Purdue Pharma will pay $8.3 billion in criminal charges; the CDC expands its definition of "close contact"; Ireland announces new lockdown.
Purdue Pharma, which makes OxyContin, agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges and pay roughly $8.3 billion in penalties for its role in the opioid epidemic, The New York Times reports. The Justice Department announced the settlement Wednesday, and members of the Sackler family, who own the company, will be responsible for paying $225 million in civil penalties. However, criminal investigations into the company continue, and charges can still be brought against Purdue executives or individual family members. Thousands of lawsuits had been brought against Purdue Pharma for its role in the crisis that has killed over 450,000 Americans in the past 2 decades.
The CDC expanded its definition of coming in "close contact" with an individual with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), STAT News reports. The announcement comes as new reports show the virus can be transmitted during relatively brief interactions. The CDC previously described a close contact as an individual who spent 15 minutes or more within 6 feet of an infectious person. The revised definition includes anyone who has spent a cumulative 15 minutes or more within 6 feet of an infectious individual over a period or 24 hours, even if the interaction wasn’t consecutive. Any person who has been in close contact with an infectious individual are located via contact tracing and recommended to quarantine.
Ireland has become the first European country to reimpose a COVID-19 lockdown amid a surge in cases, according to The Washington Post. The Irish government is currently urging everyone who can to “stay at home” as part of the new 6-week lockdown, although schools remain open. On Wednesday, 10 European countries announced record numbers of daily cases while Ireland has reported a total of 53,400 confirmed cases among its population of 5 million. The country has reported a total of 1868 deaths. The new measures, in place until December 1, will close most nonessential retail establishment, including hairdressers and barbers.
Health Equity Adjustments in Medicare HVBP Program Will Benefit Safety Net Hospitals, Study Says
March 29th 2024Medicare’s upcoming health equity adjustment in the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) program will reduce disproportionate penalization among safety net hospitals and those serving high proportions of Black patients, according to a recent study.
Read More
Exploring Medicare Advantage Prior Authorization Variations
March 26th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the March 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on variations in prior authorization use across Medicare Advantage plans.
Listen
Navigating Health Literacy, Social Determinants, and Discrimination in National Health Plans
February 13th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the February 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on how health plans can screen for health literacy, social determinants of health, and perceived health care discrimination.
Listen
FDA Approves Ravulizumab-cwvz for Rare Autoimmune Disease
March 28th 2024Ravulizumab-cwvz (Ultomiris) received a label expansion by the FDA for the treatment of adult neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder in patients with anti–aquaporin-4 antibodies after trials results showed it could prevent relapses.
Read More