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What We’re Reading: Cyberattack Payouts; Measles Vaccination for Young Travelers; Medication Abortions Surge
UnitedHealth Group aims to restore services amid investigations; providers advised to administer measles vaccine to infants before international travel; study finds significant increase in medication abortions after Supreme Court decision.
UnitedHealth Group Pays Out Over $2 Billion to Health Providers Affected by Cyberattack
UnitedHealth Group announced it has disbursed over $2 billion to support health care providers impacted by the cyberattack on its subsidiary, Change Healthcare, according to CNBC. The attack, which disrupted vital services including e-prescription software and payment management tools, prompted UnitedHealth to implement temporary funding assistance programs and restore critical infrastructure. As investigations into the cyberattack's extent unfold, UnitedHealth has emphasized its collaboration with law enforcement and cybersecurity experts to assess the breach and safeguard against future threats.
CDC Urges Measles Vaccination for Young Travelers Amid Rising Cases
The CDC issued an alert urging health providers to ensure that children as young as 6 months old receive the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine before traveling internationally, amidst a surge in measles cases both domestically and globally, according to CIDRAP. With 58 cases reported in the US so far this year, equaling the total for all of 2023, most cases were linked to international travel, particularly affecting unvaccinated children. Declining vaccination coverage in US kindergarteners has raised concerns about herd immunity, prompting health officials to emphasize the importance of vaccination to prevent outbreaks.
Medication Abortions Surge in the US Following Roe v Wade Reversal
A notable rise in medication abortions in the US were identified post the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v Wade, according to NBC News. In 2023, there were approximately 642,700 medication abortions, constituting 63% of all abortions in the country, up from 492,210 in 2020. The surge in medication abortions follows legal changes in response to the Dobbs v Jackson ruling, with 14 states implementing complete abortion bans. Despite potential restrictions on medication abortion, the procedure has remained popular due to its privacy and accessibility benefits.
Examining Low-Value Cancer Care Trends Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
April 25th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the April 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on the rates of low-value cancer care services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
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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.
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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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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.
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