Widespread Healthcare IT Outages Due To Security Update Error
A widespread global IT outage impacted hospitals and providers worldwide. Electronic health record software was affected in a big way. Procedures and services had to be cancelled. Some states’ 911 call centers were impacted as well. Financial institutions, airlines, and more were all impacted.
The outage was the result of a faulty routine software security update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike meant for Microsoft computers and systems running Windows. A fix was deployed.
Separately, an article discusses 911 outages generally in states as a result of a patchwork and antiquated system nationally. It is one example of our under-reimbursement in public health compared with other developed world nations.
Additional articles: https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/worldwide-it-disruption-disrupts-healthcare-delivery and https://www.modernhealthcare.com/cybersecruity/crowdstrike-outage-ehr-hospitals-epic-mychart and https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/crowdstrike-outage-hits-us-hospitals/721887/ and https://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/features/111179 and https://www.modernhealthcare.com/providers/911-outages-massachusetts-emergency-response-system-flaws-mass-general-brigham
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#hospitals #providers #healthcare
GoodRx And Drug Maker Team Up On Biosimilar For Humira
GoodRx has teamed up with drugmaker Boehringer Ingelheim to make a Humira biosimilar available at a more affordable price. As of 7/18, two formulas of the interchangeable biosimilar will be offered via GoodRx at 70,000 pharmacies nationwide, whether someone has insurance or not. It is at a price of $550 per two pack. The companies say this is a 92% discount compared to a Humira prescription. While a tremendous discount vs. a $7,300 brand two-pack price, many can still not afford the drug.
#drugpricing
Surprisingly, PBM Reforms Could Accelerate After Chevron’s Demise
Ironically, given Chevron’s demise, a bipartisan group of lawmakers might pass legislation reforming pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) practices because agencies now have less authority.
In other news, a Health Affairs Forefront blog, authors argue that the Chevron deference overturn by the Supreme Court will in fact raise the likelihood of litigation over regulations. This is different than a Health Affairs blog yesterday that downplayed impacts.
Additional article: https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/supreme-court-overrules-chevron-doctrine-ripple-effects-across-health-care
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#chevrondeference #pbms #drugpricing
https://www.modernhealthcare.com/politics-policy/chevron-ruling-pbm-bills-congress
Misleading Exchange Ads Lead To Complaints And Fraud
Good Kaiser Health News article on the problem of misleading ads, including ones that tout huge cash sums through plan enrollment, lead to major complaints and fraudulent enrollment and switches in the Exchanges. A lawsuit in Florida has been filed.
In additional news, after making some changes to protect consumers, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced new changes to prevent fraudulent activities in Exchange enrollment. CMS will block an agent or broker from making changes to a consumer’s enrollment unless the agent is already associated with the consumer.
CMS press release: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-statement-system-changes-stop-unauthorized-agent-and-broker-marketplace-activity
#aca #obamacare #exchanges #marketing #agents #brokers #fwa
Biden Administration Could Release Negotiated Medicare Drug Prices At DNC Convention
Brand drug makers are speculating that President Biden or another candidate if he bows out of the race could use the Democratic National Convention to tout the maximum fair prices for the first ten drugs in Medicare drug negotiations. The prices would be effective 1/1/2026. The announcement date should be 9/1.
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#ira #drugpricing #branddrugmakers #partd #medicareadvantage #medicare
NC Medicaid Will Add Weight-Loss Drug Coverage In Certain Cases
North Carolina will join fourteen other state Medicaid programs that offer some sort of coverage for high-cost weight-loss drugs. Most of these states cover such drugs, usually GLP-1s, for those with certain disease states. Interesting, the NC state employee plan recently ended coverage due to costs.
(Article may require a subscription.)
#weightlossdrugs #drugpricing
— Marc S. Ryan