Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Research Roundup: The Opioid Crisis; Short-Term Plans; Systematic Cross-Checking
Urban Institute: Critical Value: Treating The Opioid Crisis
The opioid epidemic is the deadliest drug crisis in American history, and it demands a multifaceted response. This week, we focus on one crucial facet: medical treatments for opioid addiction, including buprenorphine and methadone. These drugs are proven to help people in recovery—so why aren’t they reaching everyone who needs them? Host Justin Milner talks to health policy expert Lisa Clemans-Cope about the evidence behind these treatments, the barriers to access, and the evolution of the opioid crisis. (4/11)
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation: Analysis: Most Short-Term Health Plans Don’t Cover Drug Treatment Or Prescription Drugs, And None Cover Maternity Care
A new Kaiser Family Foundation analysis of short-term, limited duration health plans for sale through two major national online brokers finds big gaps in the benefits they offer. Through an executive order and proposed new regulations, the Trump Administration is seeking to encourage broader use of short-term, limited duration health plans as a cheaper alternative to individual market plans that comply with the Affordable Care Act’s requirements. Repeal of the individual mandate penalty – which currently applies to people buying short-term plans – is also expected to boost enrollment starting next year. (4/23)
JAMA Internal Medicine: Effect Of Systematic Physician Cross-Checking On Reducing Adverse Events In The Emergency Department: The CHARMED Cluster Randomized Trial
In this cluster randomized trial that included 1680 patients, the implementation of systematic cross-checking between physicians resulted in a significant relative risk reduction for adverse events. The rate of adverse events was 10.7% in the control group vs 6.4% in the cross-checking group. (Freund, Goulet and Leblanc, 4/23)
New England Journal of Medicine: Birth Outcomes For Pregnant Women With HIV Using Tenofovir–Emtricitabine
In a previous trial of antiretroviral therapy (ART) involving pregnant women with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, those randomly assigned to receive tenofovir, emtricitabine, and ritonavir-boosted lopinavir (TDF–FTC–LPV/r) had infants at greater risk for very premature birth and death within 14 days after delivery than those assigned to receive zidovudine, lamivudine, and ritonavir-boosted lopinavir (ZDV–3TC–LPV/r). (Rough et al, 4/26)
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation: Health Care In Puerto Rico And The U.S. Virgin Islands: A Six-Month Check-Up After The Storms
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) suffered significant damage to their infrastructure and health care systems from Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017. Drawing on interviews with residents and key stakeholders as well as public reports, this brief provides an overview of the status of the recovery efforts six months after the storms, with a focus on the health care systems. (Artiga, Hall, Rudowitz and Lyons, 4/24)
