President Biden orders states to broaden vaccine eligibility by May 1; new data from Novavax, Pfizer point to high vaccine efficacy; Supreme Court will not hear arguments on Medicaid work requirements.
In his first prime-time address as president Thursday night, President Joe Biden instructed states to make all adults 18 years and older eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine by May 1, The Associated Press reports. If Americans continue practicing mitigation efforts like mask wearing and social distancing, Biden said the possibility of returning to a semblance of normal life could be achieved by Independence Day, when Americans may be able to safely gather in small groups. In the address, the president also announced he will deploy 4000 active-duty troops to support vaccination efforts across the country and described the launch of a new website to help individuals find doses once they become eligible.
New data from Novavax Inc show the company’s COVID-19 vaccine was 96% effective in preventing cases caused by the original version of SARS-CoV-2, and 86% in doing so against a more contagious variant first detected in the United Kingdom. Results of the late-stage trial conducted in the United Kingdom point to a combined 90% effectiveness rate overall, Reuters reports. In addition, a recent study concluded Pfizer/BioNTech’s approved COVID-19 vaccine is 97% effective against symptomatic COVID-19, according to CBS News. The real-world evidence collected from Israel indicates the vaccine offers more protection than earlier thought. Data also show that prevention against asymptomatic disease reached 94%.
The Supreme Court has called off upcoming arguments on Medicaid work requirements proposed by the Trump administration, according to The Associated Press. The move comes after a request was made by the Biden administration to do so. Although the court was scheduled to hear the issue on March 29, the current administration already decided that work requirements do not support Medicaid’s goal of providing health care to lower-income Americans. The decision marks the fifth time since the 2020 presidential election the court has dismissed or delayed cases it had once agreed to hear.
What We’re Reading: RSV Vaccine Demand; Permanent Contraception; Drug Negotiation Impact
December 8th 2023The 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.
Read More
Oncology Onward: A Conversation With Thyme Care CEO and Cofounder Robin Shah
October 2nd 2023Robin Shah, CEO of Thyme Care, which he founded in 2020 with Bobby Green, MD, president and chief medical officer, joins hosts Emeline Aviki, MD, MBA, and Stephen Schleicher, MD, MBA, to discuss his evolution as an entrepreneur in oncology care innovation and his goal of positively changing how patients experience the cancer system.
Listen
Insufficient Data, Disparities Plague Lung Cancer Risk Factor Documentation
September 24th 2023On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with the senior author of a study published in the September 2023 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® on the importance of adequate and effective lung cancer risk factor documentation to determine a patient's eligibility for screening.
Listen
The Impact of Nurse Practitioner Attribution in Medicare Shared Savings ACOs
December 5th 2023Allowing nurse practitioners to serve as attribution-eligible providers for Medicare Shared Savings Program accountable care organizations leads to no change in hierarchical condition category risk scores and modest growth in attributed beneficiaries.
Read More