long-acting contraceptives. Physician reports also showed that men’s contraception patterns are changing. A Cleveland Clinic study reported that, during the summer following the court decision, the average age of men getting a vasectomy dropped from the late 30s to mid-30s; the study also showed a significant increase in the number of men under 30, and men without children, seeking vasectomy consultations after the Supreme Court decision.
A Mathematica analysis showed that Medicare prescription drug price negotiations could have cut seniors’ out-of-pocket costs by nearly a quarter had the program been in effect in 2021, according to Axios. Mathematica analyzed the 10 costliest drugs for Medicare Part D in 2021, the most recent year with complete data available. It found that if Medicare negotiated these drug prices, the average out-of-pocket costs for patients with Part D plans would have dropped 23% from $1250 to $967, and the retail prices would have declined at least 63% on average. The analysis also found that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders would see the largest percentage decrease in out-of-pocket spending, while non-Hispanic Black people would have the smallest spending decrease.
CMS' 340B Repayment Proposal May Harm Vulnerable Hospitals, Reward Those With Higher Revenues
April 26th 2024The 340B hospitals not receiving an offsetting lump-sum payment from CMS following 2018-2022 cuts later ruled unlawful are disproportionately rural, publicly owned, and nonacademic, according to a new study.
Read More
Empowering Community Health Through Wellness and Faith
April 23rd 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. In the third episode, Camille Clarke-Smith, EdD, MS, CHES, CPT, discusses approaching community health holistically through spiritual and community engagement.
Listen
Overcoming Employment Barriers for Lasting Social Impact: Freedom House 2.0 and Pathways to Work
April 16th 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our second episode, in which we learn all about Freedom House 2.0 and the Pathways to Work program.
Listen
Kaiser Permanente was hit by a data breach in mid-April, impacting 13.4 million health plan members; GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) sued Pfizer and BioNTech for allegedly infringing on its messenger RNA technology patents in the companies’ COVID-19 vaccines; the CDC announced the first-known HIV cases transmitted via cosmetic injections.
Read More
Mental Health Diagnoses, Care Challenges Rise Among US Youth, Report Finds
April 26th 2024While behavioral health care utilization has been rising, the treatment landscape has been worsening. New findings show that 20% of youths did not receive any form of treatment within 3 months of their initial behavioral health diagnosis.
Read More