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A Government Accountability Office report finds that Medicare Advantage beneficiaries in their last year of life were more than twice as likely to drop their policies and enroll in traditional Medicare than other Medicare Advantage enrollees. Other Medicare news covers chronic care, racial coverage gaps and provider pay hikes.
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial writers examine these public health concerns.
Opinion writers weigh in on these covid, vaccine and masking issues.
The change is effective from Aug. 2, and was announced yesterday. Separately, reports show that though the U.K.'s covid case rate is falling, scientists don't know why. Covid in Burundi, Uruguay, Canada, Australia and China, plus a rare case of fetus-in-fetu in Israel are also in the news.
Sam Kendricks, considered a medal contender, tested positive for coronavirus and is no longer eligible to compete. Separately, reports show Tokyo's infection surge is continuing with a third record-level day, worrying Olympic officials. News outlets also discuss Simone Biles' withdrawal.
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
The White House had been expected to begin allowing migrant families to start seeking asylum in late July, but the delta variant has derailed those plans, Politico reports. Other immigration news is from Texas and California.
The New York Times reports poverty levels in the U.S. have nearly been cut in half versus pre-pandemic levels, thanks to temporary expansions of the safety net made possible by covid aid. Evictions, ticks, overdoses, mental health support and actor Bob Odenkirk are also in the news.
The Food and Drug Administration approved the first "interchangeable biosimilar" insulin drug, Semglee, allowing doctors to prescribe it and substitute it for brand-name insulin in an effort to lower costs for people with diabetes. The Aduhelm drug controversy is also back in the news.
Congress had asked the Department of Defense to lower the cost of medicines discovered with federal funding aid but that ultimately cost more than in other nations -- now two lawmakers want to know about progress. Separately, lawmakers back an extension to spending provider relief funds.
Pfizer announced that its two-dose covid vaccine's efficacy slips from 96% to 84% after six months, supporting the company's push for a third "booster" shot. Separately, Johnson & Johnson's covid vaccine shelf life is extended to six months from four and a half by the FDA.
Google and Facebook have mandated a covid jab for all U.S. employees. Twitter has closed its San Francisco and New York offices just two weeks after reopening.
Newsweek reports that fear of "social ostracism" is prompting some Missourians seeking covid shots to go to the appointments in disguise. Bloomberg, meanwhile, reports that some vaccination upticks are being seen in southern and central parts of the U.S. where covid is surging.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell admits that he was surprised by vaccine holdouts and blames misinformation: "Clearly, we have got a job to do to try to convince reluctant Americans of all types who seem to be holding back, unconvinced that this is the right thing to do,” he told Fox Business. Meanwhile, some House Republicans are yet again fighting Capitol mask rules.
Meta-analyses published in JAMA suggest that people who are diagnosed with a mental illness have a higher risk of being hospitalized or dying from covid. Reasons why include barriers to accessing care. Other research shows that for 40% of people with covid, symptoms can linger for up to six months.
News outlets cover a push by Biden administration scientists to explain and defend the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's decision to re-recommend indoor mask wearing. Separately, reports explain different mask policies from the Pentagon to Pennsylvania.
The White House is taking pains to avoid the loaded "mandate" term. Still, President Joe Biden is expected to announce new requirements Thursday that will force unvaccinated government employees to choose: get the covid jab or undergo routine testing and wear masks and maintain social distancing at work. It's also a policy that administration officials hope more businesses will adopt.
Florida's community transmission is ranked "high" by the CDC, possibly playing a role in the local detection of cases of a new covid variant (B.1.621) first detected in Colombia. Meanwhile, Texas' case rate tops 10,000 daily for the first time in nearly six months, and southern hospitals are strained.
In the face of spiking delta cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention broadened another area of guidance. On the heels of revised masking advice, the agency is also telling fully vaccinated Americans who come into contact with someone with covid to still get tested -- even if not experiencing symptoms.
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