First Edition: July 1, 2021

KHN: How One Rural Town Without A Pharmacy Is Crowdsourcing To Get Meds
The building that once housed the last drugstore in this town of fewer than 600 is now a barbecue restaurant, where pit boss Larry Holtman dishes out smoked brisket and pulled pork across the same counter where pharmacists dispensed vital medications more than 30 years ago. It’s an hourlong drive over treacherous mountain passes to Laramie, Wyoming, or Granby or Steamboat Springs, Colorado — and the nearest pharmacies. The routes out of the valley in which Walden lies are regularly closed by heavy winter snows, keeping residents in and medications out. (Hawryluk, 7/1)

KHN: Damage To Children’s Education — And Their Health — Could Last A Lifetime 
Before the pandemic, 16-year-old Na’ryen Cayou had everything he needed. He had his own room. A partial scholarship to a boys’ prep school. A spot playing trombone in the marching band, performing in parades all over New Orleans. Then covid-19 blew through the Big Easy like a hurricane, washing away nearly everything that helped him feel safe and secure. Schools shut down. His mom lost her job and couldn’t make the rent. Their landlord evicted them. (Szabo, 7/1)

USA Today: Heat Wave In Northwest Linked To Hundreds Of Deaths
Authorities from Oregon to British Columbia are investigating hundreds of deaths in connection to the historic heat wave in the Pacific Northwest corridor. Temperatures in Oregon topped 117 Monday, according to the National Weather Service, due to a heat dome trapping hot air over the state and its neighbors. At least 63 people have died since Friday, the State Medical Examiner's office said, and "preliminary investigation suggests may be associated with the Pacific Northwest heatwave," said Oregon State Police Captain Tim Fox. That number was based on reports from each county's medical office and could fluctuate as more information becomes available. (Aspegren, 6/30)

AP: Historic Northwest Heat Wave May Have Killed Hundreds
Hundreds of deaths in Canada, Oregon and Washington may have been caused by the historic heat wave that baked the Pacific Northwest and shattered all-time temperature records in usually temperate cities. Oregon health officials said late Wednesday more than 60 deaths have been tied to the heat, with the state’s largest county, Multnomah, blaming the weather for 45 deaths since the heat wave began Friday. British Columbia’s chief coroner, Lisa Lapointe, said her office received reports of at least 486 “sudden and unexpected deaths” between Friday and 1 p.m. Wednesday. Normally, she said about 165 people would die in the province over a five-day period. (Selsky and Morris, 7/1)

The Washington Post: Record Heat In Northeast Bakes Boston And New York 
When one side of the Lower 48 is dealing with hot weather, it tends to be relatively cool on the opposite end. Not this week. Heat domes situated over both corners of the contiguous United States on Tuesday promoted record-high temperatures in the Northeast at the same time the Pacific Northwest sizzled amid unprecedented temperatures. Numerous records were set across New England and parts of the Mid-Atlantic region on Tuesday. Both Boston and Hartford, Conn., hit 99 degrees, each setting high marks for the date. Newark matched its highest temperature recorded in June. Records extended from the eastern Great Lakes region to Maine. (Livingston, 6/30)

The New York Times: New York City Alerts Residents To Conserve Energy To Avoid Outages 
If four days of sweltering temperatures had not already distressed some New Yorkers, the emergency alert that jolted residents’ cellphones on Wednesday afternoon surely did. “Conserve energy: NYC is urging all households and businesses to immediately limit energy usage to prevent power outages as the intense heat continues,” read the alert, which was sent out citywide around 4 p.m. “Please avoid the use of energy-intensive appliances such as washers, dryers and microwaves. Limit unnecessary use of air conditioning.” (Zaveri and Wong, 6/30)

NBC News: Heat Wave On West Coast Hints At Climate Change, Scientists Say
Larry O'Neill knew a heat wave was coming, but he still couldn't believe what the climate models were telling him. The projected temperatures for this week were so unusually high — between 115 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit across parts of the Pacific Northwest — that O'Neill, Oregon's state climatologist, felt something must be off." The predictions seemed completely outlandish," said O'Neill, an associate professor at Oregon State University. "They were so crazy insane that professional forecasters and people like myself thought something must be wrong with the models." (Chow, 6/29)

The New York Times: How To Stay Cool In A Heat Wave 
Staying cool and hydrating often are the two most important things you can do to avoid feeling sick and discomfort when it’s extremely hot. If you don’t have an air conditioning unit, or if your A.C. has been on nonstop and you still feel hot, here are ways to cool your body and home. (Blum, 6/29)

Des Moines Register: Biden Calls Iowan's Mom After Signing VA Mental Health Law Named For Son
Beverly Kittoe was working in her hair salon Wednesday when she received an unexpected call from Washington, D.C. She didn't recognize the number, but decided to answer. The caller was a White House staffer. The staffer asked if Kittoe could spare a few minutes to speak to President Joe Biden about her son, Iowa National Guard veteran Brandon Ketchum. Yes, Kittoe replied. Of course she could. The president had just signed a bill named for Ketchum, who died by suicide in 2016. The bill, co-sponsored by all four Iowa members of the U.S. House of Representatives, aims to improve access to VA mental health services for rural veterans. (Leys, 6/30)

Politico: FEMA Changes Rules For Covid-19 Funeral Aid Program After Outcry 
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has changed its pandemic funeral assistance policy to allow family members of those who died from Covid-19 to submit for reimbursement even if the death certificate does not identify the illness as the cause of death. FEMA said Tuesday that people whose family member died between Jan. 20 and May 16, 2020, can apply for aid if they submit a signed letter from a coroner, medical examiner or official who certified their relative’s death certificate that links the death to Covid-19. (Banco, 6/30)

NPR: White House Celebrates Vaccine Progress With Free Beer And Bill Pullman
America hasn't quite reached President Biden's July Fourth vaccination goal, but the White House isn't letting that get in the way of a good party. Starting Saturday, Biden and other administration officials will fan out around the country to celebrate that hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 are way down and life is getting back to normal. And even though not quite 70% of American adults are expected to have received their first shot by the Independence Day milestone, Budweiser is officially unlocking its free beer giveaway, one of many incentives dangled to try to lure people to roll up their sleeves ahead of July Fourth. That news was announced by actor Bill Pullman, who reprised the epic presidential speech of the 1996 blockbuster Independence Day, a movie about an alien invasion. (Keith, 6/30)

AP: First Lady, Second Gentleman Push COVID-19 Shots In Arizona
Jill Biden on Wednesday appealed to Arizona residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19, aiming to counter skepticism by declaring that the vaccines are safe and have been vigorously tested. “I’m here to ask all the viewers on these TV stations to please make the choice to get vaccinated because it’s safe,” she said in a speech before an invited audience and TV cameras after touring a vaccine clinic at Isaac Middle School in Phoenix. Just 40% of eligible Arizonans have been fully vaccinated. (Superville, 6/30)

The New York Times: Layers Of Red Tape Burden U.S. Vaccine Donations 
When a commercial plane carrying 2.5 million doses of Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine took off on Wednesday from Dallas for Islamabad, Pakistan, U.S. officials had just finished a dizzying bureaucratic back-and-forth to get them there. The United States had arranged a donation agreement with Moderna and Covax, the year-old vaccine-sharing initiative. Covax had previously worked out indemnity agreements with Moderna, which shield the company from liability for potential harm from the vaccine. U.S. Embassy officials in Islamabad had worked with regulators there to evaluate the Food and Drug Administration’s review of the vaccine. And Pakistani regulators had to pore over reams of materials on the vaccine lots and the factory where they were made before authorizing the shots for use. (Weiland, 7/1)

USA Today: Johnson & Johnson Vaccine May Protect Against Delta Variant
A top U.S. official suggested Wednesday that people who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine likely are protected against the delta variant. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy told CNBC that data shows the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot — a "cousin" of the J&J — is highly effective against the variant first identified in India and currently surging across the nation. “While we are still awaiting direct studies of Johnson & Johnson and the delta variant, we have reasons to be hopeful, because the J&J vaccine has proven to be quite effective against preventing hospitalizations and deaths, with all the variants that we’ve seen to date,” Murthy said. (Aspegren, 7/1)

The New York Times: AstraZeneca Booster Shot Lifts Immune Response, Study Finds 
A third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford generated a strong immune response in clinical trial volunteers, Oxford researchers reported on Monday. The finding indicates that the AstraZeneca vaccine could be an option should third shots end up being needed, for example, to extend immunity. To date, the vaccine has been given as two doses, typically between four and 12 weeks apart. (Robbins, 6/28)

Reuters: CureVac COVID-19 Vaccine Records Only 48% Efficacy In Final Trial Readout 
CureVac said its COVID-19 vaccine was 48% effective in the final analysis of its pivotal mass trial, only marginally better than the 47% reported after an initial read-out two weeks ago. The German biotech firm said that efficacy, measured by preventing symptomatic disease, was slightly better at 53% when excluding trial participants older than 60 years, an age group that is by far the most severely affected. (Burger, 7/1)

Fox News: Pfizer To Request COVID-19 Vaccine Emergency Approval For Kids Ages 5-11 By Fall
Younger children could become eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine this fall, according to a top executive at Pfizer who noted plans to request emergency approval for use of its vaccine in kids aged 5 to 11 by September or October. Dr. Alejandra Gurtman, vice president of vaccine clinical research and development at Pfizer, appeared along with representatives from other major drugmakers to talk data and timelines behind pediatric clinical trials Thursday during a Johns Hopkins University-University of Washington virtual symposium. Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine is currently authorized for use in individuals aged 12 and older. (Rivas, 6/30)

Detroit Free Press: $5M COVID-19 Vaccine Sweepstakes, Scholarships Coming To Michigan
Are you feeling lucky, Michigan? Gov. Gretchen Whitmer plans to announce details Thursday of a COVID-19 vaccine sweepstakes that will give vaccinated Michiganders a chance to win a combined total of more than $5 million in cash and nine college scholarships worth $55,000 apiece. Called the MI Shot to Win Sweepstakes, the lottery-style raffle will be operated by the state in conjunction with Meijer and the Michigan Association of United Ways as an incentive to encourage more residents to get vaccinated. (Jordan Shamus, 6/30)

San Francisco Chronicle: Facebook Will Be Sending A Vaccination Truck Into Bay Area Neighborhoods
Facebook’s community vaccine efforts are going mobile. In an effort to get coronavirus vaccines to underserved communities, the company said it is partnering with Bay Area nonprofits to send a mobile vaccine truck to schools near its Menlo Park headquarters. The truck will show up at different schools on the Peninsula on Fridays and Sundays throughout the summer and can administer up to 40 doses per hour. More information about timing and schedules for the Friday trucks will be posted at www.facebook.com/RavenswoodSchools while Sunday information will be available at facebook.com/FBMobileFarmersMarket. Facebook’s Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg announced the effort in an online post Wednesday. (DiFeliciantonio, 6/30)

AP: No Indictment For Doctor Accused Of COVID-19 Vaccine Theft
A grand jury on Wednesday declined to indict a former Houston-area health department doctor who was accused of stealing nine doses of coronavirus vaccine from a damaged vial and administering them to family and friends. Prosecutors had alleged that Dr. Hasan Gokal, who worked for Harris County Public Health, stole a vial of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine while working at a vaccination site at a suburban Houston park on Dec. 29. His attorney said Gokal was only trying to save lives by using doses that would have been thrown away. (Lozano, 7/1)

The Boston Globe: Massachusetts Senior Care Company Mandates COVID Shots For Workers — A First For State’s Nursing Homes
Citing rising concern about a rapidly spreading and more contagious strain of the novel coronavirus, a Massachusetts senior care company Wednesday announced it will mandate COVID-19 shots for all of its workers, becoming one of the first in the state to take such action. The decision by Legacy Lifecare comes as vaccination rates remain stubbornly low at many Massachusetts nursing homes and some other senior care facilities, placing thousands of frail residents at risk. Roughly 30 percent of Massachusetts nursing home staff are not vaccinated, according to the most recent state data. (Lazar, 6/30)

AP: Montana Governor Lifts State Of Emergency For Coronavirus
Gov. Greg Gianforte on Wednesday announced he is lifting Montana’s state of emergency for the coronavirus pandemic, more than 15 months after it was imposed under his predecessor. The Republican governor announced the move during a tour of a restaurant in Billings as COVID-19 case rates continue to slowly decline. (Brown, 6/30)

The Baltimore Sun: Some Of Maryland’s COVID Emergency Mandates End Today. What Will Change? 
Many of Maryland’s emergency restrictions, including a statewide mask mandate, will end Thursday. Gov. Larry Hogan announced last month that Maryland would lift its COVID-19 state of emergency in two phases, with some policies ending Thursday and others after a 45-day grace period through Aug. 15. Hogan declared a state of emergency at the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, and extended it as the pandemic persisted. The order allowed the governor to impose restrictions and suspend regulations “if necessary in order to protect the public health, welfare, or safety.” (Lawrence, 7/1)

AP: Arkansas Has Biggest One-Day Virus Case Spike In 4 Months
Arkansas reported its biggest one-day spike in coronavirus cases in four months Wednesday, an increase the state’s governor said was being fueled by the delta variant of the virus. The state reported 686 new virus cases, bringing its total since the pandemic began to 349,385. The state’s active cases, meaning those that don’t include people who have recovered or died from the virus, increased by 398 to 3,763. (6/30)

New Orleans Times-Picayune: First Case Of Delta-Plus, 'Double-Whammy' Variant Of COVID, Detected In Louisiana
The Delta variant of COVID-19 has spawned a new, troubling variant known as Delta-plus that has been identified for the first time in Louisiana, according to officials at Ochsner Health. Delta-plus is thought to have the same higher rate of transmission as the Delta variant, which was originally identified in India and is about two times as infectious as the original coronavirus strain. But it also has a characteristic of variants from South Africa and Brazil that makes it harder for antibodies to block it from entering cells. (Woodruff, 6/30)

AP: California Virus Cases Rising As Delta Variant Spreads
California broadly reopened its economy barely two weeks ago and since then an especially contagious coronavirus variant has spread among the unvaccinated, a development that has health officials on edge and already has prompted Los Angeles County to strongly recommend everyone resume wearing masks inside. The nation’s most populous state is averaging close to 1,000 additional cases reported daily, an increase of about 17% in the last 14 days. Officials expected an increase when capacity limits were lifted for businesses and most mask restrictions and social distancing requirements were eliminated for vaccinated people. (Taxin and Dazio, 7/1)

Houston Chronicle: Several Houston-Area Kids Infected With COVID Delta Variant, Hospitals Say
Texas Medical Center hospitals are seeing an uptick in patients infected with the COVID-19 Delta variant, and infections are prevalent among young children and adults who have not been immunized. At Texas Children’s Hospital, fewer than 10 kids have been diagnosed with the Delta variant, which epidemiologists say is more transmissible than the original strain of SARS-CoV-2. Doctors have diagnosed 48 cases of the Delta variant at Houston Methodist since the end of April. “The big concern with Delta is that it could spread like wildfire,” said Dr. James Versalovic, interim pediatrician-in-chief at Texas Children’s Hospital. (Wu, 6/30)

CNN: What Parents Need To Know About Children And The Delta Variant 
The Delta variant of Covid-19 is more contagious than other lineages, and is spreading rapidly in under-vaccinated populations. While vaccination is a matter of choice for adults, many children -- particularly those under the age of 12 -- cannot get vaccinated at all. That leaves a lot of uncertainty, especially for parents and caregivers considering summer camps and school. (Langmaid, 6/30)

The Wall Street Journal: Vaccinated People Who Get Infected Carry Less Covid-19 Virus, CDC Researchers Say
People who became infected with Covid-19 after getting a messenger RNA vaccine carried less virus and had shorter cases than unvaccinated people who became infected, a study by government health researchers found. Sixteen people in the study who got infected, despite taking a Pfizer Inc. or Moderna Inc. vaccine, had on average 40% less virus in their nose compared with the 155 unvaccinated people who became sick, according to the study, published online Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. (Hopkins, 6/30)

NBC News: Common Cold Or Covid? Upper Respiratory Symptoms Are Growing More Prevalent, Docs Say
Doctors are beginning to notice Covid-19 cases that look more like a very bad cold, especially in areas of the country where the highly contagious delta variant is quickly spreading. While shortness of breath and other lung issues remain among the most worrisome Covid-19 symptoms, it appears upper respiratory complaints — marked by congestion, a runny nose and headache — may be increasing. (Edwards, 6/30)

The New York Times: Why You Still Might Want To Have A Home Covid Test On Hand 
Got the sniffles? Worried about that night out in a crowded dance club? Or maybe you just want to visit grandma but are concerned about her risk, even though you’re vaccinated. At-home rapid Covid tests — which allow you to swab your own nose and get the results in minutes — can be a useful and reassuring way for both the vaccinated and unvaccinated to navigate the ongoing pandemic. (Parker-Pope, 6/29)

CIDRAP: Some Wildlife Species May Harbor SARS-CoV-2 And Pose Risk To People
Inoculation with SARS-CoV-2 resulted in viral shedding in deer mice, bushy-tailed woodrats, and striped skunks but not cottontail rabbits, fox squirrels, Wyoming ground squirrels, black-tailed prairie dogs, house mice, or raccoons, according to an Emerging Infectious Diseases study yesterday. The researchers chose these animals based on their peridomestic status in the United States. In other words, because these wild animals are often in close contact with humans, they may present future danger if SARS-CoV-2 is able to infect them, evolve, and then cross back to humans. (6/30)

CNN: It's Time To Rethink 'One-Size-Fits-All' Approach To Mask Guidance, Expert Says, As Delta Variant Is Spotted In Every US State 
With uneven vaccination rates across the US and a the Delta variant now spotted in all 50 states, a health expert is warning the federal government's mask guidance should be more focused. "Part of the problem is that the CDC is trying to use a one-size-fits-all recommendation for the country rather than being a bit more surgical in identifying hot spot areas where transmission is accelerating," Dr. Peter Hotez told CNN's Jake Tapper Wednesday. (Elamroussi, 7/1)

CBS News: Fauci Says It Doesn't Seem The CDC Will Change Mask Recommendations Despite Growing Concern About Delta Variant 
As many U.S. states continue to relax COVID-19 protocols, concerns are growing about the more contagious Delta variant. But while the World Health Organization is encouraging people to keep wearing masks even if they're vaccinated, Dr. Anthony Fauci says it doesn't look like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently plans to change its guidelines. "The CDC continually monitors the situation and I'm sure would remain flexible, that if any changes are warranted based on the evolving situation, they would then make a change in their recommendation. But right now, it doesn't look that way," Fauci said in an interview Wednesday on CBSN. "It looks like they're going to continue to stay by their original recommendation." Under the CDC recommendations, fully vaccinated people can resume most indoor and outdoor activities without wearing a mask or social distancing. (Powell, 6/30)

AP: GOP Congressman Flouts Mask Rules On Airline Flight To Texas
A Texas congressman who has been an outspoken critic of COVID-19 mask mandates went without a mask for at least a portion of a commercial airline flight Tuesday evening, an apparent violation of federal law. Republican Rep. Chip Roy flew from Washington back to his home district in Austin to attend a border security event held Wednesday with former President Donald Trump. (Biesecker, 7/1)

Stateline: Parents Face Dilemma In States That Ban School Mask Mandates
This month, Tempe mother Kammy Pany was disappointed to learn the Arizona House passed a measure that would prohibit all school districts and charter schools from requiring masks. After being home for a year, her three elementary school-aged children were excited to return to lessons in person this fall. But because of their compromised immune systems and the likely mask change, Pany felt she had no choice but to find a school that offered online learning. After researching about six, she finally found one. “It’s been difficult, and the kids at this point, they stopped asking about going back to school,” Pany said. “They stopped asking about friends. They're just used to this new life. ... It’s been pretty isolating for all of us.” (Wright, 6/30)

Axios: Walmart Rolls Out Cash-Pay Novo Nordisk Insulin 
Walmart is now selling rapid-acting insulins, made by drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk, for cash prices of $73 per vial and $86 for a box of five pre-filled syringes. Walmart is attempting to retain and attract more diabetes patients to its stores by offering a more modern insulin at a lower cash price. Novo Nordisk is trying to keep its insulin market share. But this deal doesn't ensure an affordable price for patients and the broader public. (Herman, 6/30)

Stat: Calls Grow For An Investigation Into FDA Approval Of New Alzheimer’s Drug
Former health secretary Donna Shalala called for a federal investigation into the Food and Drug Administration’s polarizing approval of a Biogen treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, citing STAT’s revelation Tuesday that regulators were far more closely aligned with the company than previously disclosed. “When you see a report like this, you have to investigate it,” said Shalala, a former member of Congress who led the Department of Health and Human Services under President Clinton. “You cannot hesitate and you can’t do it with your general counsel. You’ve got to send in the Office of Inspector General. I mean, you shouldn’t hesitate for one second.” (Garde and Florko, 6/30)

Stat: ICER Nudges Cost-Effective Price For Alzheimer's Drug To $3,000 To $8,400
The controversial new Alzheimer’s drug from Biogen (BIIB) would be cost-effective only if priced between $3,000 and $8,400, which represents an 85% to 95% discount off the $56,000 list price, due to “insufficient” evidence the drug benefits patients, according to a revised analysis. The assessment is very similar to an evaluation that was issued last month, before the Food and Drug Administration approved the medicine and issued a broad label. This means the medication can be prescribed to potentially millions of patients, regardless of the extent of their disease, even though Biogen tested its drug only on people with mild cognitive impairment to mild Alzheimer’s. (Silverman, 6/30)

Bloomberg: Generic Drug Prices For Patients Vary By $50 A Pill Among US Hospitals
Costs for common generic drugs can vary among hospitals by more than $50 a pill, a study has found, with some health centers ignoring federal regulations designed to make pricing information easily accessible to patients. GoodRx Holdings Inc., a digital healthcare platform, compared prices for 12 generic drugs at 16 hospitals. Some charged a nearly 6,000% markup on average compared with the pharmacy price for the same drug. Zoloft, used for depression and anxiety, costs $57 a pill at a Las Vegas hospital but just 50 cents a pill at a Tennessee hospital. (Torrence, 6/30)

Stat: Gene Therapy To Aid Recovery After A Heart Attack Passes A Key Test 
By delivering a viral payload of gene silencers directly to the heart, scientists have developed a new strategy for regenerating cardiac muscle after damage from a heart attack. Described in a paper published Wednesday in Science Translational Medicine, the approach led to new cell growth and improved heart function in pigs. The findings, though preliminary, indicate it’s possible to prod cardiac muscle cells into regenerating, at least long enough to stave off some of the worst after-effects of a heart attack. If the gene therapy bears out as safe and effective in further testing, it might someday be used to address the root cause of heart failure — one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. (Molteni, 6/30)

Stat: Mallinckrodt Clear To Make Deal For Rare Disease Drug; Parents Worry On Access
A federal bankruptcy court judge has approved the sale of a rare disease drug to a startup company backed by venture capitalist Peter Thiel, a notable step in one of the latest dramas over access to experimental medicines. At issue is adrabetadex, which Mallinckrodt (MNKKQ) was studying to combat Niemann-Pick type C, or NPC, a rare progressive genetic disorder that mainly affects children. But the company ended clinical testing earlier this year after studies indicated the drug had no benefit. That was a devastating decision for families because there is currently no treatment for NPC approved for use in the U.S. (Silverman, 6/30)

Stat: Washington’s Antitrust Push Could Limit Amazon, Google Health Ambitions
Washington is abuzz with an ambitious new antitrust effort to rein in the power of tech industry power players like Apple, Amazon, Google, and Facebook — and the effort could limit their ascent in the health care industry. Tech companies are already major players in the health care space — think Amazon’s decision to launch its own pharmacy, or Google’s acquisition of Fitbit — and they have their sights set even bigger. If major antitrust reform passes, it could inject legal uncertainty into future plans, analysts and attorneys said. (Cohrs, 7/1)

Modern Healthcare: Amedisys To Acquire Skilled Nursing Provider Contessa Health
Amedisys, a home health, hospice and personal care company, on Wednesday said it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire Nashville-based Contessa Health, a hospital-at-home and skilled nursing facility at-home provider, the company said. The $250-million acquisition is expected to close in late summer. Contessa will become a wholly-owned division of Baton Rouge, La.-based Amedisys. Amedisys Chairman and CEO Paul Kusserow characterized the acquisition as "strategic" and said it will allow the company to provide higher-acuity in-home care. (Christ, 6/30)

Modern Healthcare: Blue Cross NC Initiative To Reduce Burden For Independent Physicians
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is investing in a new company aimed at helping independent physicians grow and strengthen their practices. Blue Cross NC has partnered with investment firm Deerfield Management Company in the joint venture, which will offer management infrastructure, technology support and marketplace information. Independent physicians can either allow Blue Cross NC to acquire their practice's non-clinical assets, or they can use the joint venture as a vendor to bring in contracted services to manage their practice's non-clinical operations. (Devereaux, 6/30)

Modern Healthcare: Hospitals At Odds Over CMS Plans For New GME Slots
Hospitals are at odds over how CMS should distribute an additional 1,000 graduate medical education slots, according to comments on the agency's proposed inpatient prospective payment system rule. After 25 years of inaction, Congress finally increased the number of Medicare-supported GME slots to address the nation's growing doctor shortage in its December spending bill. The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates the U.S. will need 37,800 to 124,000 more physicians by 2034 to keep up with demand, so the additional capacity is necessary given how long it takes to train doctors. (Brady, 6/30)

Crain's Detroit Business: Rising Pay In Other Industries Blows Holes In Healthcare's Workforce
Beaumont Health has more than 2,600 open positions across its eight hospitals and more than 165 outpatient centers. Roughly 20% of those positions fall under one job — medical assistant. A medical assistant performs relatively routine tasks, such as filling out insurance forms, scheduling laboratory appointments or preparing patients for treatment. But, increasingly, the job is becoming more clinical and their responsibilities expanding to where medical assistants are functionally bedside nurses. And as one of the lowest paid clinical jobs in healthcare — the median wage in the U.S. is $17.23 per hour and $16.75 per hour in Michigan with an entry-level wage of $13.63 — the roles are increasingly more difficult to fill as workers seek employment in other industries that require less training and offer better benefits and bigger pay than healthcare. (Walsh, 6/30)

CIDRAP: Sharp US Declines In Cancer Screening During Pandemic
Nearly 16 months after the COVID-19 pandemic began in the United States, new studies are showing just how far reaching the repercussions of the pandemic have been on the US population. A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published in Preventive Medicine shows sharp declines in both routine breast cancer and cervical cancer screenings, with screening for breast cancer declining 87% and cervical cancer screening declining 84% during April 2020 as compared with the previous 5-year averages for that month. (Soucheray, 6/30)

NBC News: Post-Pandemic Rise In Sexually Transmitted Diseases Imminent, Experts Warn
As Americans start to emerge from the pandemic, public health experts and doctors have a dire warning about a possible new health crisis this summer, one that involves a different type of infection: sexually transmitted diseases. “We are expecting the summer of love,” said David Harvey, executive director of the National Coalition of STD Directors. “People are going to be connecting this summer as they come out of the pandemic and we think that is unfortunately going to drive STI rates even higher,” he said, referring to sexually transmitted infections. (Dunn, 7/1)

The New York Times: Air Pollution’s Invisible Toll On Your Health 
President Biden’s proposed infrastructure plan calling for huge investments in clean energy, public transportation and electric vehicles would do a lot more than slow the rate of devastating climate change. It would also protect the health of every American, especially young children and older adults, by reducing the harmful effects of the invisible air pollutants inhaled year after year. Toxic substances like fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and ozone form primarily when fossil fuels are burned and enter the atmosphere in the exhaust from motor vehicles, heating units and smoke from wildfires. Inhaling such pollutants can cause bodily damage that lasts for years, if not for life, and may even lead to death. (Brody, 6/28)

AP: New Jersey Gamblers Can Light Up Sunday As Smoking Ban Ends
New Jersey’s yearlong coronavirus-inspired ban on smoking in Atlantic City casinos will end Sunday, just in time for the Fourth of July holiday. Gov. Phil Murphy said Wednesday that an order he signed ending a public health emergency contained a “sunset” provision winding down the smoking ban within 30 days, which is Sunday. (Parry, 7/1)

Philadelphia Inquirer: N.J. Hospitals Can Now Build Housing For Those Experiencing Homelessness, Connecting Need To Services
Saying the state has to “think creatively,” New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation Wednesday to let hospitals build housing for people experiencing homelessness, a measure that supporters say represents an important step toward better health care. The idea is that permanent, stable housing is a key to good health. People who are homeless are more likely to be hospitalized more often, to stay in the hospital longer once they’re there, and to require more care during treatment. Providing affordable housing near hospitals could help head that off. Several New Jersey hospitals have been moving forward with plans for partnerships and pilot programs. (Gammage, 7/1)

The New York Times: Sacramento Mulls A New Homeless Strategy: Legally Mandating Housing 
The mayor of Sacramento on Wednesday announced a plan to legally obligate California’s capital city to house its growing homeless population, a policy shift that would open a new front in the state’s struggle to address what has become a signature California social ill. Californians “are becoming homeless faster than we can get people the help they need,” said the mayor, Darrell Steinberg, as he proposed a municipal “right to housing” and a parallel “obligation” for homeless people to accept shelter when it is offered. (Hubler, 6/30)

Politico: Maine Governor Vetoes Bill Partially Decriminalizing Prostitution 
Maine Gov. Janet Mills vetoed legislation that would have made the state the first in the nation to fight sex trafficking by partially decriminalizing prostitution. The measure, which passed the state Legislature along party lines, would have reduced prostitution penalties for people who have been sold into the sex trade and provide them social services and opportunities. It would have also increased punishment for pimps and traffickers who coerce often vulnerable people into the underground network. (Crampton, 6/30)

Fox News: Maine Confirms Tick-Borne Powassan Virus Case: Symptoms To Watch For
Maine confirmed the first case of Powassan virus this year in a midcoastal resident who was hospitalized due to the illness. According to a health advisory, the resident, whose age and exact location were not revealed, exhibited symptoms of the illness in June. Officials did not say what the patient’s current health status is. "This individual likely acquired this Powassan encephalitis infection in the state of Maine," the health advisory said. "There are two types of Powassan virus in the United States. The first type, often called lineage 1 Powassan virus is associated with Ixodes cookei or the woodchuck tick. Lineage 2 POW, sometimes called Deer tick virus, is associated with Ixodes scapularis or the deer tick." (Hein, 6/30)

Southern California News Group: Flea-Borne Typhus Cases Are On The Rise In Southern California
Cases of flea-borne typhus are on the rise in Long Beach, officials announced Tuesday, June 29. There have been 10 cases reported so far this year, more than double the four cases that had been reported this time last year. Typhus can cause high fever, chills, headache and rash and enters the skin through scratching a bite from an infected flea, which rats, cats, dogs, raccoons and opossums can carry. Pets and animals do not become sick from typhus, but if it’s left untreated in humans, the disease can cause severe illness. (Munguia, 6/30)

Reuters: India's Zydus Cadila Seeks Approval For Its 3-Dose COVID Vaccine 
Indian drugmaker Zydus Cadila said on Thursday it has applied for emergency use approval of its three-dose COVID-19 vaccine that showed efficacy of 66.6% in an interim study and could become the second home-grown shot if regulators consent. Although coronavirus infections have dropped from a devastating peak in April and May that strained healthcare facilities, experts have warned of a third wave, saying widespread vaccination is one of the best pandemic defences. (Mitra, 7/1)

Modern Healthcare: ECRI Wins Contract To Evaluate Drugs In Europe
Eight European countries have come together to figure out if emerging pharmaceutical treatments are worth their cost, selecting not-for-profit ECRI to create a database of clinical evidence behind those drugs. Ultimately, ECRI's findings will help Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal and Switzerland to decide what drugs should be covered and at what cost. (Gillespie, 6/30)

Bloomberg: UK Covid Booster Vaccine Shots For Vulnerable Groups May Start From September
Vulnerable groups in the U.K. may be given Covid-19 booster vaccines starting from September to maintain their immunity during the winter and help ward off new variants. The country’s independent vaccination committee recommended that the government plan to offer boosters in a two-stage program alongside the annual flu vaccination drive. The rollout will depend on further data and the guidance could change, according to the Department of Health & Social Care. (Gemmell, 6/30)

The Washington Post: AstraZeneca Vaccine Doses Produced In India Not Included In Europe’s Vaccine Passport Ahead Of Launch 
The European Union’s much anticipated coronavirus digital certificate, which is intended to facilitate unrestricted movement across the continent for vaccinated travelers, will begin Thursday amid widespread confusion about how the rollout will go. But many vaccinated would-be travelers — particularly those from poorer countries — do not meet the program’s criteria because they received AstraZeneca shots produced by India’s Serum Institute, which has not been approved by E.U. regulators. (Berger, 6/30)