Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Study: 330,000 Could've Been Saved From Covid If US Had Universal Health Care
USA Today: Lack Of Universal Health Care Cost 300,000 US Lives In COVID: Study
More than 330,000 Americans could have been saved during COVID-19 pandemic if the United States operated under a universal health care system – nearly one-third of the total COVID-related deaths – according to a recent study. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA last week found that universal health care would have helped address underlying and pre-existing conditions that contributed to the COVID-related deaths, ultimately saving over 338,000 lives between the start of the pandemic and mid-March 2022. (Elbeshbishi, 6/23)
In related news on bias in health care —
Modern Healthcare: 'Bias Is Profitable': Health Disparities May Cost $1T By 2040
Disparate health outcomes could cost the American healthcare system $1 trillion annually by 2040, nearly tripling in size over the next 20 years and accounting for nearly 12.5% of healthcare spending, a new report warns. The analysis, published by Deloitte Wednesday, found the cost of excess health services delivered due to disparities is $320 billion annually, and the rate of increase outpaces overall cost trends. Total healthcare spending is expected to rise by 5.3% annually to 2040 while spending tied to disparities is expected to increase by 6.2% per year. (Hartnett, 6/23)
On dialysis coverage —
Modern Healthcare: Supreme Court Dialysis Ruling Sets Stage For Coverage Limits
A Supreme Court decision that greenlighted a private health plan's limited dialysis coverage may set the stage for other insurers to cut pay for kidney care and other treatments Medicare covers. The high court rejected a challenge to an employer health plan's low reimbursements for dialysis, which the plaintiff argued discourage providers from joining its network and effectively nudge policyholders to enroll in Medicare instead. This legal decision offers a playbook that other group health plans could follow by designing benefit packages in a way that encourages people with end-stage renal disease to forgo private coverage in favor of Medicare, which is available to anyone with chronic kidney failure regardless of age. And the ramifications may extend beyond dialysis patients. (Tepper, 6/23)
Sacramento Bee: California Dialysis Initiative Could Be Doomed From The Start
Once again, California’s largest healthcare workers union is campaigning for dialysis reform — but they face powerful opponents. It’s deja-vu for the California political scene, where such a battle transpires repeatedly. This time around, SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West is advocating for a ballot initiative that would require a physician assistant, physician or nurse practitioner to monitor patient dialysis treatments. (Tucker-Smith, 6/22)
In other health care industry news —
Modern Healthcare: Supreme Court To Determine Federal Government's Right To Dismiss Whistleblower Cases
The Supreme Court will hear a case on whether the federal government has the authority to dismiss a False Claims Act case after declining to take action. In August 2019, the Department of Justice dismissed a whistleblower case filed in 2012 by Dr. Jesse Polansky, a former employee of UnitedHealth Group subsidiary Executive Health Resources, that alleged hospital billing fraud. Polansky claimed his employer was billing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid for inpatient admissions that were outpatient visits to receive higher reimbursements. (Christ, 6/23)
Modern Healthcare: Mayo Clinic, UnitedHealthcare Reach Medicare Advantage Network Agreement
Mayo Clinic and UnitedHealthcare have come to terms on an agreement that adds the provider to the insurer's network, the health system announced Thursday. The Mayo Clinic stopped accepting appointments from out-of-network patients to preserve hospital capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic early this year. The deal that takes effect Jan. 1 will give UnitedHealthcare's Medicare Advantage members nationwide access the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and its other Midwest locations. (Abrams, 6/23)
KHN: Health Care Startups Turn To ‘Coaches’ To Help Patients Cope And Monitor Treatment
In 2011, Sean Duffy and Adrian James were sitting in San Francisco’s Dolores Park debating what to call some workers at the company they founded, Omada Health. Omada, which launched that year, provides virtual treatment for chronic conditions. The company addresses the conditions through a team of employees — some traditional clinicians and others meant to give encouragement to patients as they manage the day to day of hypertension, prediabetes, and other conditions. This second group was crucial, they thought. The founders ended up asking patients what title to use. (Tahir, 6/24)
