Better transparency is needed for nonemergency hospital care expenses; services and support are needed to alleviate the financial strain of caring for older adults; a reduced demand for annual COVID-19 vaccination is putting pressure on public health officials.
Proposed Rules Aim to Facilitate Expense Prediction for Consumers
A satirical advertisement from advocacy group Patient Rights Advocate highlights ongoing concerns about hospital pricing transparency, according to Kaiser Health News. Despite a 2021 law requiring hospitals to publicly post prices, some still provide estimates rather than exact figures, leading to criticism from advocates. The Biden administration is proposing new rules to further standardize data, increase its usefulness for consumers, and boost enforcement. However, achieving exact price tags in every situation remains challenging due to the unique nature of medical care. The proposed rules aim to make it easier for consumers to predict their expenses for nonemergency hospital care, but the complexity of the data remains a challenge.
Caring for Aging Family Members a Financial Burden as Costs Rise
The rising costs of caring for older adults is creating financial challenges for many Americans, especially as the baby boomer generation ages, according to The Hill. The price of nursing home care has increased significantly in recent years, leading to concerns about the affordability of long-term care. There remains a lack of comprehensive options for those needing extensive around-the-clock care, although some solutions, such as the Washington Cares payroll tax—through which qualifying residents can receive up to $36,500 to help cover the cost of long-term care services—provide support.
Anticipated New COVID-19 Vaccine Facing Challenges
The upcoming rollout of a new COVID-19 vaccine aimed at combating the Eris variant is expected to face a cool reception, mirroring the declining demand for annual shots since the initial vaccine campaign in 2021, according to Reuters. Hospitalizations from this variant of Omicron are increasing, but many Americans say they have forgone annual vaccinations because of the protection they believe they still have from previous shots or infections. Health care providers and pharmacies will offer the updated shot starting in September, but concerns about the virus have waned, prompting public health officials to emphasize the ongoing risk and the need for annual protection, similar to that provided by the flu shot.
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.
Read More
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.
Listen
What Mass General Brigham Is Doing to Combat Prostate Cancer Disparities Among Men of Color
May 5th 2024Quoc-Dien Trinh, MD, MBA, chief of urology at Brigham & Women's Faulkner Hospital, highlighted successful efforts to improve prostate cancer care access for underserved communities in Massachusetts.
Read More
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.
Listen
Health Equity and Access Weekly Roundup: May 4, 2024
May 4th 2024This week, the Center on Health Equity and Access highlights a variety of gaps that exist in health care, spanning women's health, the rising rate of metabolic disease, and policy for LGBTQ+ and immigrant populations. The consensus among featured experts points to comprehensive care models.
Read More