Nonunion Strike Hits ACA Call Centers As Open Enrollment Starts
Also: doctors dropping patients off their lists, health tech care for underserved populations, rising cancer drug prices, and more.
Fierce Healthcare:
ACA, Medicare Southern Call Centers Ring In The First Day Of Open Enrollment With A Strike
Nov. 1 marked the first day of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) open enrollment and the beginning of the largest nonunion strike since the beginning of 2021. (Fierce Healthcare Editor's Note: This story has been updated with a statement from Maximus and new information about the number of workers who went on strike.) (Burky, 11/2)
In other health care industry news —
KHN:
Haven’t Seen Your Doctor In A Few Years? You May Need To Find A New One
When Claudia Siegel got a stomach bug earlier this year, she reached out to her primary care doctor to prescribe something to relieve her diarrhea. The Philadelphia resident was surprised when she received an online message informing her that because she hadn’t visited her doctor in more than three years, she was no longer a patient. And since he wasn’t accepting new patients, she would have to find a new primary care physician. (Andrews, 11/3)
Stat:
Caring For The Underserved: Health Tech Seeks Ways To Measure Success
For startups and investors aiming to bring health technology to underserved populations, evidence of impact should be everything: It’s what shows employers and payers a new offering is worth paying for, and what can help convince patients to give it a try. (Ravindranath, 11/3)
In pharmaceutical news —
Reuters:
New U.S. Cancer Drug Prices Rise 53% In Five Years -Report
The annual price of a newly-launched cancer drug in the United States averaged $283,000 last year, a 53% increase from 2017, according to a new report from U.S. Democratic Representative Katie Porter, a consumer bankruptcy law professor running for re-election in California. (Beasley, 11/2)
Bloomberg:
Seven Drugmakers Agree To Work Together To Hit Emissions Goals
Seven drugmakers pledged to work together to reduce carbon emissions in supply chains, health-care delivery and clinical trials, saying a joint effort will enable the industry to achieve more than individual companies could alone. (Kresge, 11/3)
