Medicare To Cover GLP-1s For Specific Conditions
Medicare Part D will cover obesity drugs if they are approved for specific medical conditions. For example, Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, just received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reduce risk of stroke or heart attack in people with cardiovascular disease and who are obese/overweight. The same rule will apply to Medicaid. The decision does not make these weight-loss drugs available more broadly.
Additional article on trials showing GLP-1s slowing kidney disease progress and cardiovascular events: https://www.managedhealthcareexecutive.com/view/ozempic-reduces-kidney-disease-progression-cardiovascular-events-by-24-
Additional articles:
https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/wsj-cms-broadens-part-d-coverage-obesity-drugs and https://www.medpagetoday.com/publichealthpolicy/medicare/109305
#weightlossdrugs #medicare #medicaid
GOP Senators Want HHS To Explain Delay In Responding To Cyberattack
Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Bill Cassidy, R-LA, and member Tommy Tuberville, R-AL, have asked why it took the Department of Health and Humans Services (HHS) almost two weeks to respond to the Change Healthcare cyberattack.
Check out my blog here on the cyberattack: https://www.healthcarelabyrinth.com/the-change-healthcare-cyberattack-what-it-is-and-its-implications/
(Article may require a subscription.)
#changehealthcare #cyberattacks
U.S. Life Expectancy Finally Rises
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that the U.S. life expectancy rate increased for the first time in two years. People born in the U.S. in 2022 can expect to live 77.5 years, an increase from 76.4 in 2021. Life expectancy dropped in the pandemic years. Still, life expectancy is below 2019 and is significantly below other developed countries.
Additional article: https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/4547241-life-expectance-covid-19/
#healthcare #lifeexpectancy #quality
Medicaid Redeterminations Continue To Reduce Rolls
The Kaiser Family Foundation has analyzed data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia and found that at least 18,679,000 Medicaid enrollees have been disenrolled as of March 20, 2024. Some do gain back coverage. About 70% were disenrolled for procedural reasons. At last report, overall Medicaid rolls were down just short of 10 million. This will grow.
#medicaid #redeterminations
Congress Races To Pass Budget Bill Before Deadline
Congressional leaders are racing to pass a funding bill by Friday to avoid a government shutdown. The bill is a reasonable compromise, but conservative Freedom Caucus members in the House are upset with one of their own, Speaker Mike Johnson.
#governmentshutdown
Review Says Social Determinant Factors Impact Breast Cancer Screening
A review of various studies finds that a number of social determinant factors impact whether women receive breast cancer screening.
#healthcare #socialdeterminants #sdohs
— Marc S. Ryan
