Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
CVS' Omnicare Seeks Chapter 11 Bankruptcy After Whistleblower Case
Modern Healthcare: CVS’ Omnicare Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Reorganization
CVS Health subsidiary Omnicare, a pharmacy services provider for long-term care businesses, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization Monday, less than three months after it was ordered to pay $949 million as a result of a whistleblower case. In the filing, made in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas, the company said it is exploring next steps, which could include a restructuring or sale. (Tong, 9/22)
The Washington Post: Wegovy And Zepound Can Cut Future Health Costs. The Fight Is Over Who Pays Now.
Millions of Americans who could benefit from GLP-1 weight-loss drugs are caught in the middle of a battle between drug companies and insurers over their costs, leaving them without coverage even as evidence mounts that the drugs could stave off expensive health complications in the future. Insurance coverage for the drugs has barely budged in the last year. Eli Lilly said in August that around 50 percent of employers had chosen to cover its weight-loss drug, Zepbound, little changed from a year earlier. Novo Nordisk said last month that about 40 million people have access to anti-obesity drug Wegovy through commercial insurance, roughly the same as at the end of 2023. (Gilbert, 9/22)
Colorado Sun: UCHealth's Biobank Aims To Find When Genes And Drugs Don't Mix
Way back in 1994, Jim Jensen went to his doctor to try a new drug called Imitrex to treat his migraine headaches. Within minutes, he knew something was wrong. “They asked me how it was going, and I said, ‘I have pain between my shoulder blades, maybe you should check my heart,’” Jensen recalled recently. (Ingold, 9/23)
Stat: Few AI Device Manufacturers Disclose Payments To Physicians
Artificial intelligence has danced around the fringes of prostate cancer for years, but in 2024, it got a profile-raising boost: An AI tool that could use biopsy images and clinical data to predict therapy benefits and a patient’s prognosis was recommended in a set of widely used guidelines for oncology care. “I remember being so impressed,” said David-Dan Nguyen, a urology resident at the University of Toronto who focuses on prostate cancer. But he was also curious: How exactly does a new device make it into clinical standards? He started to look into whether its manufacturer had made any payments to hospitals or doctors in the leadup to its guideline inclusion — to support research, perhaps, or to cover fees for consulting or marketing. (Palmer, 9/22)
NPR: Rheumatoid Arthritis Filled Her Life With Pain. This Implant Set Her Free
For more than four years, Lynn Milam's life was bound by the pain that radiated from her swollen joints. "My children could not hug me," she says. "I couldn't hold my husband's hand." Milam also couldn't climb stairs or help raise her teenage son. She spent most days on the couch. The reason was rheumatoid arthritis, which occurs when the immune system starts attacking the lining of joints. (Hamilton, 9/22)
Stat: Apple Watch’s Hypertension Alert Misses Half Of Cases. Experts Still Think It Will Boost Treatment
Experts say sensitivity rate may be low, just 41%, but that any feature that nudges people toward blood pressure care is a good thing. (Aguilar, 9/23)
