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What We're Reading: Robotic Surgery Questioned; Migrants Quarantined; Medicaid and Sex Reassignment
Robotic surgery remains a widespread practice for cancer treatment while the FDA warns no evidence has been found linking these procedures to safer patient outcomes; more than 2000 migrants in US detention centers quarantined as reported cases of mumps arise; Iowa Supreme Court rules that Medicaid can not deny coverage for sex reassignment surgery.
FDA: No Evidence Robotic Surgery Better Than Traditional Methods for Cancer Patients
Robotic surgery has been particularly unsuccessful in treating cervical cancer as women who underwent these procedures experienced 6 times as many deaths and 4 times as many cancer recurrences than women who underwent traditional radical hysterectomy surgeries, which typically cures patients with cervical cancer. Although it lacks FDA approval, robotic surgery is being frequently used for cancer-related treatment, The New York Times reported. Safety and success rates have shown no evidence that patients receiving robotic procedures live longer than those who undergo traditional procedures. Questions also remain concerning how well physicians have been trained to use the equipment.
More Than 2000 Migrants Quarantined as Mumps Cases Reported
Among the 50,000 migrants held in US detention centers, 2287 have been quarantined as an estimated 236 cases of mumps have been identified over the past year throughout 51 US facilities, The Hill reported. Immigration advocates have suggested that this outbreak and transmission of other infectious diseases could restrict access to legal services.
Iowa Supreme Court: Medicaid Can Cover Sex Reassignment Surgery
The Iowa Supreme Court recently ruled that Medicaid can provide coverage for sex reassignment surgery, The Associated Press reported. The decision reflects a lower court’s ruling where denial of coverage was found to violate the state’s 2007 Civil Rights Act that added gender identity to the list of the state’s protected classes.
Public Hospitals More Likely to Extend Unprofitable Services After 340B Participation, Study Finds
May 10th 2024Public hospitals were significantly more likely to sustain access to unprofitable services following 340B Drug Pricing Program participation, while nonprofit hospitals were mostly unaffected, according to a recent study.
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Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity: Urban Health Outreach
May 9th 2024In the series debut episode of "Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity," Mary Sligh, CRNP, and Chelsea Chappars, of Allegheny Health Network, explain how the Urban Health Outreach program aims to improve health equity for individuals experiencing homelessness.
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Persistence Pays Off With Zanubrutinib: A Challenging CLL Case With a Prior BTK Inhibitor Failure
May 10th 2024The case of a 77-year-old woman with a long chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) history illustrates the novel use of zanubrutinib as a potential option for some patients who have failed first-generation Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors and venetoclax.
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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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