Media Attacking Trump Healthcare Picks As Contrarians
The mainstream media are busy attacking Donald Trump’s healthcare picks as public health and healthcare contrarians. They worry the administration could aim to set vaccine policy that is outside of the so-called mainstream.
So far, Trump has named the following to lead key agencies:
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services
- Mehmet Oz to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
- Dr. Mary Makary to lead the Food and Drug Administration
- Dr. Dave Weldon to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Janette Nesheiwat to be Surgeon General
The media are less concerned about Oz and Makary and most concerned with Kennedy and Weldon. Some of the criticism is unfair, especially toward Makary. During the COVID years, Makary stood out as a man of science and great educator, calling out the need for COVID vaccines for those most vulnerable to the virus but reasonably pushing back on COVID vaccine hysteria and other excesses.
Additional article: https://www.managedhealthcareexecutive.com/view/trump-names-picks-for-top-jobs-at-fda-and-cdc-and-also-surgeon-general
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#healthcare #trump #election2024 #hhs #cms #fda
Hospital Price Transparency Dropping Not Increasing
New findings by Patient Rights Advocate finds that just 21.1% of hospitals are in full compliance with federal price transparency rules. Compliance has slipped since July 2023. From February to November, compliance fell from 34.5% to 21.1%. The group blames the drop on poor oversight and enforcement by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). While all hospitals did post required machine-readable files, quality of the files and compliance with required elements varied greatly. Big hospital chains failed despite vast resources to comply.
#transparency #pricetransparency #hospitals
Study Finds GLP-1 Demand Could Skyrocket
With costs of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs rising dramatically, a new study finds that as many as 137 million people could benefit from taking the drugs. Researchers at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center published their findings in JAMA Cardiology. The researchers indicate that strategies to ensure equitable access are needed. Treatment costs $1,000 per month or more.
#glp1s #weightlossdrugs #drugpricing
Centene Expands Its Commission Withhold Policies
Centene is expanding its policy of withholding commissions. It notified agents and brokers that it will no longer compensate them for enrolling new members into eight Medicare Advantage (MA) plans sold in New York state and Washington state.
This is certainly unfair to agents and brokers. The commission suspension is a signal that MA plans are seeing more enrollment than desired, which threatens plans’ return to normal profitability. Current low margins are a result of poor rate hikes and low Star scores. On the positive side, the compensation change is yet more evidence that MA remains the chosen product for seniors given its substantial value over the traditional Medicare program.
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#medicareadvantage #centene #coverage #marketing
https://www.modernhealthcare.com/insurance/centene-medicare-advantage-commissions-2025
CMS Anti-Fraud Policies In Exchanges Working
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) says unauthorized, fraudulent switching from one Exchange plan to another by unethical agents and brokers is down considerably since it imposed several reforms. The unscrupulous activity is down by almost one-third recently. CMS is monitoring whether the changes impact the support agents and brokers give consumers.
#exchanges #aca #fwa #marketing
Bipartisan MA Prior Authorization Bill May Not Pass
The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act may not pass Congress despite widespread support across the aisle in each chamber. The problem is that much of what the bill does is already in regulation and including it in an end-of-year package could lead to many more healthcare requests to be included. While the bill has been scored at $0, others carry costs.
I actually oppose passage as it does further limit plans’ ability to carry out reasonable prior authorization.
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#priorauthorization #medicareadvantage
— Marc S. Ryan
