Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Hospital Workers Here On H-1B Visas Will Be Grandfathered In, Feds Say
The Wall Street Journal: U.S. Narrows Who Pays $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
President Trump’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee will only apply to new visa applicants outside the country, the government confirmed in new guidance on Monday. That means that under the new policy, employers won’t need to pay the fee for anyone already living in the U.S., such as international students. (Hackman, 10/20)
MedPage Today: Physician Exits From Medicare Increased In Vulnerable Areas
The number of physicians serving Medicare patients grew from 2013 to 2023, but program exit rates in rural and underserved areas increased, according to an analysis of Medicare claims data.While the proportion of physicians in the Medicare program grew by 6.3% from 2013 to 2023, physicians living in nonmetropolitan counties were more likely to exit the program compared with those in metropolitan counties (2.71% vs 2.58%). (Firth, 10/20)
WUSF: USF Launches Dashboard Showing Mental Health Worker Shortage
The University of South Florida launched an interactive dashboard that visualizes the shortage of behavioral health professionals in the state. Florida ranks slightly above average (21 out of 51) in overall prevalence of mental health issues and access to care, according to a 2024 report by Mental Health America. (Neira, 10/21)
MedPage Today: Primary Care Docs Spend This Many Hours Per Week Caring For Patients
Primary care physicians (PCPs) clocked more than 60 hours a week caring for their patient panel, a cross-sectional study suggested. ... The finding translated to a median of 1.7 hours per patient per year, they wrote in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Patient panel characteristics and patient message volume also were associated with physician time expenditure. (Henderson, 10/20)
Chicago Tribune: Lawsuit Alleges OB-GYN Sexually Assaulted Patient
A new lawsuit alleges that a Skokie OB-GYN and leader at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston sexually assaulted a patient at his private practice. The lawsuit, filed anonymously under the name Jane Doe, contends that Dr. Riley Perry Lloyd sexually assaulted the patient in late October 2023 while she was visiting Lloyd’s practice for medical issues. (Schencker, 10/20)
