First Edition: Aug. 5, 2021

KHN: Providence-KP Team Up To Attract Patients In California’s Growing High Desert Region
A plan by Providence and Kaiser Permanente to build a new medical center in the High Desert region of California is the latest example of leading hospital chains seeking market advantage. They intend to spend up to $1 billion to build a hospital in Victorville, a city of about 123,000 that sits 85 miles northeast of Los Angeles. The site is only 11 miles from a hospital Providence already owns, and plans to close, in the adjoining city of Apple Valley. The new site is next to Interstate 15, a major artery that cuts across a swath of the Mojave Desert and through the San Bernardino Mountains toward the more populous cities of Fontana, Riverside and San Bernardino. That location should help ratchet up market share in an area whose population has skyrocketed over the past four decades. Victorville’s population has nearly doubled since 2000. (Wolfson, 8/5)

KHN: 2+2=? Senate Uses Murky Math As It Shelves Drug Pricing Rule To Fund Infrastructure
The Senate’s release of its bipartisan infrastructure plan signals that lawmakers are poised to throw former President Donald Trump’s belated bid to lower Medicare drug prices under the bus — not to mention trains, bridges, tunnels and broadband connections. That’s because the massive spending bill is the first of two likely to at least delay the so-called Medicare rebate rule released at the end of the Trump administration, which has yet to take effect. Congress would use the projected costs of that rule to pay for more than half a trillion dollars in new infrastructure. (McAuliff, 8/5)

KHN: Feds To Nix Work Requirements In Montana Medicaid Expansion Program 
Federal health officials will likely reject Montana’s request to include work requirements for beneficiaries of its Medicaid expansion program, which insures 100,000 low-income Montana adults, state officials said. Three years after the Trump administration encouraged states to require proof that adult enrollees are working a certain number of hours or looking for work as a condition of receiving Medicaid expansion benefits, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has reversed course under Democratic President Joe Biden. (Halland, 8/5)

AP: US Plans To Require COVID-19 Shots For Foreign Travelers
The Biden administration has kept in place travel restrictions that have severely curtailed international trips to the U.S., citing the spread of the delta variant of the virus. Under the rules, non-U.S. residents who have been to China, the European Schengen area, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Brazil, South Africa and India in the prior 14 days are prohibited from entering the U.S. All travelers to the U.S., regardless of vaccination status, are required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days of air travel to the country. (Miller, 8/5)

The Hill: US To Require Foreign Travelers To Be Vaccinated When Restrictions Lift 
The White House official said that interagency working groups are currently working to develop a plan for “a consistent and safe international travel policy” that would involve a phased approach that would require foreign nationals traveling to the U.S. to be fully vaccinated “with limited exceptions.” Reuters first reported that Biden administration officials are developing the plan for international travelers. It’s unclear precisely when the U.S. will lift restrictions on travel from Mexico, Canada, Europe and other countries. The White House said in late July that it would keep restrictions in place, citing the delta variant. (Chalfant, 8/4)

Stat: WHO Calls For Moratorium On Administering Covid-19 Booster Shots
The World Health Organization called Wednesday for a temporary moratorium on the use of Covid-19 vaccine booster shots by wealthy countries, saying the global priority should be on increasing supplies of first doses to countries that are still struggling to protect health workers and older adults. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that countries should hold off on starting to give booster doses until at least the end of September — though it was quickly clear that the global health agency might extend the call if vaccine doses available to lower-income countries do not increase to adequate levels. (Branswell, 8/4)

The Wall Street Journal: WHO Calls For Halt To Covid-19 Booster Shots To Tackle Shortfall In Developing World
The WHO said the world is falling short of the organization’s target of giving 10% of the population of every country a vaccine shot by the end of September. While richer countries have administered almost 100 doses for every 100 people, low-income countries have administered just 1.5 doses per 100 people, the agency said. Most of the vaccines currently in use require two doses. “I understand the concern of all governments to protect their people from the Delta variant, but we cannot and should not accept countries that have already used most of the global supply of vaccines using even more of it while the world’s most vulnerable people remain unprotected,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference. (Fidler, 8/4)

Bloomberg: Biden Stimulus Increase Cut Obamacare Plan Premiums by 40%
Biden has prioritized expanding enrollment and lowering premium costs in the ACA exchanges, a reversal from his predecessor Donald Trump, who sought to dismantle Obamacare. The shift has boosted enrollment for companies like Centene Corp. that sell ACA coverage and enticed other insurers back to the marketplace. CVS Health Corp. said Wednesday that its Aetna unit planned to offer plans in new states next year. Average premiums for returning customers in the 36 states using the federal marketplace dropped from $104 a month to $62 a month, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services. (Tozzi, 8/4)

Modern Healthcare: Higher ACA Subsidies Are Saving Consumers A Lot Of Money
Consumers who buy health insurance through the Affordable Care Act's exchange marketplaces have saved 40% on monthly premiums since new tax credits took effect in April., CMS reported Wednesday. More than one in three shoppers found coverage for $10 or less per month through HealthCare.gov, which is the federal enrollment portal used in 37 states. Another 2.5 million federal exchange enrollees saved at least $40 on their premiums since President Joe Biden's administration opened a special enrollment period in February as part of its COVID-19 response. The CMS report doesn't include information from the exchanges operated by 14 states and the District of Columbia. (Brady, 8/4)

The Hill: Senate Eyeing Possible Weekend Finish For $1T Infrastructure Bill 
Senators are in negotiations over wrapping up a roughly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure deal, with an eye at finishing it as soon as this weekend. Senators say they are looking at holding a key vote to wind down debate on Saturday, where the bill would need 60 votes to move forward. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said a vote to end debate was “possible” on Saturday, but cautioned that it wasn’t final because senators were still haggling over up to 60 hours of time they would still need to burn through after that vote under the Senate’s rules before they could get to final passage for the bipartisan agreement. (Carney, 8/4)

The Washington Post: Senators Join Effort To Create A Covid Memorial Day For 614,000 Pandemic Victims
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and two other senators introduced a resolution Wednesday to create a national covid-19 day of memorial, giving momentum to the cause of hundreds of grieving families to ensure their loss is not forgotten. For months, the families of those who died struggled to find a single senator to support their cause, and they converged on Washington last week to make their pleas in person. (Wan, 8/4)

Politico: Landlords Sue To Stop Biden's 'Nakedly Political' Eviction Ban 
Trade groups representing property owners late Wednesday sued to block a new federal eviction moratorium that President Joe Biden himself warned this week was on shaky legal ground. The Alabama and Georgia chapters of the National Association of Realtors filed a motion in federal court to vacate the ban that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ordered Tuesday. The same groups led a legal challenge against the prior federal eviction moratorium that expired Saturday — a lawsuit that prompted the Supreme Court to cast doubt on the CDC's authority. (O'Donnell, 8/4)

The Washington Post: Real Estate, Landlord Groups File Legal Salvo To Stop Biden Administration’s New Eviction Moratorium
Only one day after the Biden administration issued a new policy protecting renters from eviction, a series of real estate and landlord groups is trying to invalidate it — setting up another legal showdown over a moratorium that Democrats say is essential to keeping Americans in their homes. The petition arrived Wednesday from groups including the Alabama Association of Realtors and its counterpart in Georgia, arguing the latest eviction order issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention exceeds the agency’s authority. The group asked a federal judge in D.C. to halt the new protections, citing the district court’s prior ruling that found the government’s first eviction ban to be unlawful. (Romm, 8/4)

USA Today: Real Estate Groups Sue To Block Biden's New Eviction Moratorium
A group of real estate entities asked a federal court late Wednesday to block enforcement of the Biden administration's new eviction moratorium, reopening a battle that appeared destined to put the legal challenge back before the Supreme Court. Arguing that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention "caved to the political pressure" by creating what the administration called a "targeted," 60-day freeze on evictions in counties with a high spread of COVID-19, the groups asked the district court in Washington, D.C., to immediately block the new moratorium. (Fritze, 8/4)

The Hill: Rental Aid Emerges As New Housing Fight After Eviction Ban 
Lawmakers and housing advocates are struggling to figure out how to get billions of dollars in rental assistance to tenants who desperately need the help, even with the action taken Tuesday by the Biden administration to extend an eviction moratorium for most of the country. Congress this year appropriated $46 billion for tenants and landlords in need, but only about $3 billion has reached the intended recipients. (Johnson, 8/4)

The Hill: DeSantis Hits Back At Biden Criticism: 'Why Don't You Do Your Job?'
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis hit back on Wednesday after President Biden criticized him and other Republican governors for banning mask mandates. Speaking at a news conference, DeSantis promised to stand in the way of “lockdown policies” and accused Biden of trying to restrict the rights of parents and children in Florida. “Joe Biden suggests that if you don’t do lockdown policies, then you should ‘get out of the way.’ But let me tell you this: If you’re coming after the rights of parents in Florida, I’m standing in your way. I’m not going to let you get away with it,” DeSantis said. (Chalfant, 8/4)

Bloomberg: Florida Hospitals Fighting To Get Oxygen With ‘Hand Tied’
Florida hospitals are struggling to get oxygen due to a rise in Covid-19 cases attributable to the delta variant and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s decision not to declare another state of emergency. A shortage of drivers who are qualified to transport oxygen, as well as restrictions around how long truck drivers can be on the road—which went back into effect following the expiration of the public health emergency in the state—means that the supply isn’t getting to the hospitals that need it most. (Stein, 8/4)

Politico: 'Literally Losing Our Workforce': Florida Schools Defy DeSantis' Anti-Mask Order
Florida school districts are moving to resist Gov. Ron DeSantis’ order barring schools from implementing mask requirements for kids, setting up a fight with the Republican governor who has resisted any Covid-related mandates. Late Tuesday night, school board members in Alachua County in north Florida voted to require all students to wear masks during the first two weeks of school. And Wednesday morning, Leon County, which includes Tallahassee, announced it’s seeking a mandatory mask rule for students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Both are direct rejections of DeSantis’ executive order prohibiting schools from enacting mask requirements for students. (Atterbury, 8/4)

NPR: Arkansas Governor Wants To Reverse A Law That Forbids Schools To Require Masks
Months after he signed the bill banning state and local mask mandates, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson says he wants the law reversed to give schools the option to require face coverings when children return to the classroom. "In hindsight, I wish that it had not become law. But it is the law, and the only chance we have is either to amend it or for the courts to say that it has an unconstitutional foundation," he said at a Tuesday news conference. Hutchinson has called a special session for the state legislature to change the law. During the news conference, he and Secretary of Health Jose Romero stressed that children under 12 are currently the most vulnerable group in the state because they are unable to get the vaccine. (Fischels, 8/4)

CNN: This Arkansas Hospital Is So Short On Nurses In This Newest Covid-19 Surge, It's Offering A $25,000 Signing Bonus 
Takela Gardner began her nursing career just two years ago, but her patients already think she's a seasoned nurse. A registered nurse at a University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) facility in Little Rock, Gardner told CNN she's had to essentially learn nursing on the fly during the Covid-19 pandemic, which she said began eight months into her nursing career. Not only that, but seeing constant death, working long shifts and having a shortage of health care staff -- specifically nurses -- have left Gardner burnt out. (Vera, Savidge, Cartaya and Hanna, 8/5)

Reuters: U.S. COVID-19 Cases Hit Six-Month High At Over 100,000
The United States hit a six-month high for new COVID cases with over 100,000 infections reported on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, as the Delta variant ravages areas where people did not get vaccinated. The country is reporting over 94,819 cases on a seven-day average, a five-fold increase in less than a month, Reuters data through Wednesday showed. The seven-day average provides the most accurate picture of how fast cases are rising since some states only report infections once or twice a week. (Abraham, 8/5)

The Hill: Delta's Peak Is Difficult To Project, But Could Come This Month
The COVID-19 delta variant surging through the United States could peak later this month, but experts say projections are difficult and much will depend on an unpredictable factor: human behavior. The U.S. is expected to endure a rough next few weeks no matter what. The seven-day average for COVID-19 has risen in recent weeks to 85,866 cases per day as of Monday, the highest point since Valentine’s Day, according to data from The New York Times. (Coleman, 8/4)

The Mercury News: California COVID Vaccinations Up As Delta Surges -- But Is It Enough?
Vaccinations have risen sharply in California and across the U.S. in recent weeks amid rapidly multiplying outbreaks spawned by the highly contagious delta variant of the virus that causes COVID-19. The surge in cases have alarmed health and government officials into taking more aggressive steps to spur immunizations. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the 7-day average of daily first doses administered in the U.S. increased 80.5%, from a low of 218,129 on July 7 to 393,887 on July 30. In California, that 7-day average of first doses rose 53.6%, from 29,398 on July 7 to 45,169 on July 30. (Woolfolk, Oh and Blair Rowan, 8/4)

The Washington Post: Should You Cancel Travel Plans Because Of Delta Variant? What To Ask Yourself.
For a blissful few weeks this spring, a summer of semi-normal travel seemed not just possible, but almost certain. Flights were booked, hotel reservations were made and vacation time was requested as those with wanderlust or pent-up desire to see loved ones organized their long-awaited excursions. But the hyper-transmissible delta variant of the coronavirus has now forced some would-be travelers to cancel trips and others to consider whether it’s safe to follow through with their plans. (Iati, 8/4)

The Atlantic: What Does The Future Of Delta Look Like?
When the U.K. dropped all coronavirus restrictions on “Freedom Day,” July 19, critics called the move a “dangerous and unethical experiment.” Harsher critics called it “epidemiologically stupid.” At the time, cases in the country were still rising amid a Delta-fueled spike. Then, to nearly everyone’s surprise, COVID-19 cases started falling. This suggests that Delta hit a natural peak in the U.K. by mid-July—not because of Freedom Day, the effects of which are only just starting to show up in the data, but through some other mechanism. (Zhang, 8/4)

CNN: If We Do Not All Get Vaccinated, The Next Covid-19 Variant Is Just Around The Corner, Expert Says 
Efforts to get more Americans vaccinated against Covid-19 are growing more urgent as an expert warns that if vaccination rates don't increase, the dangerous Delta variant could continue to evolve. "The next variant is just around the corner, if we do not all get vaccinated," Adm. Brett Giroir, the former coronavirus testing czar under Pres. Trump, told CNN's Chris Cuomo. "I just beg the American people to understand that to defeat this virus, we have to get everybody's level of immunity up, and that's just the way it is," he added. (Holcombe, 8/5)

Philadelphia Inquirer: Delta-Plus And Lambda Variants Don’t Yet Warrant Panic For Vaccinated People, Philly Experts Say
While the United States scrambles to respond to growing COVID-19 cases fueled by the delta variant, a handful of new variants are continuing to appear, such as B.1.617.2.1 or AY.1 — dubbed “delta-plus.” As its moniker suggests, delta-plus is reported to be a souped-up version of the highly prevalent and likely more transmissible delta variant. On Tuesday, South Korean public health officials reported two cases of this new variant, including at least one person who was vaccinated, according to Reuters. This extends the list of more than 200 previously reported cases in the United States, Canada, and multiple European and Asian nations. The World Health Organization considers it to be a variant of concern. (Nathan, 8/5)

Fox News: NIH Director Backs Away From Suggestion That Parents Wear Masks At Home To Protect Kids
The head of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on Tuesday afternoon tried to walk back his comments from earlier in the day suggesting that parents wear masks at home to protect unvaccinated children. Dr. Francis Collins said "it’s clear" that the delta variant was capable of causing serious illness in kids while addressing whether young children should avoid indoor situations. He noted that while rare, there are many examples of young people being sickened by the virus and cited new recommendations for kids under 12 to avoid being in places where they might get infected and recommendations for universal masking at schools, and even for adults at home. (Hein, 8/4)

NBC News: Delta And Vaccinated Parents: What People With Kids Under 12 Need To Know
With coronavirus cases rising across the country and the highly contagious delta variant spreading in every state, many parents have been left wondering how best to keep their children safe, particularly when it comes to kids under 12 who are not yet eligible for vaccination. Most schools are set to welcome students back in person in the coming weeks, but many aren't requiring them to wear masks. And as people look to plan last-minute vacations, set up play dates for their kids or attend other events, weighing the potential risks is challenging because many families are juggling different vaccination statuses within their own ranks. (Chow, 8/4)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin State Employees Will Be Required To Wear Masks
State employees will have to wear face masks starting Thursday because of a surge in coronavirus cases, Wisconsin officials announced Wednesday. The move came shortly after the two largest University of Wisconsin schools, in Madison and Milwaukee, put in place their own mask requirements. The policies are being enacted as the delta variant of COVID springs up around the world, including among those who have been fully vaccinated. (Marley, 8/4)

AP: Penn State University Requires Masking At All Campuses
Penn State University will require students, staff and visitors at all its campuses to wear masks while indoors, the school announced Wednesday, responding to a statewide surge in coronavirus cases. The masking rule will apply to everyone, regardless of vaccination status, Penn State officials said. (8/5)

New Orleans Times-Picayune: Tulane University Will Require Regular COVID Testing This Fall, In Addition To Vaccine Mandate
Tulane University will require students and faculty to have regular coronavirus testing this fall, the latest in a series of moves by the university to stop the spread of COVID-19. Students must test for COVID three days before they arrive at the university's dormitories, university officials said in a memo this week. Students should also quarantine for up to a week before they return to campus. Classes begin Aug. 23. Dorm move-ins begin Aug. 15 and run through Aug. 21. (Williams, 8/4)

The Wall Street Journal: Covid-19 Vaccine Mandates Split Corporate America 
Business leaders broadly agree they need to get more workers vaccinated to keep the U.S. economy humming in the face of the fast-spreading Delta variant. But they’re split over how best to do that. Some are dangling bigger bonuses or other incentives to cajole employees into getting the Covid-19 vaccine. Others have started requiring workers get the shot. (Cutter, Nassauer and Tita, 8/4)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Advocate Aurora Health Requiring Employees Get Vaccinated For COVID-19
Advocate Aurora Health, the state’s largest health system, has joined other health systems in requiring employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19. Marshfield Clinic Health System, UW Health and Prevea Health, a large physician practice with clinics throughout eastern and northern Wisconsin, also said that they would require employees to be vaccinated. (Boulton, 8/4)

Los Angeles Times: Solis Issues Executive Order Mandating L.A. County Employees Get Vaccinated 
Hilda Solis, chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, issued an executive order Wednesday evening requiring the county’s 110,000 employees to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 by Oct. 1. In issuing the order, Solis cited an 18-fold increase in coronavirus cases in the county and a five-fold increase in hospitalizations — many involving unvaccinated people — since the county lifted its social distancing restrictions in June and the extra-contagious Delta variant began rapidly spreading across the region. (Rector, 8/4)

CNN: Boston Mayor Compared Vaccine Policy To Slavery-Era Freedom Papers And Birtherism 
After New York City announced people will need proof of Covid-19 vaccination to enter some indoor facilities, acting Boston Mayor Kim Janey likened the rule to the slavery-era freedom papers. "There's a long history in this country of people needing to show their papers," Janey told CNN affiliate WCVB on Tuesday when asked by reporters about New York City's announcement. Janey then listed several examples of how people in the United States have been asked for documentation in the past, "during slavery, post-slavery, as recent as...what [the] immigrant population has to go through here. We heard Trump with the birth certificate nonsense," she said. (Alonso, 8/4)

Fox News: COVID-19 Breakthrough Patients In Massachusetts Cluster Talk Symptoms
Two New York state residents who were among the hundreds of breakthrough COVID-19 cases in a recent Massachusetts outbreak are detailing their symptoms. Mark MacBain, 53, and Skip Collins, 52, were part of a group who traveled last month to Provincetown, a popular vacation spot along Cape Cod. They were part of thousands drawn to the area between July 3-July 17 for multiple summer events and large public gatherings, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Rivas, 8/4)

Houston Chronicle: COVID-19 Cases Found On Vaccinated Carnival Cruise
Carnival Cruise Line confirmed Wednesday evening that a “small number” of people onboard the Galveston-based Carnival Vista cruise ship have tested positive for COVID-19. The cruise company, which resumed sailing from American ports with the Carnival Vista’s July 3 excursion, now operates the Vista and sister ship Carnival Breeze on weekly cruises from the port of Galveston. (Zong, 8/4)

The New York Times: Nursing Homes Confront New Covid Outbreaks Amid Calls For Staff Vaccination Mandates 
In late spring, the 142 nursing homes operated by the Good Samaritan Society hit a milestone that was unthinkable just four months earlier: Zero cases of Covid-19 across the whole company, from 900 at the peak of the pandemic. The relief was short-lived. The case count has ticked up again: It’s still below 100 among residents and staff, the company said, but includes many breakthrough cases of vaccinated residents testing positive. Then last week, two vaccinated residents died with Covid at the Good Samaritan Society-Deuel County nursing home in Clear Lake, South Dakota. (Richtel and Abelson, 8/4)

Houston Chronicle: According To Houston's Wastewater, The Surge Of COVID-19 Is Only Going To Get Worse
There is more COVID-19 in the city’s wastewater system now than at any time in the pandemic, city officials said Wednesday, the latest warning that the virus is spreading at an unprecedented rate. Dr. David Persse, the city's health authority, said there is more than three times as much virus in the system as there was last July. The volume also is higher than in January, during the most recent spike. Persse said the wastewater data, a precursor to other meaures, show the surge will only grow worse in the coming weeks. (McGuinness, 8/4)

CIDRAP: Flu Vaccine Linked To Less Severe COVID-19
COVID-19 patients who had received the flu vaccine 6 months to 2 weeks prior to diagnosis were less likely to have sepsis, stroke, and—with some time constraints—deep vein thrombosis (DVTs) and admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) or emergency department (ED), according to a study yesterday in PLOS One. The researchers used an electronic medical record network to match 37,377 COVID-19 patients who had received the flu vaccine with 37,377 of those who hadn't in January 2021, drawing from 56 healthcare organizations predominantly in the United States. (8/4)

The New York Times: Heart Problems After Vaccination In U.S. Are Uncommon And Short-Lived, Researchers Say
For every one million Americans immunized with a coronavirus vaccine, about 60 develop temporary heart problems, according to a study published on Wednesday in the journal JAMA Network. The complications were all short-lived, the researchers found. And these heart problems are far more common among patients who develop Covid-19, outside experts noted. (Mandavilli, 8/4)

Stateline: The Pandemic Has Devastated The Mental Health Of Public Health Workers
Even as frontline health workers have been celebrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, many others working to track the virus, stem its spread and help Americans avoid infection have found themselves under siege. Those public health workers have been vilified by a portion of the public and attacked by some political leaders and media figures. They have been fired or forced from office. They have been subjected to protests—some on their own front lawns—as well as curses, threats and even, on at least one occasion, racist taunts. All that while working endless hours, sometimes in unfamiliar roles, to save as many people as possible from a virus that has so far killed more than 614,000 Americans. (Ollove, 8/5)

Reuters: First Broadway Play Opens In NY Since Lengthy Pandemic Shutdown
The first Broadway play since the coronavirus pandemic shut down theaters in New York City in 2020 opened on Wednesday, with vaccinations and masks required for audiences."Pass Over," a modern twist on "Waiting for Godot," was sold out for its first preview at the August Wilson Theatre in Manhattan. ... Under rules announced by Broadway theaters last week, audiences, actors, stage crew and theater staff must be fully vaccinated and masks must be worn for shows, which will be allowed to play to 100% capacity audiences. "The vibe is amazing, it's electric," said director Danya Taymor. "We got to have a dress rehearsal last night, so we got to have like 500 people in here. And just the palpable joy and gratitude of the audience made me weep.” (8/4)

USA Today: Chicago's Lollapalooza Could Be A Super Spreader, Experts Warn
The sight was striking. As COVID-19 cases surged in the U.S. last weekend, the city's downtown was a sea of mostly unmasked humanity as hundreds of thousands crowded together for the outdoor music festival Lollapalooza. A chorus of public health experts sounded the alarm about the fast spread of the contagious coronavirus delta variant – even by the fully vaccinated – and the city called for masking indoors, yet more than 385,000 people packed the four-day event. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot defended the decision to hold the festival, citing strict pandemic precautions that required concertgoers show proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test and to wear a mask. (Rodriguez and Fernando, 8/4)

Philadelphia Inquirer: Feds Roll Back ‘Confusing’ Addiction Funding Rules That Had Deadly Consequence In Pa.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has eliminated language that prohibited grant recipients from providing federal funding “to any individual who or organization that provides or permits marijuana use for the purposes of treating substance use or mental disorders. ”The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs highlighted the change in a public bulletin Monday. A spokesperson said the agency had “no insight into what led to the change, but we are happy to see that the updated term no longer includes” the prohibition. (Mahon, 8/4)

Modern Healthcare: Congress Eyes Crackdown Large, Wasteful Drug Vials
Imagine cracking open a vial of a $1,000 chemotherapy drug and injecting it into a cancer patient She only needs 1.3 milligrams but the vial contains double that amount. What happens to the rest? Oftentimes, it gets thrown in the trash. Patients, Medicare and private insurance foot the full bill anyway. Congress is set to crack down on the practice, which is the result of drug companies packaging expensive physician-administered drugs in single-use vials that are too large for the typical patient. (Hellmann, 8/4)

Stat: Watchdog Will Review FDA Approval Of Biogen's Alzheimer's Drug
The federal watchdog at the Department of Health and Human Services will review the process used by the Food and Drug Administration to approve the Alzheimer’s drug sold by Biogen, which has caused unprecedented controversy over regulatory standards. Specifically, the HHS Office of Inspector General will examine the accelerated approval pathway that the FDA increasingly uses to speed approvals for medicines to treat serious conditions and fill an unmet medical need. This was the pathway used by the agency two months ago when it OK’d the Aduhelm treatment for Alzheimer’s. (Silverman, 8/4)

Indianapolis Star: Eskenazi Health Diverts Patients Due To Attempted Ransomware Attack
Eskenazi Health went on diversion, meaning all incoming ambulances were routed to other hospitals, after an attempted ransomware attack early Wednesday morning. The attack occurred around 3:30 a.m., and the diversion began at 7:51 a.m. Wednesday. As of Wednesday evening, the diversion was still in place. The move affected all of the health system's locations, including Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital downtown. (Rafford, 8/4)

San Francisco Chronicle: San Mateo County Sues McKinsey, Says Consulting Giant Fueled Opioid Crisis That Hurt Residents
San Mateo County has sued consulting giant McKinsey & Company, Inc. in federal court for what it says was the company’s role in helping opioid manufacturers boost sales in the county. The suit alleges that McKinsey’s work with Purdue Pharma, which manufacturers the opioid painkiller OxyContin, helped it to “turbocharge” sales of the drugs by advising Purdue to aggressively market the drug to certain doctors resulting in it being over prescribed. (DiFeliciantonio, 8/4)

Stat: Bayer Inks A $1.5 Billion Deal For A Biotech With A Proprietary Drug Discovery Platform 
In a bid to quickly broaden its drug discovery abilities, Bayer (BAYRY) has reached a deal to acquire Vividion Therapeutics for $1.5 billion, the third time in two years the company has bought a small biotech with proprietary technology for uncovering medicines. Unlike the two earlier acquisitions, which gave Bayer entree to potential gene and cell therapies, the focus of this latest acquisition is primarily on oncology and immunology, although that can be expanded to other therapeutic areas. (Silverman, 8/5)

Stat: Athira Cited Altered Studies In $15 Million NIH Grant Application 
Biotech company Athira Pharma, which is in turmoil after its chief executive was found to have published research containing altered images, now faces a new concern: It cited the allegedly doctored papers in a federal grant application. This creates the potential for the government or whistleblowers to pursue legal action to force the company to repay not only the $15 million it received to fund its work but also additional penalties. (Goldhill, 8/5)

Bloomberg: Venus Williams Joins Health Brand Owner HumanCo’s Advisory Board
Seven-time tennis Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams is joining the advisory board of HumanCo, which is seeking to build a portfolio of health-focused consumer brands before eventually going public. “I am thrilled to be joining HumanCo’s board of advisors and supporting their mission to help people live their healthiest lives,” Williams, 41, said in an emailed statement, adding that she will also invest in Austin-based HumanCo. “I believe that investing in one’s health is the most important thing we can do as individuals. As a professional athlete and a businesswoman, fueling my body with the highest quality products is pivotal for success.” (Tan, 8/4)

Modern Healthcare: Feds Hit With "Tidal Wave" Of Merger Filings
Merger filings are surging, which will delay regulatory reviews this year, the Federal Trade Commission advised companies Tuesday. Filings have already exceeded 2,000 through July, up from 815 during the same period last year and 1,136 in 2019, according to federal data. Businesses can complete their proposed mergers before the FTC finishes its reviews, but regulators can still retroactively challenge the transactions if they violate antitrust laws, the FTC warned. (Kacik, 8/4)

Stat: With A Nudge From AI, Ketamine Emerges As Potential Rare Disease Drug
In the seven difficult years since their son Mateo was diagnosed with a rare disease, Victoria Malvagno and Frank Solorzano have been waiting for medicine to catch up with their lives. Doctors tested Mateo for hundreds of conditions before they finally determined he was one of only a few hundred people in the world with a neurodevelopmental condition called ADNP syndrome. Even with a diagnosis in hand, just getting through each day has been a full-time job. Mateo communicates mostly nonverbally, and his parents must constantly be on alert to make sure he doesn’t hurt himself. For years, they have muddled through managing his many symptoms piecemeal, because there’s no treatment approved for the rare genetic disease. (Palmer, 8/5)

The Wall Street Journal: Former Theranos Patients Can Testify At Elizabeth Holmes Trial, Judge Rules
Former Theranos Inc. patients will be allowed to testify at the criminal fraud trial of the defunct blood-testing startup’s founder, Elizabeth Holmes, a federal judge ruled Wednesday. The decision by U.S. District Judge Edward Davila blocked a last-ditch attempt by Ms. Holmes to keep jurors from hearing the stories of patients who say they received inaccurate results from Theranos tests. (Randazzo, 8/4)

The Washington Post: NFLPA Proposes Return To Stricter Coronavirus Protocols 
The NFL Players Association told its membership Wednesday that it will propose re-tightening the sport’s coronavirus protocols and testing vaccinated players and team staffers more frequently, based on growing concerns about the spread of the delta variant and breakthrough infections among vaccinated individuals. (Maske, 8/4)

The Washington Post: Bryson DeChambeau: No Vaccine, No Regrets After Coronavirus Led To Missing Olympics
Bryson DeChambeau said Wednesday that he does not regret declining to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, despite developing a case of covid-19 that caused him to lose around 10 pounds and miss out on representing the United States in the Olympics. The 27-year-old major winner told reporters Wednesday that being vaccinated “doesn’t necessarily prevent it from happening,” referring to possibly contracting the coronavirus. Speaking in Memphis, the site of the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational, DeChambeau asserted that he would “rather give [the vaccine] to people who need it.” (Bieler, 8/4)

The Washington Post: She Created A Haven For Disabled Adults. Her Unexpected Death Places It At Risk Of Being Lost. 
The future that Nyome Kamara envisioned still sits in plastic. At the beginning of last year, she moved the adult day-care center she founded for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities into a larger building, one that would allow her to pull more names off the wait list and expand services to children. More than a dozen young adults have come to depend on the building in Manassas, Va., as a place where they can spend their days with friends and staff members who know them and their needs. Kamara was working to create a similar outlet for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities on the other side of the building, and despite the pandemic limiting funding and the construction hitting snags, she was only a few tasks away from making that happen. (Vargas, 8/4)

AP: Youth Suicide Prevention Programs Get Support In Maine
A project to try to prevent youth suicide in Maine is receiving a nearly $850,000 boost from the federal government. The effort is called the Maine Comprehensive Suicide Project and it supports youth suicide prevention programs in the state. Independent Sen. Angus King and Republican Sen. Susan Collins said the money was awarded through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Injury Prevention & Control. (8/5)