AP: In Reversal, FDA Puts Brakes On COVID Shots For Kids Under 5
COVID-19 vaccinations for children under 5 hit another monthslong delay Friday as U.S. regulators abruptly put the brakes on their efforts to speed review of the shots that Pfizer is testing for youngsters. The Food and Drug Administration, worried about the omicron variant’s toll on kids, had taken the extraordinary step of urging Pfizer to apply for OK of the extra-low dose vaccine before it’s clear if tots will need two shots or three. The agency’s plan could have allowed vaccinations to begin within weeks. (Neergaard and Perrone, 2/11)

Stat: Pfizer Pulls Back From Plan To Expedite Review Of Covid Shots In Young Kids
Plans to attempt to authorize the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine for children under 5 before full data are available appear to have run aground. The Food and Drug Administration on Friday canceled a key meeting of its vaccines advisory committee that had been slated for next Tuesday to discuss the submission, saying that the delay “will give the agency time to consider … additional data.” Both the FDA and the companies suggested the application for authorization won’t proceed until there are data showing how well the vaccine works after a third dose. Those data should be available in early April, the companies said. (Herper, Florko and Branswell, 2/11)

The New York Times: F.D.A. Delays Review Of Pfizer’s Covid Vaccine For Children Under 5
Pfizer-BioNTech asked for the delay after the companies discovered that the Omicron wave had led to a far higher rate of infection than they had previously recorded among young volunteers in their clinical trial. The new data underscored that the Omicron variant was better than the earlier Delta variant at evading the vaccine’s protection, and it showed that two doses, which had already fallen short by another measure, were not effective enough. As a result, the companies and the F.D.A. agreed to wait for the results from a third dose, which are expected in early April. (LaFraniere and Weiland, 2/11)

CNN: Covid-19 Vaccine Booster Effectiveness Wanes After Four Months But Still Offers Protection, Study Finds 
Booster doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna coronavirus vaccines are safe, and they offer high levels of protection against severe Covid-19 even though that protection can wane over time, according to two studies published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday. Evidence of waning protection "reinforces the importance of further consideration of additional doses to sustain or improve protection" against Covid-19-linked hospitalizations and emergency department visits, one of the studies says. (Howard, 2/13)

AP: Study: COVID Booster Effectiveness Wanes But Remains Strong 
An early look at the performance of COVID-19 booster shots during the recent omicron wave in the U.S. hinted at a decline in effectiveness, though the shots still offered strong protection against severe illness. The report, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday, is considered an early and limited look at the durability of booster protection during the omicron surge that exploded in December and January but has been fading in recent weeks. (Stobbe, 2/11)

But immunocompromised people can get a booster sooner —

The Washington Post: CDC Recommends People With Weakened Immune Systems Get Booster Doses After Three Months Instead Of Five 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidance on Friday for some people with weakened immune systems, recommending they get a booster dose of the coronavirus vaccine three months after completing the initial series of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna shots, rather than the current interval of five months. The guidance also said immunocompromised people who received the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine should get an additional dose. That means two doses, at least 28 days apart, followed by a booster dose of one of the mRNA vaccines. (Sun, 2/11)

In other news about the vaccine rollout —

The Denver Channel: Many Fully Vaccinated Americans Are Saying No To The Booster
Across the country, states are loosening COVID-19 restrictions even though the federal government and the Centers for Disease Control continue to say masks should still be worn inside public spaces. So how close are we to the end of the health crisis and why are some public health experts warning of a looming booster shot problem? (St. George, 2/14)

Bay Area News Group: COVID Vaccine Hesitancy Remains In Bay Area’s Black, Latino Families
Thousands of Bay Area school kids still don’t have their COVID-19 shots despite looming school vaccine mandates, provoking uncertainty among school leaders and fear in parents about how the requirements could impact long- and short-term learning for unvaccinated students. Despite efforts to boost vaccination numbers across the region since last fall, Black and Latino teens ages 12 and up remain less likely to be vaccinated for the virus than their White and Asian classmates, a Bay Area News Group analysis of data from local school districts and public health departments found. (Jimenez and Rowan, 2/13)

Stat: Why Covid-19 Vaccines Are A Freaking Miracle 
Two years into the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s easy to lament all that has come to pass. The devastating losses. The upending of what we regarded as normal ways of life. The sheer relentlessness of it all. But let’s stop for a moment and consider something else that may have escaped you: You have witnessed — and you are a beneficiary of — a freaking miracle. That miracle is the development, testing, manufacturing, and global distribution of Covid vaccines. (Branswell, 2/14)

CIDRAP: Eagerly Awaited COVID Lifesavers Molnupiravir, Paxlovid Now Wait For Patients
Supplies of the eagerly awaited oral COVID-19 antiviral prescription medications are slowly arriving at US pharmacies, but despite strong evidence that they can help reduce symptoms and prevent severe illness, federal data and experts suggest that many patients don't know about them or don't want to take them. Two oral COVID-19 antiviral medications, molnupiravir (Merck) and Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir and ritonavir, Pfizer), have been proven to be safe, effective, and convenient treatments to take at home. (Van Beusekom, 2/11)

Stat: New Monoclonal Expands Arsenal Of Options Against Omicron And Sister
The Food and Drug Administration on Friday authorized another Covid-19 monoclonal antibody treatment, which will expand the supply of such treatments that work against the Omicron variant and its sister viruses. The therapy, bebtelovimab, was developed by Eli Lilly. Like other monoclonals, it’s given intravenously and is meant to keep high-risk patients with Covid-19 from getting so sick they need to be hospitalized. The federal government on Thursday announced it had struck a deal with Lilly to purchase 600,000 courses of the treatment for at least $720 million. Shipments were expected to start imminently, with 300,000 courses arriving this month and another 300,000 next month. The contract includes an option for another 500,000 courses. (Joseph, 2/11)

In other news about covid treatments —

Chicago Tribune: Evusheld, Treatment For Those At Risk Of COVID-19, Available At Illinois Hospitals 
In December 2020, just before vaccines became widely available, Todd Linna contracted a case of COVID-19 that he couldn’t get rid of. The northern Illinois man lost 50 pounds and was unable to work for five months. He rarely left the house, except to go to the hospital. His doctor found that the virus had burrowed deep into his lungs. “It’s something you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy,” he said. About 10 years ago, Linna had a cancer that depleted his immune system. Even though he has since received the vaccine, his immune system did not respond to it. So he pins his hope of staying free of COVID-19 on a new treatment approved late last year. (Buckley, 2/12)

Fox News: Antihistamines May Help Resolve Long COVID, Report Suggests
Two healthy middle-aged females returned to almost their normal daily activities after taking daily antihistamines for long COVID, according to a recently published case report. The researchers noted long COVID is a chronic condition when patients who are infected with the virus have persistent symptoms that extend beyond the typical time frame for the infection to resolve, but the illness currently doesn’t have any evidence-based treatments to guide how to manage it. "Most patients tell us that providers have not recommended anything that has helped," said co-author Melissa Pinto, associate professor at the University of California, Irvine Sue and Bill Gross School of Nursing. (Sudhakar, 2/12)

Oklahoman: Military Medical Teams Give Needed Support To OKC Hospitals Amid COVID
Dressed in the same scrubs their civilian counterparts wear, the military members in Oklahoma City hospitals look like any other health care workers. After a few days of training and onboarding, the teams have quickly gotten to work at OU Medical Center and Integris Health hospitals in Oklahoma City, offering extra support as the hospitals have struggled with the impact of the omicron surge on their staffing and capacity. “The only way somebody would be able to tell that it's a military member that’s taking care of them, rather than somebody from the Oklahoma City community, is our badges — our picture actually has our uniform on it,” said Maj. Greg Buchek, an infectious disease physician who is part of the Air Force team working with Integris. (Branham, 2/14)

The Salt Lake Tribune: COVID-19 Is Still Filling Rural Utah’s Hospitals. Now Providers Are Bringing In The Military.
Pfc. David Bravo has two days to learn the basics of nursing: taking a pulse, changing a bedpan — even practicing dressing other people’s bodies by putting socks on a mannequin. “With such a [tragic] pandemic going on, it’s rough on everyone,” said Bravo, one of 57 Utah National Guard members who are being deployed to southern Utah hospitals and nursing homes that are struggling to operate as the effects of January’s massive surge in COVID-19 cases linger in rural counties. (Alberty and Bitsoi, 2/11)

Hartford Courant: Military Medical-Relief Unit Arrives To Ease Burden On COVID-Afflicted Staff At Saint Francis 
A military medical relief unit arrived Thursday to cheers from the COVID-afflicted staff at Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford. The 20 U.S. Air Force nurses, physicians and other medical workers will work to ease the burden on the hospital’s diminished staff. The contingent is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s nationwide “surge response” program. (Leavenworth, 2/10)

Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio National Guard Departs From Local Hospitals
Ohio National Guard members who spent weeks aiding health workers at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and the Christ Hospital during the winter COVID-19 surge departed the area Friday as the virus's impact continues to wane in the area. Nearly 90 guard members assisted health workers at UCMC in Corryville while another 50 were deployed to Christ's Mount Auburn location. As hospitals were pushed to the brink during the rapid community spread of the omicron variant, the guard was heralded by executives for its assistance in ancillary tasks that took some stress off of health workers. Most guard members served in nonclinical capacities except for 10 medics assigned to aid the emergency department at UCMC and 10 more medics at the Christ Hospital. (Sutherland, 2/11)

In other news about the spread of the coronavirus —

CIDRAP: With Low COVID Vaccine Uptake, Rural US Bore Brunt Of Delta Surge 
Rural US counties with low COVID-19 vaccination rates had 2.4 times more infections per 100,000 people than urban counties amid the summer 2021 Delta surge, according to a study published yesterday in JAMA Network Open. A team led by University of Cincinnati researchers conducted an ecological data visualization analysis using Johns Hopkins University and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data to investigate the link between rates of COVID-19 vaccination and Delta COVID-19 infections from Jul 1 to Aug 31. Colorado, Georgia, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia were excluded from the study because their vaccination data were incomplete or unreliable. (Van Beusekom, 2/11)

KHN: Covid Precautions Are Part Of Hispanic Community’s Efforts To Tend To Community Good 
On a snowy January morning, Luis Portillo stood in line on the side of a busy road in Silver Spring, Maryland — a suburb just north of Washington, D.C. — with about 200 other people, waiting for his turn to get tested for covid-19 at Mary’s Center, a federally qualified health center. Portillo, a 65-year-old bakery worker originally from El Salvador, jammed his hands in his coat pockets and shivered in the 25-degree weather. Though Portillo is not particularly concerned about covid — he is vaccinated and boosted and had a mild case last year — he came out because it’s necessary to “look after yourself as much as you can” to prevent infecting others who may be more vulnerable, he said in Spanish. After he developed symptoms following a holiday party and found out another partygoer had tested positive, Portillo decided he needed a test. He was concerned about exposing co-workers or his four housemates, who have remained symptom-free. (True, 2/14)

The Baltimore Sun: Post-COVID Conditions, COVID Long-Haulers Still Baffle Researchers 
Kels Rosario tested positive for COVID-19 before there was a vaccine and again after he got the shots. He suspects an illness at the beginning of the pandemic also was caused by the coronavirus. One bout was enough to send him to the hospital four times and turn his mild asthma into a persistent lung issue requiring him to breathe in medication morning and night through a portable inhaler. He also has such “puffers” at the ready around his home and car and at friends’ houses. “They’re stashed everywhere because I feared I wouldn’t get to one in time,” he said. “With the weather a little colder, I use them a little more frequently during the week.” (Cohn, 2/13)

San Francisco Chronicle: The Greatest Danger Of COVID During Pregnancy Is Not To Baby But To Mom
Studies show the womb of a mother infected with the coronavirus is generally safe for the fetus because the placenta usually stops the pathogen from entering. That’s different from some other viruses, including zika and rubella, that can cross the barrier and attack the baby in utero. Catching the virus does increase the chance that a woman will deliver a stillborn baby, a study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed in November. Although the stillborn rate was higher for women who were infected than for those who were not, it was still low, at less than 1%. The study also identified a jump in the rate of stillborns, to 2.7%, during the period when the delta variant emerged last summer. But such risks remain rare. (Asimov, 2/13

NPR: Republicans Call On Biden To End COVID's Public Health Emergency Designation
Republicans in Congress have asked President Biden to end the designation of COVID-19 as a public health emergency (PHE), citing the accessibility of vaccines and effective treatments as well as the harms of long-term isolation on public health. Their request for the president to undo the designation comes as calls grow — including from former Biden advisers — for the federal government to chart a course for the next stage of the pandemic. Coronavirus cases and hospitalizations have plunged after the dramatic omicron-driven surge, and deaths have begun falling as well, though the seven-day average was still 2,300 deaths per day, as of Thursday. (Wise, 2/14)

The New York Times: Biden Suggests Ending Mask Mandates Is ‘Premature’ 
President Biden responded to American frustration with pandemic restrictions, saying that it was still too soon to lift indoor mask mandates, while suggesting that other restrictions may soon be able to end. In the roughly 22-minute interview, some of which was previewed before Sunday, Mr. Biden said that the decision by some state governors last week to begin lifting indoor mask mandates was “probably premature,” but acknowledged that making that decision was a “tough call.” (Cameron, 2/14)

AP: Q&A: Surgeon General On Omicron, Masks And Mental Health 
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy says he can imagine a future where Americans don’t have to contend with mask requirements. But pulling back safeguards too quickly, Murthy warns, risks more avoidable suffering, especially for people with weakened immune systems or other vulnerabilities. In an interview this week with The Associated Press, Murthy also shared his concerns about the pandemic’s impact on the mental wellbeing of youth. He’s the father of two young children. Growing up, he witnessed the toll of unresolved mental health problems. (Powell, 2/11)

In other covid news from the Biden administration —

The Washington Post: Biden’s Free Covid Tests Plan Shortchanges Americans Of Color And Hardest-Hit Communities, Say Health Workers And Activists 
When President Biden first announced plans to ship 500 million free coronavirus tests to Americans, the move was largely lauded. But some public health experts and community activists say the plan’s limit of four tests per household will force the tens of millions of Americans who live in multigenerational homes to make difficult — and risky — decisions about who gets to use them. An estimated 64 million Americans live in multigenerational households, according to the most recent data available, a disproportionate number of them people of color and many of them working in essential jobs in cities and communities where the pandemic has hit hardest. (Foster-Frau, 2/12)

The New York Times: Covid Funeral Assistance Is An Underused Program
Maybe it was because Kerri Raissian’s father had spent time in two hospitals and a nursing facility during the last 12 days of his life. Or maybe it was because he had been in the emergency room for only a few hours before he died. Either way, Covid-19 was not listed on his death certificate. Ms. Raissian has spent the last month trying to change that. At stake are thousands of dollars from a program run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency meant to ease the financial burden on grieving families that lost loved ones to the pandemic. The government will reimburse up to $9,000 in funeral expenses for people who die from the coronavirus — as long as there is proper documentation. (Bernard, 2/11)

Newsweek: Most Americans Still Support Mask Mandates As States Relax Rules: Poll
A majority of Americans still support mask mandates even as states continue to relax their rules regarding masking, according to a new poll on Sunday. Masking requirements have long been a point of contention throughout the pandemic. The relaxed rules for indoor venues and schools come as COVID-19 cases in the United States dropped significantly since peaking earlier in the winter during the Omicron surge. But the CBS News-YouGov poll found that most Americans still support mask requirements for indoor venues. (Stanton, 2/13)

Dallas Morning News: Walmart And Sam’s Club Lift Mask Mandate For Vaccinated Employees
Walmart sent a memo to its U.S. workforce Friday afternoon lifting its mask mandate for fully vaccinated employees at Walmart and Sam’s Clubs, unless required by state and local mandate. The decision comes as several states have dropped their indoor mask mandates. Texas hasn’t had an indoor mask mandate since March 2021 when Gov. Greg Abbott lifted it, but “strongly encouraged” the wearing of masks in public. Amazon said on Thursday that fully vaccinated employees no longer had to wear masks inside its warehouses and removed COVID-19 paid leave for unvaccinated employees. Employees have to be vaccinated by March 18 to receive COVID-19 related paid leave in the future, Amazon said. (Halkias, 2/11)

Politico: Newsom Wants To End School Masks, But Teachers Say Not Yet 
Blue states are ditching their school mask mandates, but California is stuck as powerful teachers unions push back. The classroom was always going to be the last stand for the mask wars in California. Schools stayed closed longer here than anywhere else in the country as teachers unions made access to vaccines a condition of their return. More recently, teachers have demanded better masks and more testing to guard against the Omicron variant. (Luthi and Colliver, 2/13)

And more news about California mandates —

San Francisco Chronicle: California Legislators Push To Mandate Vaccines For Employees Of All Businesses
California legislators are trying to succeed where the federal government couldn’t by mandating that all businesses require their employees to get vaccinated for COVID-19. Assembly Member Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, introduced a bill Friday that would mandate vaccines for workplaces and require employers to verify that their workers are immunized. New hires would need to have at least one shot by their first day — and the second within 45 days. The measure, AB1993, would include exemptions for people who cannot get vaccinated for medical reasons or those who oppose vaccines on religious grounds. (Gardiner, 2/11)

Modern Healthcare: CMS Claws Back Medicare Payments From Hospitals That Own Nursing Schools
For nearly a decade, the federal government has overpaid hospitals that own nursing schools an estimated $310 million, and now the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services want that money back. CMS posted a notice online in late 2020 stating that due to an agency error, nursing schools were overpaid by Medicare from 2008 through 2018 and needed to return that money. For many of the providers, that money will come due this summer unless a congressional effort to forgive the debts is successful. (Hellmann, 2/11)

In other news about Medicare —

Modern Healthcare: Joint Replacement Pay Reform Hasn't Hurt Alzheimer's Patients
Medicare payment reforms for joint replacement didn't increase disparities in use between patients with Alzheimer's and those without, according to a new study in JAMA Health Forum on the first two years of program data. The findings, published Friday, came after previous studies found the value-based payment reform was associated with a decrease in knee replacements for Black beneficiaries and dual-eligible beneficiaries. The relatively equitable treatment for Alzheimer's patients under the reformed model is encouraging, but policymakers should keep evaluating new models to make sure they're offering equitable care to vulnerable populations, the study's authors wrote. (Goldman, 2/11)

CIDRAP: Medicare Study Puts Spotlight On High-Volume Antibiotic Prescribers
A review of data on outpatient prescriptions for Medicare patients shows that high-volume antibiotic prescribers are responsible for a disproportionate number of antibiotic prescriptions in this group, researchers reported today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports. The study, led by researchers with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, found that, among more than 59 million antibiotic prescriptions written for Medicare Part D beneficiaries in 2019, 41% came from the top 10% of prescribers, who prescribed antibiotics at a rate 60% higher than that of lower-volume prescribers. Nearly half of those prescribers were located in southern states. (Dall, 2/11)

Stat: Drug Company Payments For Consulting, Food, And Drinks Influence Rheumatologists’ Prescribing 
In the latest attempt to examine financial ties between physicians and the pharmaceutical industry, a new study finds that payments to rheumatologists by drug makers are associated with an increased likelihood of prescribing and Medicare spending. Between 2013 and 2015, more than 3,700 – or two-thirds – of all rheumatologists in the U.S. received some type of payment from a pharmaceutical company. Depending upon the drug, payments for food and beverages likely increased prescribing anywhere from 1.5% to 4.5%, while such payments boosted annual Medicare spending from 3% to 23%. (Silverman, 2/11)

Modern Healthcare: Provider Groups Ignite Push To Keep Direct Contracting Model
Federal regulators are considering the future of the Direct Contracting program and an announcement could come soon, unnerving some provider groups. The concerned groups are urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to tweak but not toss out the Global and Professional Direct Contracting part of the program. ... The Direct Contracting program is part of CMS' push towards value-based care arrangements. The initiative has taken on new meaning recently, as the agency in October unveiled a goal to bring all Medicare beneficiaries into value-based care by 2030. GPDC builds off CMMI's previous ACO models, offering higher levels of risk and greater opportunities for reward. (Goldman, 2/14)

In Medicaid news —

AP: Georgia Bill Would Expand Medicaid Coverage For New Moms
A Georgia bill aimed at reducing the state’s high death rate for new mothers is advancing. The state Senate this week unanimously approved legislation that would extend Medicaid coverage for low-income moms in Georgia from six months to a year after they give birth. “Extending Medicaid coverage to new mothers to a full year after birth is a solid step towards improving the lives and health of mothers and babies in Georgia,” Senate Democratic Leader Gloria Butler said Monday. “It will address our shameful maternal mortality rate. We cannot claim to care about women’s health, maternal health and babies without passing this legislation.” (2/12)

KHN: Why Millions On Medicaid Are At Risk Of Losing Coverage In The Months Ahead 
The Biden administration and state officials are bracing for a great unwinding: millions of people losing their Medicaid benefits when the pandemic health emergency ends. Some might sign up for different insurance. Many others are bound to get lost in the transition. State Medicaid agencies for months have been preparing for the end of a federal mandate that anyone enrolled in Medicaid cannot lose coverage during the pandemic. (Pradhan, 2/14)

Modern Healthcare: Kaiser Permanente Broke Its Own Profit Record In 2021
Kaiser Permanente had its most profitable year yet in 2021, drawing $8.1 billion in net income. Oakland, California-based Kaiser once again benefited from strong investment returns last year, beefing up its nonoperating income even as its operating income grew slimmer. The integrated health system's net income grew 27.2% year-over-year, from an already strong $6.4 billion in 2020. (Bannow, 2/11)

In other health care industry news —

Oklahoman: Medical School, Nursing Program Enrollment Fluctuates During COVID
As a teen, Spencer Garrett dreamed of going to business school and someday becoming a CEO. But the more she thought about her career trajectory, the more she realized she loved helping people, and the more she wanted to see the day-to-day results of her actions making a difference. After exploring a hospital through a high school leadership program, Garrett's decision was made. She wanted to be a nurse. Within a few years, a pandemic was raging across the country. Garrett's choice had been a timely one. (Christopher Smith and Denwalt, 2/12)

Modern Healthcare: More Health Systems Enter Joint Ventures With Home Health Agencies
More health systems are partnering with home health agencies after internal ventures sputtered and regulations have evolved, industry experts said. Chicago-based NorthShore – Edward-Elmhurst Health is the latest health system to pursue a joint venture with a home health and hospice agency, announcing an affiliation Thursday with Residential Healthcare Group. It is one of dozens of similar joint ventures that have formed over the past 18 months. (Kacik, 2/11)

Chicago Tribune: Northwestern Plans New ‘Heart Hospital,’ With $45 Million Donation From Billionaire Neil Bluhm 
Northwestern Memorial Hospital is opening a new heart hospital within its walls, with $45 million donated by casino magnate Neil Bluhm and his family’s charitable foundation. The money will allow Northwestern to increase its number of beds for cardiovascular patients in need of overnight care from about 85 to 140, said Dr. Patrick McCarthy, executive director of the Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute. The new Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Heart Hospital will occupy four floors of Northwestern’s Galter Pavilion, which previously housed administrative and physician offices and outpatient services, said Dr. Clyde Yancy, chief of cardiology at Northwestern Medicine. (Schencker, 2/14)

Modern Healthcare: ChristianaCare To Acquire Crozer Health Medical Group
ChristianaCare Health System signed a letter of intent to acquire Crozer Health Medical Group from Prospect Medical Holdings, saying the move is intended to increase access to care and health equity. With the agreement, ChristianaCare will gain ownership of Crozer Health hospitals' related businesses, real estate assets, ambulatory centers, medical office buildings, physician clinics and ancillary outpatient services, the not-for-profit regional health system said Friday. (Devereaux, 2/11)

Modern Healthcare: Catholic Medical Center Agrees To Resolve Kickback Allegations By Paying $3.8M
Catholic Medical Center will pay $3.8 million to settle allegations that it violated the civil False Claims Act by providing free call coverage services to an off-duty cardiologist as a way to generate more patient referrals. Catholic Medical Center paid its own cardiologists to cover another cardiologist's patients while she was away on vacation or otherwise unavailable in exchange for referrals to its New Hampshire-based center for additional care, the U.S. asserted in the settlement agreement. (Devereaux, 2/11)

Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis Home Care Company To Pay $432K Over Labor Violations
A federal court ordered the owner of two Indianapolis home health-care companies to pay $432,000 in back wages and damages to 171 workers who worked more than 40 hours a week but never received overtime pay. Timothy Paul, the owner of Heal at Home LLC and TPS Caregiving LLC — also known as Comfort Keepers — was targeted by the U.S. Department of Labor with a lawsuit in August 2021 for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act numerous times between April 2018 and April 2020. Heal at Home provides in-home pediatric and senior care, while Comfort Keepers focuses on home care and specialized care for seniors. (Magdaleno, 2/11)

Stat: What We Know — And Still Don't Know — About How Telehealth Affects Costs
Telehealth proponents expected the pandemic to net them a windfall of convincing evidence that virtual care could increase quality and cut spending. But two years after health systems went virtual almost overnight, industry watchers are still disputing a key aspect that could determine telehealth’s fate: whether the option for virtual visits means patients will see doctors more often than they would in-person. Whether telehealth is a substitute for — or an addition to — in-person care could clarify if it drives up costs for insurers and providers. Telehealth advocates have for years sought to prove to Congress that it’s a substitute, and that expanding Medicare coverage for virtual care wouldn’t significantly increase federal spending. (Ravindranath, 2/14)

KHN: Journalists Discuss Cracks In The Health Care System And Roadblocks To Covid Booster Shots 
KHN senior correspondent Sarah Jane Tribble discussed her reporting for the podcast “Where It Hurts” on the “Too Long Didn’t Listen” podcast Feb. 3. ... KHN senior correspondent and enterprise reporter Liz Szabo discussed the problems immunocompromised people face in accessing a fourth covid-19 vaccine shot on Newsy on Jan. 28. (2/12)

Axios: FTC May Probe Pharmacy Benefit Managers 
The Federal Trade Commission will vote Thursday on whether it will study how pharmacy benefit managers affect drug prices and the businesses of pharmacies. PBMs are powerful, secretive and heavily consolidated, and it appears the FTC is open to scrutinizing the industry that got significantly more concentrated under the FTC's own watch. The FTC did not respond to requests for more information about what the study could include. But one of the FTC's targets likely will be fees PBMs claw back from pharmacies — fees the federal government is also targeting in a new proposed regulation. (Herman, 2/14)

Stat: FTC Will Vote On Whether To Examine How PBM Practices
In a move hailed by pharmacies, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission plans to vote later this month on whether to examine pharmacy benefits managers and how their controversial practices affect independent and specialty pharmacy operations. The agency disclosed the planned Feb. 17 vote in a brief notice that specified interest in the “competitive impact of contractual provisions and reimbursement adjustments, and other practices affecting drug prices,” but did not provide any further detail. An FTC spokesperson wrote us that additional information will not be released until the upcoming meeting. (Silverman, 2/11)

In other pharmaceutical news —

The Washington Post: Formaldehyde Exposure Increases By 17 Percent The Risk Of Memory, Thinking Woes
Health-care workers and others who are exposed on the job to formaldehyde, even in low amounts, face a 17 percent increased likelihood of developing memory and thinking problems later on, according to research published in the journal Neurology. The finding adds cognitive impairment to already established health risks associated with formaldehyde. (Searing, 2/13)

The Washington Post: Experts Offer Guidelines For Safely Reviving Drowning Victims During Pandemic 
Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation can save a life. But in the era of covid-19, it can also put lives at risk. That’s the odd dilemma faced by people who respond to drownings. Giving the air that is so necessary to drowning victims could also result in the transmission of the coronavirus. Now, an international group of resuscitation and drowning experts has weighed in on how to safely revive a drowned person. (Blakemore, 2/13)

And more public health news —

C-HIT.org: Calls To Rethink The War On Opioids
When three 13-year-old boys were sickened by the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl at a Hartford middle school on Jan. 13, it was a shocking reminder of the human toll of the opioid crisis. One of the boys later died and a sweep of the school surfaced 40 small plastic bags of the drug. Later that same day, dozens of people spoke out against a proposal to locate a methadone clinic on a commercial street on the New Haven-Hamden border. During the ongoing battle with COVID-19, there seems to be less attention being paid to opioid addiction, advocates say. But now these two events put opioids and opioid use disorder back in the spotlight. Deaths from opioid overdose in Connecticut have increased nearly 40% over the past three years, hitting 1,356 through the first 11 months of in 2021 and, police say, the state is flooded with ever-more-powerful synthetic opioids. (Hamm, 2/12)

ABC News: Wife Of Rams' Van Jefferson Goes Into Labor During Super Bowl LVI 
The wife of the Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Van Jefferson left SoFi on a stretcher Sunday after going into labor during the Super Bowl LVI, a team spokesperson confirmed to ABC News. (Sanchez, 2/14)

KHN: Health Policy Valentines Too Sweet Not To Tweet 
Nothing brightens our Twitter feeds like a few good health policy valentines ― except maybe a haiku or two. Tweeters showered us with love this season, writing poetic valentines about covid-19 testing and booster shots, the No Surprises Act, and more. Here are some of our favorites, starting with the winning tweet from @AlanJCard. (2/14)

New Hampshire Public Radio: City Of Nashua Offers Free Testing For Sexually Transmitted Infections On Valentine’s Day
Granite Staters can get tested for a range of sexually transmitted infections for free during the city of Nashua’s fourth annual Valentine’s Day testing event. The event is organized by the city’s division of public health and community services. Sascha Potzka, a public health nurse with the city of Nashua, said testing is important because people may not know if they’re living with an infection. “A lot of people are asymptomatic, especially with Chlamydia and Gonorrhea – about 50% of people don’t experience symptoms,” she said. The same is true for HIV – many people may not experience symptoms in the beginning, she said. (Hoplamazian, 2/13)

In other news from across the U.S. —

The Boston Globe: Baker Signs $101 Million Supplemental Budget, With Emergency Paid Sick Leave, More COVID-19 Resources
Governor Charlie Baker signed a $101 million supplemental budget over the weekend that includes additional funding for a state COVID-19 emergency paid sick leave program and increased access to vaccines and other pandemic supplies. Baker said in a letter to state lawmakers Saturday that the legislation he signed authorizes $76 million primarily intended to increase access to COVID-19 tests, vaccines, and masks. The legislation also includes a $25 million increase for the state’s COVID-19 emergency paid sick leave program drawn from federal funds. (Hilliard, 2/13)

Bangor Daily News: Amateur Radio Group To Bring 1st Municipal-Based Emergency Service To Aroostook County
A group of amateur radio operators in Caribou have banded together to start Aroostook County’s first municipal-based emergency service, hoping to modernize the region’s use of technology during disasters. In a rural county where internet, cellphone and other types of communication can be spotty in good weather, storms can easily knock out those modes of communication. The newly formed group of volunteer amateur radio operators calling itself Caribou Emergency Amateur Radio Service will bring to Aroostook the only digital smart technology for amateur radios, known as D-STAR, north of Portland. (Lizotte, 2/14)

Bangor Daily News: Maine Could Be In Line To Ban Flavored Tobacco
Portland has followed Bangor in banning the sale of flavored tobacco products, a move advocates hope will spur the passage of a statewide ban. The Portland City Council voted unanimously to ban the sale of the products within the city on Monday, more than three months after Bangor became Maine’s first community to do so. Both bans go into effect on June 1. Anti-tobacco advocates in Portland and elsewhere say that sales bans are the only way to ensure that children don’t get access to e-cigarette products. Tobacco and vape manufacturers had long marketed their products to children, they argue, noting the many fruity flavors available for e-cigarettes and the numerous young people in Maine who have begun using e-cigarettes despite being below the age of 21. (Marino Jr., 2/13)

Las Vegas Review-Journal: School Board Gets Update On Unpaid Health Insurance Claims
The health insurance provider for Clark County School District educators is working to resolve issues for 44 members who were in collections because of unpaid medical claims. Officials with THT Health provided updates Thursday to the Clark County School Board. Of the 44 members identified as being in collections, 13 of those cases have been resolved, THT Health CEO Tom Zumtobel said. That means a member’s health care provider was paid and the collection agency notice was retracted, he said, noting there also isn’t a blemish on their credit record. THT is in the process of reconciling collections issues for 31 remaining members. (Wooton-Greener, 2/11)

Billings Gazette: As 'Gray Wave' Washes Over Montana, Caregivers Become Hard To Find
With old age comes the need for more care, but Montana is short hundreds of in-home and respite caregivers while simultaneously leading the West in the silver wave. About 20% of Montana’s population is over age 65, higher than any other western state, according to the Population Reference Bureau. And Montanans are more inclined to age at home with every passing year. Montana AARP surveys showed that about 85% of residents would prefer to age at home while nationally about 77% of those over 50 years old preferred to age at home, according to Mike Batista with Montana AARP. (Schabacker, 2/13)

North Carolina Health News: Healthy Food Access Is Key To Neighborhood Revival 
David West, a retired juvenile court counselor for the state of North Carolina, grew up in the Boston-Thurmond neighborhood in Winston-Salem, a predominantly Black community that has seen many changes over the past century. Until the early 1990s, it was a vibrant neighborhood filled with Black Americans in a variety of tax brackets. There were fresh food markets at most every corner and everyone seemed to know everyone in the community, according to West, a 68-year-old neighborhood advocate who willingly offers a quick history lesson. Today, few residents there know their neighbors, according to West. (Jallow, 2/14)

The Roanoke Times: ‘It Blows My Mind’: Lost To History, Virginia Home Of Henrietta Lacks, Whose Cells Transformed Medicine, Is Demolished 
An excavator’s claw no one in local history circles saw coming leveled a house that records say was once the home of Henrietta Lacks, the Roanoke-born woman described as the mother of modern medicine. In a freakish stroke of bad timing, a local historian discovered the home standing vacant on a Hurt Park street, but city officials weren’t told of its significance in time to call off the demolition. Code enforcement officials did not know Lacks had lived in the American Foursquare house on Norfolk Avenue, which had become unsafe, said Dan Webb, codes compliance administrator. Nor did the owner. An excavator tore down the dwelling at 1102 Norfolk Ave. SW, which was at least 95 years old, about four months before the start of the coronavirus pandemic, The Roanoke Times found. (Sturgeon, 2/14)

Politico: Senate Ad Slams Transgender Athletes ‘Pretending To Be Women’ 
A new ad in the Missouri Republican Senate primary criticizes the collegiate swimmer at the center of a debate over policies for transgender athletes, marking the first time the lightning-rod issue has appeared in a Senate campaign spot. Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), one of several contenders vying to replace retiring GOP Sen. Roy Blunt, is out with a new ad slamming Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer on the University of Pennsylvania’s women’s team. (Allison, 2/13)

Bloomberg: Covid Death Rates Are Declining Around The World
The pandemic looks a whole lot different in 2022. Vaccines are working, treatments are advancing and—at least for now—the virus itself seems less intent on killing. The likelihood of surviving Covid-19 is improving around the world. In the U.S., there were nearly four times as many positive cases for each death this year when compared to last winter's peak, according to a new analysis from Bloomberg’s Vaccine Tracker. In the European Union, where more people have been vaccinated, this survival ratio was 11 times higher than last winter. Even in countries with lower vaccination rates, Covid patients were increasingly likely to recover. (Randall, 2/13)

Fox News: WHO Tracking 4 Omicron Sub-Variants, Says Preventing All COVID Transmissions 'Not The Goal'
World Health Organization (WHO) official Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove said earlier this week that the agency is tracking four omicron sub-variants, including BA.1, BA.1.1, BA.2 and BA.3. The infectious disease epidemiologist explained in a video clip she tweeted on Thursday that the agency is "watching [the] virus evolve in real-time," tracking proportions of the sub-variants. "Now, we already know that omicron has a growth advantage; it's more transmissible compared to other variants of concern and also has properties of immune escape," she said. "But, we know some of the sub-lineages, BA.2, has a growth advantage even over BA.1." (Musto, 2/11)

In other global covid news —

USA Today: Border Blockade COVID Protest Continues As Trucks Leave
Trucks cleared out of a pandemic restrictions protest on Saturday that for days has disrupted trade between the U.S. and Canada. But protesters on foot are continuing to demonstrate, despite an increased police presence.vDozens of police officers moved into position Saturday morning near protesters on the Canadian side of the crossing. For six days, demonstrators have been blocking the crossing at the Ambassador Bridge, which connects Detroit and Windsor.vPickup trucks and semis rolled out Saturday morning, leaving a crowd of protesters on foot.vBy noon, new protesters began to join. Their numbers grew to several hundred, despite a large police presence pushing them back. (Schnell and Fernando, 2/12)

AP: Paris Police Fire Tear Gas To Disperse Banned Virus Protest
Paris police fired tear gas Saturday against a handful of demonstrators on the Champs-Elysees Avenue who defied a police order by taking part in a vehicle protest against virus restrictions inspired by Canada’s horn-honking truckers. In the Netherlands, dozens of trucks and other vehicles — ranging from tractors to a car towing a camping van — arrived in The Hague for a similar virus-related protest Saturday, blocking an entrance to the historic Dutch parliamentary complex. (Adamson, 2/12)

AP: Many Faith Leaders Wary Of Religious Exemptions For Vaccine
By the thousands, Americans have been seeking religious exemptions in order to circumvent COVID-19 vaccine mandates, but generally they are doing so without the encouragement of major denominations and prominent religious leaders. From the Vatican, Pope Francis has defended the vaccines as “the most reasonable solution to the pandemic.” The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America declared categorically that its followers would not be offered religious exemptions. Robert Jeffress, the conservative pastor of a Baptist megachurch in Dallas, voiced similar sentiments. (Crary and Smith, 2/12)

And other news from around the world —

AP: US Suspends Mexican Avocado Imports On Eve Of Super Bowl
The U.S. government suspended all imports of Mexican avocados “until further notice” after a U.S. plant safety inspector in Mexico received a threatening message, Mexico’s Agriculture Department said in a statement. “U.S. health authorities ... made the decision after one of their officials, who was carrying out inspections in Uruapan, Michoacan, received a threatening message on his official cellphone,” the department wrote. (Stevenson, 2/14)

Press Association: What Is Lassa Fever And Its Symptoms? Is It Transmissible?
A hospital patient in Bedfordshire has died from a confirmed case of Lassa fever – the third case to be identified in the UK in the last few days. All three cases of the potentially fatal disease are understood to be linked to recent travel to West Africa. Here, the PA news agency looks at where the virus originated from, what its symptoms are and how transmissible it is. ... Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness, belonging to the virus family Arenaviridae, that lasts between two and 21 days, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). (2/12)

USA Today: WHO COVID Lesson For Me: This Is How We Prepare For The Next Pandemic
A recent conversation about the ongoing pandemic between USA TODAY's Editorial Board and World Health Organization members included the idea that, for experts, it's more of a question of "when" rather than "if" there will be another pandemic. My immediate thought: I would rather catapult myself into the atom-crushing gravity of a black hole than live through a similar experience. But then they said that we can be ready for it, and I remembered to take a breath. (Carli Pierson, 2/13)

The New York Times: Covid Drugs May Work Well, But Our Health System Doesn't 
Vaccines are essential for creating widespread immunity against the coronavirus. But drugs that can treat Covid-19 are also critical to combat the pandemic. This is especially true for places where large numbers of people remain unvaccinated and unboosted. These individuals could benefit from treatment if they get sick. Others, like the immunocompromised, may need additional help to fight off the disease. (Aaron E. Carroll, 2/13)

Stat: Immunocompromised People Need Access To Monoclonal Antibodies
Fleets of delivery trucks leaving warehouses to distribute the first Covid-19 vaccine doses across the country in late December 2020 sent a reassuring message to Americans across the country: Access to highly safe and effective vaccines will help us end the pandemic. Within days, health care workers and thousands of individuals at highest risk of exposure to or complications of Covid-19 were rolling up their sleeves, grateful to be getting vaccinated. But the resilience and shape-shifting of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, has tempered that early enthusiasm. Vaccine and public health experts have learned that the effectiveness of Covid vaccines sometimes depends on the recipient. This is especially true for people who are immunocompromised, who may need more than vaccines to help them prevent or fight this potentially deadly infection. (Luciana Borio and John P. Moore, 2/14)

Chicago Tribune: Can We Learn To Live With COVID-19, Before COVID-19 Fatigue Kills Us? 
Can it be? Two years into our politically polarized fight to end the pandemic, COVID-19 fatigue seems to be rising faster these days than the pandemic itself. No, I haven’t joined the anti-vaxxers or the anti-mandate protesters who block commerce with truck convoys to push back against vaccine mandates. (Clarence Page, 2/11)

The New York Times: There Will Be No Post-Covid 
There have been many stages of our collective Covid reaction. There was the initial panic, with the shortages of toilet paper (I still haven’t completely figured that one out) and Lysol. In those days, one dared not even cough in public. I had a cold when I was in Los Angeles. I sneezed and a friend misted me with sanitizer. I believe that I experienced the pandemic like many others: stunned and isolated, shocked by the sudden withdrawal of social life and social customs. (Charles M. Blow, 2/13)

The Star Tribune: Long COVID Is A Health, Economic Concern 
There's a timely focus on "off ramps" as COVID-19 cases decline and a weary public yearns for pandemic exits two years after the crisis began. But as the transition to a new normal accelerates, it's vitally important to recognize and prepare for this reality: The path ahead is far from smooth for a substantial number of people who survived this viral illness but still suffer serious aftereffects. (2/12)

Dallas Morning News: It’s Time For Schools To End Mask Mandates
We have broadly been in favor of empowering local school districts to take steps they think necessary to protect students. We didn’t favor Abbott’s statewide mandate forbidding mask rules any more than we would have favored a statewide mandate to require masking. But as has been the case throughout this pandemic, the situation is changing. Cases of COVID-19 are falling. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the seven-day average number of cases nationwide has dropped by almost 64% in the past three weeks. (2/12)

The Atlantic: What American Mental Health Care Is Missing 
During my last year as director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), I was in Oregon, giving a presentation to a roomful of mental-health advocates, mostly family members of young people with a serious mental illness. During my tenure as the “nation’s psychiatrist,” the nickname for my role, I oversaw more than $20 billion for mental-health research, and I was eager to share evidence of the agency’s scientific success. (Thomas Insel, 2/13)

The Washington Post: Obamacare Is Working. Democrats Must Make Sure It Lasts
Only a few years ago, it was common to hear how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was an unmitigated disaster. As the federal enrollment website collapsed and premium prices seesawed, even some of the law’s backers wondered if the critics might be right. Cooler heads suggested waiting until the law got its footing before declaring it a failure. (2/13)

Newsweek: Congress Must Act To Permanently Control Fentanyl-Related Substances 
The United States' ongoing drug crisis is growing worse every year. The oft-cited figures are as staggering as they are tragic. More than 100,000 Americans lost their lives to overdose in 2021 alone, an ignominious record at risk of being broken again this year. Most of these deaths are caused by synthetic opioids, including fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances, which have saturated the U.S. drug market. (Uttam Dhillon, Jim Carroll and Jim Crotty, 2/11)

Stat: Creating A Promising Pathway For Faster Access To New Drugs 
The FDA’s accelerated approval pathway has a potentially prominent champion — Robert Califf, the scientist President Biden has nominated to lead the FDA. This pathway opens the door to earlier approval of drugs aimed at serious conditions that fill an unmet medical need based on a surrogate endpoint, which can considerably shorten the time required to submit data to the FDA and expedite the agency’s review process. At his confirmation hearing in December, Califf said he is “a fan of accelerated approval for the right conditions.” (Peter J. Pitts, 2/14)

The Boston Globe: Raising The Veil On Drug Prices 
Long after the current challenges of fighting a worldwide pandemic have eased, the day-to-day problem of making sure the state’s residents have access to life-saving drugs at an affordable price will still be part of the health care landscape. The Massachusetts Senate made a third attempt this week to solve a piece of that puzzle, passing a bill that increases access to prescription drugs and adding some much-needed transparency and oversight to the pharmaceutical industry and to drug pricing. And wouldn’t it be a welcome change if this year the House, which for far too long has shied away from reforms, would welcome some of those proposed changes too. (2/12)

The Washington Post: The Pandemic Crushed Treatment For Other Diseases. But It May Give Us An Edge In The Future
The pandemic has not only wreaked a hurricane of suffering, but it has also disrupted almost every field of health care and medicine worldwide. It delayed immunization campaigns for other diseases, overwhelmed hospitals, sucked up scarce budget resources, exhausted medical personnel, and postponed treatments and surgeries. At the same time, a legacy of the response to the coronavirus pandemic may be innovations and new tools for combating future epidemics. (2/13)

Stat: 'Brian's Song' At 50 Still Offers Lessons About Cancer For Today 
When “Brian’s Song” made its debut as an ABC Movie of the Week in 1971, this tear-jerker about a professional football player who died of cancer became a surprisingly popular hit. Fifty years later, it has sunk into obscurity, along with “Brian Piccolo: A Short Season,” a book written by Jeannie Morris, a journalist and wife of Johnny Morris, one of Piccolo’s teammates. But I think it is worth remembering these dual versions of Piccolo’s cancer. “Brian’s Song” painted a gauzy, almost sanitized version of his illness and death — the kind of storytelling we see less often today. Morris’s book was far more frank, a harbinger of greater openness about cancer to come over the succeeding decades. (Barron H. Lerner, 2/13)