On October 11, 2024, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) held the second day of its October 2024 public meeting. The sessions focused on home health and included discussions of recent changes to the Medicare Home Health Prospective Payment System (PPS) and home health use among Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollees.
On September 18, 2024, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a markup of 16 bills, including 10 health care bills. The health care bills focused on a variety of topics, including telehealth permanency, Medicaid eligibility for military members and seniors, and nursing home issues such as hiring and a resolution condemning the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) rule on nursing home staffing.
On November 3, 2023, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) held the final day of its November meetings. Two sessions were held regarding issues related to Medicare Advantage (MA) plans: coding and favorable selection and network management and prior authorization (PA).
Sanders, AHA Disagree over Charity Care Standards
According to a new report by Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chair Bernie Sanders, most non-profit hospitals don’t provide enough charity care to justify their tax-exempt status. To rectify this, Sanders’ report recommends tying tax exemption to a certain level of charity care, setting better standards for financial assistance, and defining the community engagement that non-profit hospitals are required to partake in. In a separate report released this week, the American Hospital Association (AHA) disputed Sanders’ findings by pointing out that non-profit hospitals provided more than $129 billion in total benefits to their communities in 2020. According to AHA CEO Rick Pollack, these benefits include housing assistance, financial aid, and patient education.
Walgreens’ Pharmacy Staff Go On 3-Day Strike
Several hundred pharmacists and pharmacy staff employed by Walgreens went on strike for 3 days this week to protest poor working conditions. The strike follows recent walkouts at fellow pharmacy CVS and health care provider Kaiser Permanente. According to staff, the strike is a response to increasing pressure from management to hit quotas for vaccinations, prescriptions filled, and testing, as well as bullying and harassment from customers. To improve working conditions, staff are asking for dedicated training time for new staff, changes to the quota system, and more transparency in hour staff hours are set. 1 day after the strike ended, Walgreens announced plans to close 60 clinics and exit 5 markets as part of a $1 billion cost-cutting program.
CDC: Long COVID Rare in Children
Long COVID is rare among children, according to new survey data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The survey found 1.3% of children had long COVID in 2022 and 0.5% currently have it in 2023. The survey defined long COVID as post-viral symptoms lasting more than 3 months. While long COVID can include a multitude of conditions, the most common are fatigue, shortness of breath, and chronic pain. The survey data comes as public health experts and educators continue to debate whether school closures and other non-pharmaceutical interventions intended to limit children’s exposure to COVID-19 were justified.
FDA Launches New Committee on Digital Health, AI
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launched a new Digital Health Advisory Committee that will be tasked with advising the agency’s leaders on the risk, benefits, and possible outcomes of emerging technologies. Possible subjects of exploration for the committee include artificial intelligence (AI) virtual reality, digital therapeutics, wearables, and remote patient monitoring. The committee’s announcement comes as FDA’s regulatory activities have grown to include AI-enabled medical devices, clinical decision support software, and genomic data. The committee, which is slated to have 9 members, is expected to be operational sometime next year.
ICYMI: Tours Aim to Show to the Scary Side of Washington
A pair of tours hope to give patrons a sense of the paranormal side of Congress and Capitol Hill. National Nightmares’ Hill of Haunts walking tours on Fridays and Saturdays in October will immerse participants in the ghost stories and hauntings of the Capitol, the Library of Congress, and congressional office buildings. Just a few miles away at the Congressional Cemetery, Soul Strolls provides visitors with a haunting recap of the cemetery’s more famous residents, complete with portrayals from local actors.
Moderna Requests Authorization for COVID-19 Vaccine in Children under 6
Moderna announced on Thursday that it has begun the application process for emergency use authorization (EUA) for its COVID-19 vaccine in children six months to six years of age. Moderna also released revised clinical trial data on Thursday that showed its two-shot regimen is 51% effective at preventing symptoms in children ages 6 months to under 2 years. However, Moderna’s application process is ongoing, and the company is not expected to submit all of its clinical trial data to the FDA until the first week of May. According to a tentative schedule by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), kids under age six maybe be able to receive their COVID-19 vaccine from Moderna as soon as this June.
Administration Finalizes the 2023 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters
On Thursday, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule on the 2023 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters, which includes updates to the nondiscrimination policy for Affordable Care Act essential health benefits, standardized health plan options, and other changes. The rule also refined prospective network adequacy reviews to focus on time and distance as well as appointment waiting times starting in plan year 2024.
New CDC Data Shows Most Americans Have Had COVID-19
New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that at least 60% of adults and 75% percent of children have been infected with COVID-19. The latest figures show a considerable jump from December 2021 data which estimated that 35% of adults at the time had contracted the virus at some point. According to a CDC report, the higher percentage of Americans having COVID-19 over the past several months can be contributed to the more transmissible Omicron variant. The CDC gathered the data by analyzing blood specimens.
Former Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) dies at 88
On April 23, former Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), the longest-serving Republican senator, died in his home in Salt Lake City at age 88. First elected to the Senate in 1977, Hatch was an ardent conservative who helped advance the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 while serving as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. Hatch also made a bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000 but lost to George W. Bush. In contrast to other members of Congress who recently passed away – including Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) and Rep. Don Young (R-AK) – Hatch will not lie in state at the US Capitol. Instead, Hatch will lie in state at the Utah State Capitol due to the late senator’s strong connections to the state.
ICYMI: Wild Turkey Attacks People in DC Parks
If you’re visiting Washington, DC anytime soon, you may want to take extra caution when visiting Anacostia Park and Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. That’s where a wild male turkey has been aggressively attacking cyclists, runners, pedestrians, and nature enthusiasts for at least the past five months. The National Park Service says they’re aware of the turkey and have been attempting to catch it for weeks. Until the turkey is captured, park rangers are advising people to “appear bigger and louder” if they come across the animal.
