First Edition: Sept. 28, 2023

KFF Health News: New Medicare Advantage Plans Tailor Offerings To Asian Americans, Latinos, And LGBTQ+
As Medicare Advantage continues to gain popularity among seniors, three Southern California companies are pioneering new types of plans that target cultural and ethnic communities with special offerings and native-language practitioners. Clever Care Health Plan, based in Huntington Beach, and Alignment Health, based in nearby Orange, both have plans aimed at Asian Americans, with extra benefits including coverage for Eastern medicines and treatments such as cupping and tui na massage. Alignment also has an offering targeting Latinos, while Long Beach-based SCAN Health Plan has a product aimed at the LGBTQ+ community. All of them have launched since 2020. (Stephens, 9/28)

KFF Health News: Readers Rail At Social Security Overpayments And Insurers' Prior Authorizations
KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories. (9/28)

The Hill: Biden Administration Draws Commitment From Health Insurers To Cover COVID-19 Shots
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) met with representatives from the health insurance industry on Wednesday, receiving commitments that the updated COVID-19 vaccines will be covered after reports arose of some people having to pay out-of-pocket for their immunizations. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra met with executives from Anthem, Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS), the Better Medicare Alliance, CareFirst, Cigna, Humana, and CVS Health, which owns Aetna as well as AHIP, the trade organization that represents the health insurance industry. (Choi, 9/27)

NBC News: Insurance Hurdles For New Covid Vaccines Have Largely Been Resolved, Biden Administration Says
Last week, as the updated Covid vaccines rolled out to pharmacies across the U.S., some people eager to get their doses were met with unexpected insurance issues ... On Wednesday, the Department of Health and Human Services said the issue has been "largely, if not completely," resolved. The insurance companies made it clear that they are "fully covering the new vaccine shots," according to a rundown of the meeting shared by HHS. They described the problem of some people being denied coverage as "systemic technical issues." (Lovelace Jr., 9/27)

Reuters: COVID Vaccine Rollout Issues Largely Fixed, Insurers Tell US Health Agency
A group of health insurers on Wednesday told the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) they were fixing issues that have gummed up the roll out of COVID-19 vaccines and are ready to address any others that develop. "At this time, we understand that systemic technical issues have been largely, if not completely, resolved and are not limiting patient access to vaccines," representatives for many U.S. health plans wrote in a letter to HHS. (9/27)

Stat: The United States Is Paying Nearly Triple For New Covid Vaccines
After Pfizer and Moderna hiked the prices of their Covid-19 vaccines this year, the federal government will now pay nearly three times more than it did previously for each dose. And it’s paying more than countries that did far less to support vaccine development. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra glossed over the dramatic increase in the amount the government is paying for vaccines in a public appearance last week, when he got vaccinated at a CVS pharmacy in D.C. (Cohrs, 9/28)

The New York Times: As Covid Infections Rise, Nursing Homes Are Still Waiting For Vaccines
“Covid is not pretty in a nursing home,” said Deb Wityk, a 70-year-old retired massage therapist who lives in one called Spurgeon Manor, in rural Iowa. She has contracted the disease twice, and is eager to get the newly approved vaccine because she has chronic leukemia, which weakens her immune system. (Rau and Leys, 9/27)

Los Angeles Times: LAUSD Repeals Employee COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate
“Yes, this board approved, required vaccinations, as a means of reducing transmission, reducing the severity of a disease that in this community, across this country and across the world killed millions,” L.A. Unified Supt. Alberto Carvalho said. “This was a necessary requirement, and it was adopted so that schools could reopen safely based on information that was known, then accepted, then verified, then validated ... not by speculation, but by scientists. “In 2023,” he added, “we face vastly different circumstances.” (Blume, 9/27)

AP: Ohio Wants To Revive A Strict Abortion Law. Justices Are Weighing The Legal Arguments
Ohio Supreme Court justices vigorously questioned the state’s lawyer Wednesday about a legal strategy that Ohio is attempting in hopes of reviving its law banning most abortions except in the earliest weeks of pregnancy. Before Ohio Solicitor General Benjamin Flowers even finished the first sentence of his argument, justices began peppering him with technical questions that suggested they may be reticent to step in and lift a county judge’s order that has been blocking the law since last October. (Carr Smyth, 9/27)

Reuters: Ohio Urges Top Court To Revive Abortion Ban Ahead Of Statewide Vote
Ohio on Wednesday urged the state's highest court to let a ban on abortion at about six weeks of pregnancy take effect, just weeks before voters in the state will decide whether to enshrine a right to abortion in the state constitution. While the arguments before the Ohio Supreme Court focused on procedural questions and will not lead to a final ruling in the case, a decision reviving the ban even temporarily could draw attention to abortion rights in the weeks before the November referendum. (Pierson, 9/27)

Los Angeles Times: Newsom Signs Abortion Bill Allowing Doctors In Republican States To Train In California
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed another round of reproductive health bills into law on Wednesday, including legislation that allows doctors living under “hostile” laws in states where abortion is banned to receive training in California. The new California law comes as medical professionals in red states could face jail time for providing abortion care, and opportunities for abortion training are disappearing for obstetrician-gynecologists in places like Texas, where the procedure is banned. (Mays, 9/27)

The Boston Globe: Abortion Protests On Cape Cod Begin At Hyannis Health Clinic
Activists staged competing protests over abortion Wednesday outside a women’s health clinic. By 9 a.m., seven men and women from the Cape Cod Pro-Life Alliance and the international organization 40 Days For Life took up positions on the sidewalk outside Health Imperatives. The clinic began offering medication abortions over the summer and is the first abortion provider physically on the Cape in 15 years. At noon, the mood shifted when 50 people descended onto the same sidewalk supporting abortion rights. An invisible line kept the two groups apart. (Treffeisen, 9/27)

The Hill: DeSantis Calls Out Trump On ‘Terrible Thing’ Abortion Comments
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called out former President Trump during Wednesday’s Republican debate for calling Florida’s six-week abortion ban a “terrible thing” during an interview earlier this month. Responding to a question about his own position on abortion, DeSantis said Trump was “missing in action.” “He’s had a lot to say about that. He should be here explaining his comments to try to say that pro-life protections are somehow a terrible thing. I want him to look into the eyes and tell people who’ve been fighting this fight for a long time,” DeSantis said. (Meyn, 9/27)

Reuters: Montana Judge Blocks Ban On Gender-Affirming Care For Transgender Youth
A Montana judge on Wednesday blocked enforcement of the state's recently enacted ban on gender-affirming medical care for minors, marking the latest ruling nationally in battles over state restrictions on treatments for transgender youth. Missoula County District Judge Jason Marks ruled that the law likely discriminated based on minors' transgender status and infringed on their privacy rights in violation of Montana's constitution. (Trotta and Raymond, 9/27)

The New York Times: 2nd Debate A Frenzy Of Attacks As Non-Trump Rivals Try To Shake Up Race
“Transgenderism, especially in kids, is a mental health disorder.”— Vivek Ramaswamy. This is false. Being transgender is not a mental health disorder. Many transgender people experience gender dysphoria, or psychological distress as a result of the incongruence between their sex and their gender identity. Gender dysphoria is a diagnosis in the psychiatric Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and can be given to children, adolescents or adults. (Ghorayshi, 9/27)

Politico: HHS Proposes Rule To Protect LGBTQ Foster Kids
HHS proposed a rule Wednesday that would require states’ child welfare agencies to train foster parents in providing for LGBTQ children in their care. The proposal, part of a slate of actions the Biden administration took Wednesday to expand the child welfare system, follows an executive order signed last year amid a rise in anti-LGBTQ state laws. (Cirruzzo, 9/27)

AP: FDA Advisers Vote Against Experimental ALS Treatment Pushed By Patients
Federal health advisers voted overwhelmingly against an experimental treatment for Lou Gehrig’s disease at a Wednesday meeting prompted by years of patient efforts seeking access to the unproven therapy. The panel of Food and Drug Administration experts voted 17-1 that drugmaker Brainstorm’s stem cell-based treatment has not been shown effective for patients with the fatal, muscle-wasting disease known as ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. One panel member abstained from voting. (Perrone, 9/28)

Reuters: US FDA Panel Votes Against BrainStorm's ALS Therapy Over Effectiveness Concern
Advisers to the U.S. health regulator on Wednesday voted against BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics' (BCLI.O) therapy for a rare and fatal neurodegenerative disease called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), marking the newest hurdle in a lengthy regulatory review. While 17 panel members voted that the data presented does not demonstrate substantial evidence of the effectiveness of NurOwn for the treatment of mild-to-moderate ALS, one voted in favor and one member abstained. (Sunny, 9/28)

Politico: Biden Declares Emergency For Mississippi River Saltwater Influx
The White House has issued an emergency declaration in response to a massive influx of salt water in Louisiana that has threatened drinking water supplies. In an announcement Wednesday, President Joe Biden said he would approve a disaster declaration in response to a plea from Gov. John Bel Edwards (D). The move will direct federal assistance toward state and local response efforts as Louisiana grapples with a spiraling crisis. (Crunden, 9/27)

Politico: Congress Doc Wants States To Regulate AI
Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.), a co-chair of the GOP Doctors Caucus, called for artificial intelligence in health care to be regulated at the state level first, not nationally, Ben reports. Speaking Tuesday at the Connected Health Initiative’s AI and the Future of Digital Healthcare event in Washington, D.C., Murphy warned against the FDA “controlling” AI regulation, saying the agency should be viewed as a partner in regulation. (Cirruzzo and Leonard, 9/27)

Politico: Markey Calls For Legal Crackdown When Tech Companies Endanger Children
Markey sent a letter today to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, obtained by POLITICO, asking the company to pause the release of AI-powered chatbots it plans to integrate into its social media platforms. Markey, at the summit, cited statistics on suicide among minors and pointed to a May advisory from the Surgeon General that social media has a significant effect on their mental health.“Just wait a minute here. We’re not going to be able to handle devices talking to young people in our society without understanding what the safeguards are going to be,” Markey said. (Robertson, 9/27)

CBS News: FDA Updates Ozempic Label With Potential Blocked Intestines Side Effect, Also Reported With Wegovy And Mounjaro
The label for the diabetes drug Ozempic — which has become popular for weight loss — now acknowledges reports of blocked intestines following use of the medication. The change comes after the Food and Drug Administration greenlighted a series of updates from drugmaker Novo Nordisk for its product. Ozempic now joins other products in this booming class of so-called GLP-1 agonist medications which acknowledge increased reports of what doctors call ileus, or a blockage in the intestines. (Tin, 9/27)

Modern Healthcare: Health Equity Leaders Bring DEI Initiatives To Hospitals, Classrooms
Healthcare companies promoting diversity, equity and inclusion face the twin challenges of persuading veteran clinicians to change their practices and training emerging providers to make tackling disparities an integral part of what they do. Increasingly, health systems are turning to leaders with feet in both the corporate and academic worlds to tackle this joint mission. (Hartnett, 9/27)

Politico: Boehringer Ingelheim To Opt Into Medicare Price Talks
Boehringer Ingelheim said Wednesday it will enter Medicare price negotiations for its diabetes drug Jardiance, potentially avoiding a hefty tax on sales. Jardiance is one of 10 drugs selected late last month by CMS for price negotiations created under the Inflation Reduction Act. The agency gave manufacturers of the drugs until Oct. 1 to decide whether to enter what is expected to be lengthy talks over a price to be implemented in 2026. (King, 9/27)

Reuters: US Judge Blocks FTC Bid To Review Louisiana Hospital Deal
A U.S. judge on Wednesday said a hospital consolidation in Louisiana was beyond the reach of federal antitrust law, delivering a setback to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in a clash over the scope of its power to review certain acquisitions. U.S. District Judge Lance Africk in New Orleans in a 29-page order said Louisiana's consideration and approval of the hospital transaction made it exempt from federal antitrust law. In the deal, nonprofit Louisiana Children's Medical Center acquired three hospitals from HCA Healthcare (HCA.N). (Scarcella, 9/28)

The New York Times: Peace Corps Sued Over Mental Health Policy 
Searching online, Ms. Iodice discovered that her experience was not uncommon. For years, comparing notes under anonymous screen names, Peace Corps applicants have shared stories about being disqualified because of mental health history, including common disorders like depression and anxiety. The practice is the subject of a lawsuit filed this week in federal court, accusing the Peace Corps of discriminating against applicants with disabilities in violation of the Rehabilitation Act, which prohibits discrimination in programs receiving federal funds. (Barry, 9/27)

The Boston Globe: Older Adults Who Sit More Have Higher Dementia Risk, Study Says
Older adults who spend a lot of time sitting could be at a heightened risk for dementia, according to a study published this month in the JAMA medical journal. “Among older adults, more time spent in sedentary behaviors was significantly associated with higher incidence of all-cause dementia,” said the study, which was released Sept. 12 and authored by researchers at the University of Southern California and University of Arizona. “Future research is needed to determine whether the association between sedentary behavior and risk of dementia is causal.” (Andersen, 9/27)

NBC News: Even Short-Term Exposure To Air Pollution May Raise Risk Of Stroke, Study Finds
This past summer, wildfire smoke periodically blanketed the U.S., bringing stinging air and hazy skies to the Northeast and the Midwest, regions that are unaccustomed to the itchy eyes, scratchy throats and breathing problems that come from being downwind of such natural disasters. But with air pollution come more serious health problems, too. Among them, a meta-analysis published Wednesday in the journal Neurology finds, is exposure to air pollution that may increase a person’s risk of stroke within five days. (Sullivan, 9/27)

Politico: Young Adult Cannabis Consumers Age Out Of Risky Use, Study Finds
Adult-use marijuana legalization in Ontario, Canada, did not have a major impact in young adults who are most at-risk for substance misuse, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open. Among young adults in the study, those who used “cannabis frequently prelegalization showed significant reductions in use and consequences over time, reflecting an aging out pattern,” researchers wrote. (Zhang, 9/27)

CIDRAP: 1 In 6 US Patients Hospitalized With 2 Flu Strains Had More Severe Outcomes
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-led study finds that more than 1 in 6 US patients infected with the influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 or influenza B virus had severe in-hospital outcomes such as intensive care unit (ICU) admission or death during nine recent flu seasons. (Van Beusekom, 9/27)

Reuters: Newer Antibiotic Effective Against Deadly Staph Infection In Trial
An antibiotic already in use in Europe to treat pneumonia controlled deadly bloodstream infections with Staphylococcus aureus bacteria just as effectively as the most powerful antibiotic currently in use, according to data from a late-stage trial. Ceftobiprole from Swiss drugmaker Basilea Pharmaceutica (BSLN.S) appeared to be equally effective as the older drug daptomycin in the roughly one-in-four patients who had particularly difficult to treat methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infections, researchers reported on Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine. (Lapid, 9/27)

AP: CVS Responds Quickly After Pharmacists Frustrated With Their Workload Don't Show Up
CVS found the right prescription on Wednesday to keep its stores open in the Kansas City area and avoid a repeat of a work stoppage last week by pharmacists: It promised to boost hiring to ease workloads that sometimes make it hard to take a bathroom break. But it won’t be easy to resolve the problems that have been growing as pharmacists at CVS and other drug stores in the U.S. took on more duties in recent years and are gearing up to deliver this year’s latest flu and COVID-19 vaccines. (Funk, 9/28)

Modern Healthcare: Google Ventures Leads $25M Funding Roundup For Midi Health
GV (Google Ventures) led a $25 million Series A funding round in women's health startup Midi Health, the companies said Wednesday. Midi Health, a telehealth company focused on women between the ages of 35 and 65, will use the funding to expand operations and launch additional partnerships with U.S. health systems and employers. The company's goal is to offer care in 50 states by the end of next year, said Midi Health CEO and co-founder Joanna Strober. (Turner, 9/27)

Modern Healthcare: Tendo To Buy MDSave For $150M
Tendo, a patient engagement software company, said on Wednesday it plans to acquire MDsave, a nationwide provider marketplace company, for $150 million. Tendo CEO Dan Goldsmith said the $150 million deal will be entirely financed by Tendo's balance sheet and is expected to close in October. Goldsmith said the deal will allow his company to expand product offerings for its health system customers and incorporate its platform into MDsave’s provider marketplace. (Turner, 9/27)

Stat: Biogen Shutters Digital Health Group, Ends Apple Study, In Cost Cutting Move
Biogen, the iconic but embattled biotech firm, is shuttering Biogen Digital Health, its roughly 150-person group focused on using new types of data like those from mobile phones and smart watches, and ending a clinical trial being conducted with Apple early, STAT has learned. Biogen confirmed the organizational change, but said it might lean even more on digital tech startups in the future. (Aguilar and Herper, 9/27)

Modern Healthcare: Blackstone, Morgan Health, PE Firms Back Employer Tech Company
Private equity firms New Mountain Capital and Marlin Equity Partners are merging employer health tech companies Virgin Pulse and HealthComp in a $3 billion deal announced Wednesday. Virgin Pulse, a digital health navigation company for employers, is backed by Marlin Equity Partners while HealthComp, a third-party health plan administrator, is funded by New Mountain Capital. New Mountain Capital will be the majority owner of the combined entity. (Turner, 9/27)

Tampa Bay Times: 6 People Died By Suicide In The Aftermath Of Hurricane Ian. Experts Fear More
In the aftermath of disaster, beyond the toppled buildings, twisted street signs and billions of dollars in repairs, communities have to reckon with another, insidious harm: the burden on mental health. Research has found that up to half of people who live through a disaster struggle with anxiety and depression, substance use or posttraumatic stress disorder, said Jennifer Horney, an epidemiology professor at the University of Delaware who studies the effects of catastrophe on health. The result is often an increase in suicides. (Peace, 9/27)

CIDRAP: Colorado Reports Fatal Plague Infection
Health officials in Colorado this week announced a fatal plague infection in a resident of Archuleta County, located in the southwest corner of the state. San Juan Basin Public Health (SJBPH) said an investigation is underway. It said it monitors prairie dog die-offs to track potential plague threats, and it urged area residents to report the sudden disappearance of active prairie dog colonies.  "Residents should not eradicate or kill prairie dogs on their property as this increases the risk of exposure to plague-infested fleas," SJBPH said. (Schnirring, 9/27)

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Philly Mayor Jim Kenney Vetoes Bill That Prohibits Supervised Injection Sites In Most Of The City
Mayor Jim Kenney plans to veto legislation that prohibits supervised drug consumption sites across most of Philadelphia, writing in a letter to City Council that the bill is “troublingly anti-science and misleading.” Kenney’s move will send the bill back to Council, which passed the legislation earlier this month, 13-1. Overriding a mayoral veto requires a two-thirds vote, so Council is poised to make the legislation law during its scheduled meeting Thursday. (Whelan and Orso, 9/27)