Study: Asthma, Diabetes Among Top 5 Conditions Costing Billions

Modern Healthcare: Five Chronic Conditions Cost Employers $2.5 Billion Over Two Years, Study Shows
Companies spent $2.5 billion to treat employees' asthma, diabetes, hypertension, mental health and substance abuse and back disorders over the course of two years, according to a new study. UnitedHealthcare reviewed all claims issued by the Health Action Council's 57 nationwide employer members—which are responsible for coverage of 281,000 individuals—to find that more than 60% of workers struggle with at least one of these chronic conditions, making them the top cost drivers in employer healthcare. By studying which populations are most impacted by which diseases, Craig Kurtzweil, vice president of UnitedHealthcare's Center for Advanced Analytics, said he aims to help employers and payers lower their overall health spend by structuring targeted benefits packages to meet the needs of these workers. (Tepper, 2/18)

In other public health news —

The Hill: LGBT People Of Color Two Times More Likely Than Straight, White People To Get COVID-19: Study 
LGBT people of color are twice as likely to contract the coronavirus as their heterosexual, white counterparts, according to a study from UCLA Williams Institute. The study assessed the impact of the fall 2020 surge of COVID-19 in the United States, using data collected from 12,000 adult participants between Aug. 21, 2020, and Dec. 21, 2020. The study's "main finding" is that "that the impact of the pandemic on LGBT communities cannot be fully understood without considering race and ethnicity as well as sexual orientation and gender identity." (Vella, 2/18)

The Wall Street Journal: Ivy League Cancels Spring Sports Season Over Covid-19 
The Ivy League Council of Presidents announced Thursday that it would not attempt to stage spring sports in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, making it the only conference in the NCAA’s Division I that remains completely on the sidelines for the fourth consecutive season. “These decisions are grounded in public health best practices and informed by the pandemic related policies currently in place at member institutions,” a council statement said, adding that the presidents had decided that having sports jeopardized the rest of their universities’ activities. (Higgins and Radnofsky, 2/18)

Politico: Former Kansas Sen. Bob Dole Announces Stage 4 Lung Cancer Diagnosis 
Former Kansas senator and Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole announced on Thursday that he has been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. "My first treatment will begin on Monday. While I certainly have some hurdles ahead, I also know that I join millions of Americans who face significant health challenges of their own," the 97-year-old Dole said in a statement. (Kambhampaty, 2/18)

The New York Times: Are Some Foods Addictive? 
Five years ago, a group of nutrition scientists studied what Americans eat and reached a striking conclusion: More than half of all the calories that the average American consumes comes from ultra-processed foods, which they defined as “industrial formulations” that combine large amounts of sugar, salt, oils, fats and other additives. Highly processed foods continue to dominate the American diet, despite being linked to obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and other health problems. They are cheap and convenient, and engineered to taste good. They are aggressively marketed by the food industry. But a growing number of scientists say another reason these foods are so heavily consumed is that for many people they are not just tempting but addictive, a notion that has sparked controversy among researchers. (O'Connor, 2/18)

Burlington Free Press: Penuma Penile Implant Surgery Offered At Brigham And Women's In Boston
A Boston hospital is the first in New England to offer the only government-authorized cosmetic penile implant for men willing to shell out about $18,000 to size-up their reproductive member. Called "Penuma," the first procedure in New England was completed the week of Feb. 8 at Brigham and Women's Hospital, where Dr. Michael Philip O'Leary is one of only 10 surgeons in the U.S. currently able to perform the surgery. Approximately 300 patients have already expressed interest in receiving Penuma at Brigham and Women's. "There’s a strong interest in men for this type of surgery, and I think it will be very successful," said O'Leary. (Barndollar, 2/18)