White House Scales Back School Lunch Standards
One of former first lady Michelle Obama’s main goals had been to make children healthier, and that included healthier school lunches. However, the new administration is unwinding some school lunch standards to give schools more flexibility with the meals they provide, reported The Wall Street Journal. Schools receiving federal funding for meals won’t have to meet certain guidelines. The administration says schools have found the regulations tough to meet in the past and students didn’t find the healthy lunches appetizing.
Being Overweight Costs America Billions of Dollars
Meanwhile, a new study analyzed the cost of being overweight and how being active in youth benefits a child later in life. USA Today reported that if half of America’s children exercised more, it would save the country $21.9 billion in lifetime lost wages and medical bills. Researchers looked specifically at children age 8 through 11 and determined that if half exercised for 25 minutes, 3 times a week, there would be 340,000 fewer children overweight and obese.
Surprise Defection on GOP Health Plan
The White House is hoping to see a vote on the American Health Care Act (AHCA) this week, but GOP leaders were dealt an unexpected blow by a new defection. According to Politico, Representative Billy Long, R-Missouri, a longtime supporter of President Donald Trump, has announced he will not vote for the Republican plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. Long highlighted concerns with the latest version of AHCA, which allows states to apply for waivers to not cover preexisting conditions.
The Joint Commission is launching the Rural Health Clinic Accreditation Program to standardize staff training and patient care practices at rural health clinics nationwide; the American Cancer Society recently launched the largest-ever study of cancer risk and outcomes in Black women; the HHS COVID-19 vaccination campaign saved $732 billion by preventing illness and related costs.
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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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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.
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AUA Session Highlights the General Urologist’s Role in Gender-Affirming Care
May 7th 2024During her session, Polina Reyblat, MD, Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, highlighted best practices urologists should incorporate to make transgender and gender-diverse patients comfortable during physical exams and avoid retraumatization.
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