The week in healthcare reform
“Health experts warn patients may soon see big bills related to treatment for COVID-19….”
Many Insurers Are No Longer Waiving Cost Sharing for COVID-19 Treatment
Healthcare Dive | Samantha Liss | August 20, 2021
“Data shows that Black people spend more on emergency department and inpatient care while White people spend more on primary care and prescriptions.”
Racial Spending Gap in Health Care Favors White Americans, Study Finds
Very Well Health | Writer: Claire Wolters, Fact Check: Angela Underwood | August 17, 2021
“Historically, one goal of the Medicare Advantage program was to leverage the efficiencies of managed care to reduce Medicare spending. However, the program has never generated savings relative to traditional Medicare.”
KFF | Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, Juliette Cubanski, Tricia Neuman | August 17, 2021
“Physicians, having taken an oath to serve patients, have a responsibility to … engage in the policy and political arena to prevent medical and public health science from being undermined….”
COVID-19, Mask Mandates, and the Case for Physician Political Engagement
Health Affairs | Inam Sakinah | August 17, 2021
“The move is being driven by both the highly contagious variant and preliminary evidence that the vaccine’s protective effect starts dropping within months.”
Sources: US To Recommend COVID Vaccine Boosters at 8 Months
Associated Press | Zeke Miller | August 17, 2021
“…the dark progression of the highly transmissible Delta variant has obliterated much of last year’s confidence regarding kids and COVID.”
COVID and Kids: Rising Hospitalizations a Growing Concern
Capital and Main | Mark Kreidler | August 16, 2021
“…Medicare negotiators would be allowed to negotiate the prices on high-cost drugs that do not have any marketplace competitors.”
Employers Support Empowering Medicare to Negotiate Drug Prices
Health Payer Intelligence | Kelsey Waddill | August 16, 2021
“The Choose Medicare Act creates a new Medicare program — Medicare Part E — available to every individual who is not already eligible for Medicare or Medicaid.”
Reps. Boyle, Gomez, Beyer Introduce Choose Medicare Act to Achieve Universal Healthcare
Insurance News Net | Staff | August 13, 2021
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