First Edition: Oct. 13, 2022

KHN: Baby, That Bill Is High: Private Equity ‘Gambit’ Squeezes Excessive ER Charges From Routine Births 
Elizabeth Huffner thinks it is obvious: A full-term, healthy pregnancy results in a birth. “When your due date has come and gone, you’re expecting a baby any minute,” Huffner said. So she was surprised to discover she was an “unknown accident” — at least from a billing standpoint — when she went to the hospital during labor. Her bill included a charge for something she said she didn’t know she’d ever entered: an obstetrics emergency department. (Bichell, 10/13)

KHN: New Generation Of Weight Loss Medications Offer Promise — But At A Price 
Excitement is building about a new generation of drugs that tout the ability to help adults with excess weight shed more pounds than older drugs on the market. Some patients, obesity medicine specialists say, are experiencing decreases in blood pressure, better-managed diabetes, less joint pain, and better sleep from these newfound treatments. (Appleby, 10/13)

KHN: As Giant Hospitals Get Bigger, An Independent Doctor Feels The Squeeze
Before the coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Andrew Bush treated as many as 1,000 patients every month in his orthopedics practice. Now he worries about going bankrupt. The surgeon is among a dwindling number of independent physicians in the United States, where doctors are selling their practices to behemoth hospital systems or leaving the profession altogether. (Clasen-Kelly, 10/13)

KHN: ‘An Arm And A Leg’: Checking Up On California’s DIY Insulin Project 
This year, the state of California put up $100 million to begin manufacturing its own insulin and sell it cheaply. How’s it going to work? (Is it going to work?)The price of insulin could be the starkest example of an out-of-control health care system: More than 7 million Americans need it daily to survive, and some die because they can’t afford it. But it’s a medicine that’s been around for 100 years, a medicine its discoverers didn’t want to patent. (Weissmann, 10/13)

Reuters: U.S. Authorizes Updated COVID Booster Shots For Children As Young As 5 
U.S. health regulators authorized the use of Omicron-tailored COVID-19 booster shots from Moderna Inc and Pfizer Inc in children as young as 5, a move that will expand the government's fall vaccination campaign. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday green-lighted Moderna's bivalent vaccine for those aged six and above, while Pfizer's updated shot was authorized in children aged five and above. (10/12)

CIDRAP: FDA, CDC Greenlight Updated COVID Boosters For Younger Kids
In its announcement, the FDA said the emergency use authorization (EUA) extension is for the updated booster to be given at least 2 months following the primary series or the last booster dose. The Moderna booster is approved for kids as young as 6 years old, and the Pfizer version is now authorized for kids down to 5 years old. ... A few days ago in its weekly update, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) said COVID cases in kids for the week ending Oct 6 slightly increased from the previous week, with nearly 40,700 cases reported. (Schnirring, 10/12)

AP: US Clears Updated COVID Boosters For Kids As Young As 5
The updated boosters are “extremely important” for keeping kids healthy and in school, said Dr. Jason Newland, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Washington University in St. Louis. Parents should know “there is no concern from the safety perspective with the bivalent vaccines, whether Moderna or Pfizer,” Newland added. ... Only people who’ve gotten their initial vaccinations -- with any of the original-formula versions -- qualify for an updated booster. (Neergaard, 10/12)

AP: Jill Biden Urges COVID-19 Boosters During Nashville Visit
First lady Jill Biden travelled to Tennessee’s capitol city Wednesday to encourage Americans once more to roll up their sleeves and get their COVID-19 booster shot ahead of the upcoming holiday season. Biden’s visit came the same day as the U.S. announced that children as young as 5 were now available for the updated COVID-19 boosters. The first lady was also scheduled to attend a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee while in Nashville. (Kruesi, 10/12)

Houston Chronicle: Exclusive: FDA Commissioner Says Anti-Science Rhetoric Puts U.S. In Last Place Among Wealthy Nations
Eight months into his second stint as commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Robert Califf still faces a long list of concerns, topped by misinformation and disinformation that he says threatens the overall health of the country. (Gill, 10/12)

CIDRAP: COVID-19 Vaccines May Help Prevent Placentitis, Stillbirth In Pregnancy
COVID-19 vaccination may protect pregnant women and their fetuses against virus-related placentitis (inflammation of the placenta) and stillbirth, concludes a review study published today in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. The research will also be presented next week at ID Week in Washington, DC. (10/12)

Reuters: New Data Is Out On COVID Vaccine Injury Claims. What's To Make Of It?
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, facing a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit seeking a vast trove of data about the safety and side-effects of the COVID-19 vaccines, made a pledge in August. The agency in court papers said that on or before Sept. 30, it would post on its website a “public use” set of data from about 10 million people who signed up for its “v-safe” program -- a smartphone-based system that periodically sends people text messages and web surveys to monitor potential side effects from the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. But the CDC missed its deadline. (Greene, 10/12)

CNN: Paxlovid: Covid-19 Treatment Can Interact With Common Heart Medications, Doctors Warn
Paxlovid can have dangerous interactions with some of the most common medications for cardiovascular disease, including certain statins and heart failure therapies, a new paper warns. (Howard, 10/12)

Bloomberg: New Covid Variants Renew Threats To The World
Omicron was first identified in southern Africa late last year, when it outcompeted the delta variant. Omicron’s initial iteration, B.1.1.529, is characterized by some 30 mutations in the gene for the spike protein, which gives the coronavirus its crown-like appearance and allows it to invade cells. Changes there can make the pathogen less recognizable to the antibodies the immune system makes in response to vaccination or a case of Covid, increasing the risk of infection in such cases. (Gale, 10/13)

CIDRAP: Studies Suggest Role For Exercise Testing In Long COVID, Impact Of Initial Symptoms
Two studies published today reveal new findings on long COVID, with one showing a possible role for cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) for the evaluation of persistent symptoms, and the other finding a link between symptomatic infection and poor quality of life and reduced ability to complete daily activities. (Van Beusekom, 10/12)

NBC News: Babies Born During The Pandemic May Have Delayed Communication Skills
Around 89% of the infants studied who were born between 2008 and 2011 could articulate a full word like "bowl" or "cup" at 12 months old, compared to around 77% of infants born during the early months of the pandemic. The share of infants who could point at objects fell from 93% to 84%, and the portion who could wave goodbye fell from 94% to 88%. (Bendix, 10/12)

Politico: Indiana Supreme Court Allows Abortions To Continue Pending January Hearing
The Indiana Supreme Court issued an order on Wednesday that will allow abortions to continue in the state while it considers whether new abortion restrictions violate the state’s constitution. In its order, the state Supreme Court denied a request from Republican Attorney General Todd Rokita to allow the law to take effect pending a court ruling. The law — which was the first anti-abortion bill to be signed after the fall of Roe v. Wade — took effect on Sept. 15 but was paused when a lower court judge issued a preliminary injunction a week later. (Messerly, 10/12)

AP: North Dakota High Court: Judge Should Revisit Abortion Order 
The North Dakota Supreme Court ordered a lower court judge to reconsider his decision to prevent the state’s abortion ban from taking effect pending the outcome of a clinic’s legal challenge. The state Supreme Court late Tuesday ordered Judge Bruce Romanick to weigh the clinic’s chances of succeeding in reconsidering whether his decision to temporarily halt enforcement of the ban was correct. The Red River Women’s Clinic, the state’s only abortion clinic, argues that the state’s constitution grants the right to abortion. (Kolpack, 10/12)

AP: Reversing Abortion Ban Tall Task For West Virginia Democrats
After West Virginia’s Republican supermajority Legislature approved an abortion ban, the new leaders of the state Democratic Party urged voters to take their anger to the polls. But they didn’t match that push with a full slate of candidates. With far fewer Democrats than Republicans in legislative races, the likelihood of winning enough seats to reverse the ban is small in this year’s election. Even where Democrats are running, the challenge is formidable as registered Republicans outnumber them in 35 of the state’s 55 counties. (Raby, 10/12)

The Washington Post: A Little-Watched Montana Race Has Become A Contentious Abortion Fight 
Since a tidal wave of GOP victories in 2020 took Montana from red to dark red, the state’s independent judiciary and constitution have faced attacks by the hard-line Republicans who now dominate. The outcome of the court contest, an ostensibly nonpartisan race between a veteran jurist and a GOP-backed attorney, will be seen both as a measure of how deep their brand of conservatism runs and a test of Montanans’ support for abortion access. (Brulliard, 10/12)

Axios: Elevated Access Connects Pilots With Those Seeking Abortion Care
A new nonprofit is connecting pilots of small airplanes with people seeking access to abortion and gender-affirming care. (Fitzpatrick, 10/13)

AP: Clinics Offer Free Vasectomies, Citing A Surge In Demand 
Denny Dalliance had long worried about what would happen if he fathered a child because his job as a truck driver keeps him away from home most of the week. But after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, the 31-year-old Independence, Missouri, man decided it was time to take action — and jumped at the chance to sign up for a free vasectomy. ... The vasectomy he is scheduled to get next month is part of an effort that involves Planned Parenthood and a physician with a mobile vasectomy clinic. (Hollingsworth, 10/13)

The Hill: Here’s What The White House Is Expecting Tomorrow’s Social Security COLA Increase To Be 
The White House predicted that Americans on Social Security will see a $140 per month increase ahead of Thursday, when the Social Security Administration is expected to announce a cost of living adjustment (COLA). “Tomorrow, seniors and other Americans on Social Security are will learn precisely how much their monthly checks will increase – but experts forecast it will be $140 per month, on average, starting in January. For the first time in over a decade, seniors’ Medicare premiums will decrease even as their Social Security checks increase,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement. (Gangitano, 10/12)

Becker's Hospital Review: USDA Awards $110M Toward Improving Rural Healthcare
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has invested $110 million toward healthcare facilities in rural areas. The grant will affect 208 rural facilities and help provide services to 5 million people across 43 states. Funds will go toward renovating, building and equipping facilities and be distributed through the American Rescue Plan Act, according to an Oct. 12 news release. (DeSilva, 10/12)

The Wall Street Journal: U.S. Reaches Agreement With Victims Of Doctor Who Abused Native American Patients 
The U.S. government reached a deal with victims of a pedophile doctor who sexually assaulted Native American boys for decades at federal hospitals in Montana and South Dakota, people familiar with the matter said. Under the terms of the deal, the government would pay between $1.5 million and $2 million to each of eight victims to settle claims that federal officials ignored or tolerated the abuse, some of the people said. In total, the government would pay the victims about $14.5 million, one of the people said. (Weaver and Frosch, 10/12)

Becker's Hospital Review: 89% Of Medical Practices See Significant Increase In Regulatory Burden, Survey Says
Medical practices in the U.S. continue to face overwhelming regulatory challenges, according to a report published Oct. 11 by the Medical Group Management Association. The 2022 Annual Regulatory Burden Report survey included responses from more than 500 medical group practices. Findings indicate that 89 percent of respondents reported that the overall regulatory burden on their medical practice has increased over the past 12 months. (Tucker, 10/12)

Modern Healthcare: Judge Blocks Crozer Health Hospital's Move To Behavioral Health
A Pennsylvania judge has temporarily blocked plans by Crozer Health to close its Delaware County Memorial Hospital in Drexel Hill and convert it into a behavioral healthcare facility. (Hudson, 10/12)

The Boston Globe: Kraft Family Donates $50 Million To MGH To Further Health Equity
Robert K. Kraft and the Kraft Family Foundation have donated $50 million to Massachusetts General Hospital to address health care disparities caused by race, ethnicity, geography, and economic status. (Bartlett, 10/12)

Modern Healthcare: Weight Loss Company Noom Lays Off Hundreds
The layoffs come as the company is attempting to shift toward a more enterprise-focused offering rather than reliance on direct-to-consumer offerings. Last Thursday, the company rolled out an offering called Noom for Work. (Turner, 10/12)

ABC News: FDA Confirms Adderall Shortage In The US
After weeks of individual reports of frustration with getting Adderall prescriptions filled, the Food and Drug Administration confirmed Wednesday a nationwide shortage of the immediate release formulation of amphetamine mixed salts, commonly referred to by the brand name Adderall. (Pezenik, Salzman and Egan, 10/13)

Stat: Merck Pays $250M To License A Moderna Skin-Cancer Vaccine Candidate
Merck on Wednesday agreed to extend an ongoing collaboration with Moderna to develop a personalized vaccine for the treatment of patients with skin cancer. (Feuerstein, 10/12)

Bloomberg: Eisai ‘Extremely Confident’ Of Winning US Approval For Alzheimer’s Drug
Japanese drugmaker Eisai Co. is “extremely confident” of winning full US approval for its experimental Alzheimer’s drug, paving the way to broad coverage under Medicare insurance for elderly Americans, Chief Executive Officer Haruo Naito said. (Matsuyama and Huang, 10/12)

Stat: Nations' Varied Rules Keep Some Advanced Therapies From Patients
Biotech companies developing cutting-edge cell and gene therapies often are tripped up by how much regulations around these drugs vary from country to country. On Wednesday, regulators from the United States, the European Union, and Japan came together to discuss the scale of the problem — and possible solutions. (Wosen, 10/12)

The Wall Street Journal: Elizabeth Holmes’s Ex-Colleague Disputes Account In Her Bid For New Trial 
Lawyers for Adam Rosendorff, the former Theranos Inc. lab director who testified against founder Elizabeth Holmes in her criminal-fraud trial, asked a judge Wednesday to reject a subpoena from Ms. Holmes as she seeks a new trial. Dr. Rosendorff emerged as a central witness for the prosecution in a monthslong trial of Ms. Holmes, who was convicted in January on four counts of wire fraud and conspiracy for misleading investors about the blood-testing startup’s technology. (Bobrowsky, 10/12)

Politico: Federal Judge Upholds Florida Medicaid Ban On Covering Gender-Affirming Care
A federal court judge on Wednesday allowed a Florida rule to continue that bars the state Medicaid program from reimbursing patients for most forms of gender-affirming care. Judge Robert Hinkle denied a preliminary injunction request from a coalition of transgender rights groups seeking to stop the rule. The groups previously filed a lawsuit against Florida over its ban on Medicaid covering the cost of gender affirming care. (Sarkissian, 10/12)

Houston Chronicle: Loophole Blocks Crucial Services For Disabled Texans
Texans receiving Medicaid waiver program services must have their budgets renewed each year by the state. Texas law says that even if an individual's care plan expires before HHSC authorizes the renewal, they must continue to receive services “to ensure continuity of care and prevent the individual's health and welfare from being jeopardized.” (Stuckey, 10/12)

PBS NewsHour: Poll: About Half Of South Dakota Voters Want Medicaid Expansion, But Many Remain Undecided
Roughly half – 54 percent – of registered voters in South Dakota support Medicaid expansion less than a month before the public decides the midterm referendum, according to final results from the SDSU Poll. (Santhanam, 10/13)

Axios: Home Health Patients, Advocates Sue Becerra
Three disabled Medicare beneficiaries and two organizations are suing Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, alleging he restricted the availability of home health services for individuals who need aides for short periods of time. (Dreher, 10/12)

San Francisco Chronicle: SF Officials And Feds Reach Settlement To Keep Laguna Honda Open
City officials and federal regulators reached a settlement in the dispute that would have forced San Francisco’s beleaguered Laguna Honda nursing home to close on Nov. 13 and displace hundreds of medically fragile patients, the sides announced Wednesday. (Asimov, 10/12)

The Baltimore Sun: Maryland Health Officials Back Off Expedited Move To Outsource Services At A Public Hospital 
Maryland health officials said Wednesday they will continue their push to outsource services at an aging state-run specialty care hospital in Hagerstown but are no longer taking the unusual approach of seeking approval to spend hundreds of millions of dollars before identifying a bidder and terms of a deal. (Cohn, 10/12)

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Cost Of New Missouri Patient Visitation Law Skyrockets In Latest Analysis
One of the signature accomplishments of the Republican-controlled Legislature this year was the passage of a law barring hospitals from prohibiting visitors during emergencies. (Erickson, 10/12)

USA Today: Lung Disease Test Spirometry Fails Black Patients, Studies Show
“We've decided in the United States that it's ‘normal’ for Black people to have lower lung function than white people,” said Dr. Ravi Kalhan, deputy division chief of pulmonary and critical care at Northwestern University. “Race-specific equations result in us not diagnosing lung disease in Black people – despite quite high prevalence." (Hassanein, 10/12)

The Washington Post: How To Shrink Fat Cells And Exercise To Make Them Healthier
Is your body fat fit? It could be, if you start or continue exercising, according to rousing new science, which shows that being physically active alters fat at a molecular level in ways that improve the fat’s health. The findings have broad implications for the state of our metabolisms, muscles and even how well our bodies deal with the approaching holiday season of cheery gluttony. Many of us may not realize that body fat can be metabolically healthy — or the reverse — no matter what someone’s weight or shape. (Reynolds, 10/12)

Stateline: Doctors Prescribe Healthy Meals To Keep Patients Out Of The Hospital
Meals on Wheels had been delivering healthy meals to thousands of older adults in Portland, Oregon, for more than 50 years when a local hospital asked whether the group could cook similar meals for patients leaving the hospital after acute bouts of diabetes, heart disease and other chronic illnesses. (Vestal, 10/12)