The Wall Street Journal: Biden Administration To Miss June Target For Some Covid-19 Vaccine Donations 
The White House on Monday detailed plans to allocate 55 million Covid-19 vaccine doses it is donating overseas, saying the shipments would likely take longer than President Biden’s initial target of sending them out by the end of June. White House officials said the delays were related to logistical challenges in countries set to receive the vaccines. In addition, the AstraZeneca PLC vaccine, which was supposed to be among those donated, hasn’t been approved for shipment, leading the administration to substitute vaccines from other manufacturers. (Siddiqui, 6/21)

Politico: Biden Drops AstraZeneca Vaccine From Latest Donation
The Biden administration on Monday announced further plans for sharing coronavirus vaccines with the world, but it will no longer immediately send doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine following problems at a production plant. The administration detailed plans for sharing 55 million doses with other countries, which will come entirely from the U.S. supply of three vaccines the FDA has cleared for emergency use, according to an administration official. Earlier this month, the administration said the first 25 million doses it would donate abroad also would come from the U.S. supply of Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. (Paun, 6/21)

Axios: U.S. Announces Destinations For 55 Million More COVID Vaccine Doses 
The Biden administration on Monday announced a list of countries that will receive the remaining 55 million COVID-19 vaccine doses that the U.S. has pledged to allocate by the end of this month. The White House had previously named the recipients of the first 25 million of the 80 million doses that the U.S. has pledged to export, as it took its first step toward becoming a global vaccine supplier. (Fernandez, 6/21)

In related news about COVAX —

AP: Vaccine Technology Transfer Center To Open In South Africa
The World Health Organization is in talks to create the first-ever technology transfer hub for coronavirus vaccines in South Africa, a move to boost supply to the continent that’s desperately in need of COVID-19 shots, the head of the U.N. agency announced. The new consortium will include drugmakers Biovac and Afrigen Biologics and Vaccines, a network of universities and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. They will develop training facilities for other vaccine makers to make shots that use a genetic code of the spike protein, known as mRNA vaccines. (Meldrum and Cheng, 6/21)

Bloomberg: Will There Be Enough Vaccines? Covax Is Running Out
A string of nations across Africa, Asia and other regions have run out of Covid-19 vaccines or are on the brink of doing so, months after receiving first shipments from a global program meant to equitably distribute the lifesaving shots. When the supplies arrived in developing countries earlier this year through the Covax effort, they were seen as an important step in narrowing a glaring gap in global access. Today, many of those same countries are facing vaccine shortages and are unsure when they will receive donations from wealthy countries. (Paton and Gretler, 6/22)

AP: US Hits Encouraging Milestones On Virus Deaths And Shots
COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. have dipped below 300 a day for the first time since the early days of the disaster in March 2020, while the drive to put shots in arms hit another encouraging milestone Monday: 150 million Americans fully vaccinated. The coronavirus was the third leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2020, behind heart disease and cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But now, as the outbreak loosens its grip, it has fallen down the list of the biggest killers. (Kunzelman, 6/21)

AP: First Lady To Visit Nashville, Encourage Vaccinations
First lady Jill Biden will travel to Nashville, Tennessee, on Tuesday as part of a national effort to get more Americans vaccinated against COVID-19. Biden will attend a pop-up vaccination site with signer-songwriter Brad Paisley at Ole Smoky Distillery in Nashville in the evening. (6/22)

Young adults and seniors still appear to be slow to get the vaccine —

The Washington Post: Youngest Adults Are Least Likely To Be Vaccinated, And Their Interest In Shots Is Declining, CDC Finds 
The nation’s youngest adults remain the least likely to be vaccinated against the coronavirus — and their weekly rates of vaccination are declining, according to federal research released Monday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed adult vaccination rates by age through May 22, finding 80 percent of adults older than 65 had been immunized compared with just 38.3 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds. (Johnson,, 6/21)

Axios: Vaccinations Of Seniors Lag Behind In 11 States 
In 11 states, more than 20% of senior citizens remain unvaccinated, a rate much higher than the national average, the New York Times reports. People over 65 years old are particularly vulnerable to experiencing severe symptoms and death from COVID-19. (Saric, 6/21)

In other updates on the vaccine rollout —

Axios: CDC Launches Spanish WhatsApp Chat To Boost Latino COVID Vaccinations 
WhatsApp and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have partnered to deliver information on the coronavirus vaccine to Spanish-speaking users, the social media platform announced Monday. 36% of Latinos have had at least one vaccine dose compared to 45% of white people as of June 14, per the Kaiser Family Foundation. Reaching the Latino community on WhatsApp, which hosts a huge immigrant user base, could help counter misinformation and mistrust, NBC News reports. (Chen, 6/21)

CIDRAP: COVID Vaccination Site Deserts May Affect Rollout, Study Reveals
In Brooklyn, New York, communities with higher rates of poverty and minorities may have less access to COVID-19 vaccination sites, according to a JAMA Network Open research letter late last week. The researchers looked at Brooklyn's 18 communities and found 87 COVID-19 vaccination sites for its population of 2,604,747. A little over half of the people (51.7%) were Latino or Black, 52.6% were female, and the median age was 35.1 years. (6/21)

The New York Times: Many Parts Of The U.S. Needed Persuading To Get Vaccinated. Not South Texas. 
While officials across the country have offered free beer, concert tickets and millions of dollars in lottery winnings to encourage vaccinations, residents of the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas have needed little prodding. Exposure to death and disease has been enough incentive. The four-county region accounts for nearly 10 percent of the state’s some 52,000 deaths from the coronavirus. But today, deaths are significantly down, as are case numbers, and vaccination rates are higher than both the broader state and national averages. In one county, about 70 percent of residents 12 and older are fully vaccinated, according to state figures and a vaccine tracker by The New York Times. (Sandoval, 6/21)

Albany Herald: Georgia State University Awarded $500,000 Grant
The Prevention Research Center at Georgia State University has received a one-year, $500,000 grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to identify behaviors and solutions to increase COVID-19 vaccine confidence and uptake in the African American and refugee, immigrant and migrant community in Clarkston. Clarkston, in DeKalb County, is one of the largest refugee resettlement communities in the country, with thousands of refugees having resettled there and in surrounding communities over the past two decades. (6/21)

Los Angeles Times: Fixing California COVID Digital Vaccination Record Issues
When California officials unveiled a new system to provide digital COVID-19 vaccine records last week, they billed it as a convenience, an easy way for residents to demonstrate and verify their inoculation status. But the offering has not been without hiccups. Already, the state has received nearly 70,000 troubleshooting forms submitted online by residents looking to correct or complete their information, according to the California Department of Public Health. Though only a fraction of the 558,000 digital records that have successfully been created since the system went live Friday, the numbers demonstrate how even relatively uncommon issues can wind up inconveniencing tens of thousands of people. (Money, 6/21)

Also —

Des Moines Register: COVID-19 Vaccine Symptoms Leads Waukee Woman To Discover Breast Cancer
Jennifer Moseley received the COVID-19 vaccine to protect herself from one disease. She ended up saving herself from another. The Waukee grandmother remembers exactly when she got the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine: 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 20 — she had wanted to get the shot before visiting her daughter, Madie Kornberg, and her grandson, Sam, in Jacksonville for his birthday later that week. The day after her shot, she came down with the flu-like symptoms that are commonly reported as symptoms of the vaccine. (Kay LeBlanc, 6/21)

AP: 'Time To Play': Michigan Reopens 15 Months After Pandemic
Michigan is fully open again. After facing 15 months of capacity restrictions and being hit by the country’s worst surge of coronavirus infections this spring, restaurants, entertainment businesses and other venues can operate at 100% occupancy — instead of 50% — starting Tuesday. Limits on large indoor gatherings like wedding and funerals are gone. So is a broad requirement that the unvaccinated be masked indoors, a rule that remains in about a dozen states. Unvaccinated teen athletes will no longer have to undergo weekly COVID-19 testing. (Eggert and Householder, 6/22)

Bloomberg: Return-To-Office Sparks Labor Complaint From AFL-CIO’s Own Staff
The AFL-CIO, the largest U.S. union federation, is facing a labor complaint from its own employees over policies compelling them to return to the office. The Washington-Baltimore News Guild filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board accusing the federation of violating federal labor law. The June 16 filing alleges that the AFL-CIO “has failed and refused to bargain in good faith” with the union over safety and health issues that stem from bringing staff back to the office. (Eidelson, 6/21)

Bloomberg: Amazon’s Covid-19 Worker Safety Battle With New York Escalates
The legal battle between Amazon.com Inc. and New York Attorney General Letitia James over the company’s Covid-19 precautions for workers has escalated as both sides asked a judge to rule in their favor. Amazon sued James in February, seeking to block New York from pursuing claims that the company failed to protect employees from the virus in its New York City facilities. In a motion filed Friday, James asked U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan in Brooklyn to throw out the federal lawsuit and allow New York to pursue its claims in state court. (Van Voris, 6/21)

Dallas Morning News: Already Sanctioned By China, Rep. Dan Crenshaw Tries Again To Let Americans Sue For COVID-19 Damages
Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Houston, is reviving his 2020 bill that would let Americans sue China for coronavirus-related medical and economic damages. Crenshaw first introduced the measure with Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., a few months into the pandemic. It died after failing to get a committee hearing. Under U.S. law, individuals are barred from suing a foreign government without special permission from Congress. Crenshaw’s revived bill filed last week would carve an exception to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act to allow lawsuits against China for damages related to the pandemic that has so far claimed more than 600,000 American lives. (Caldwell, 6/21)

In updates on businesses that are requiring the covid vaccine —

Stateline: Hospitals Start Requiring Workers To Get COVID Shots
After a Texas federal court sided with a Houston hospital that required workers to get a COVID-19 vaccine or find another job, public health experts predict that most hospitals and medical practices will soon issue similar mandates. When vaccines first became available in December under an emergency use authorization, hospitals reported that they planned to wait until the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted full approval of the vaccines before deciding whether to make the shots mandatory. But in recent weeks, dozens of hospitals and medical groups in Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere began issuing vaccination requirements. Public health law experts say the moves are a legal means of ensuring a safe, COVID-19-free environment for patients and workers. (Vestal, 6/21)

AP: U Of Illinois Requiring Vaccination For On-Campus Students
The University of Illinois is requiring students attending classes in person this fall to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before stepping onto its three campuses, officials said Monday. In a mass email, University President Tim Killeen said the requirement for its campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Springfield and Chicago is consistent with the school’s own modeling of the risks associated with the spread of the virus and its variants. (6/21)

The Oregonian: Portland Community College Will Not Require Students, Staff To Be Vaccinated Against COVID-19 For Fall Term
Oregon’s largest community college will not require students or employees to be inoculated against COVID-19 to come back to campus this fall, school authorities said Monday. Portland Community College officials said in a news release that they decided against requiring that students and staff receive the COVID-19 vaccine because of racial disparities that exist when it comes to access to vaccines and vaccine hesitancy. They said limiting in-person instruction to those who have had the vaccine would create a barrier for Black and Indigenous students and other students of color. (Ramakrishnan, 6/21)

Fox Business: Moderna Wins $3.3B Defense Department Contract For Additional COVID-19 Vaccine Doses 
The Department of Defense on Monday announced a $3.3 billion contract was awarded to Moderna last week for the production of hundreds of millions of additional doses of its COVID-19 vaccine. The DoD said the order was for 200 million doses of the company’s double-shot vaccine, scheduled for completion in March of next year. (De Lea, 6/21)

The Wall Street Journal: Moderna Plans To Expand Production To Make Covid-19 Vaccine Boosters, Supply More Countries 
Moderna Inc. is adding two new production lines at the rebuilt former Polaroid plant where it manufactures its Covid-19 vaccine, part of a push to prepare for making booster shots and the future of the pandemic. At a site brimming with new steel production tanks and heavy equipment, construction workers in neon safety vests are working to get one new line up and running by fall and the other by early 2022. (Loftus, 6/21)

Reuters: EU Takes Up Option To Buy 150 Million More Moderna COVID-19 Shots 
The European Union has decided to take up an option under a supply contract with drugmaker Moderna that allows the bloc to order 150 million additional COVID-19 vaccines produced by the U.S. biotech firm, the EU Commission said on Tuesday. (6/22)

In other vaccine development and manufacturing updates —

Axios: The Rising Stakes Of CDC's Vaccine Meeting About Myocarditis Cases 
A CDC advisory committee will meet Wednesday to evaluate the risk of heart inflammation in teens who get the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. Cases of heart inflammation are rare, but they've raised concerns among some experts and scientists — including some whose job it is to sift through those risks and recommend whether to authorize the vaccines for children younger than 12. (Fernandez, 6/22)

PBS NewsHour: A Mix-And-Match Approach To COVID-19 Vaccines Could Provide Logistical And Immunological Benefits
While it’s now pretty easy to get a COVID-19 shot in most places in the U.S., the vaccine rollout in other parts of the world has been slow or inconsistent due to shortages, uneven access and concerns about safety. Researchers hope that a mix-and-match approach to COVID-19 vaccines will help alleviate these issues and create more flexibility in the immunization regimens available to people. Around the world, different pharmaceutical companies have taken different approaches to developing vaccines. Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna created mRNA vaccines. Oxford-AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson went with what are called viral vectors. The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine is protein-based. (Ferran, 6/21)

CNBC: Covid Booster Shots: Coronavirus Variants See Calls For Third Shots
Coronavirus vaccine booster shots will likely be needed in the fall, according to experts, who are urging governments to organize them now. It comes as the Delta variant of the coronavirus, first identified in India, continues to spread rapidly across the world. Some countries, like the U.S. and U.K., have already signaled that they could roll out Covid-19 booster shots within a year. Now, pressure is building on governments to mobilize booster shot programs — no easy task given the ongoing uncertainties surrounding the pandemic, vaccines and variants. (Ellyatt and Bishop, 6/22)

USA Today: Birthday Parties May Have Increased COVID Spread, New Study Finds
Kids' birthday parties may be partly to blame for increased coronavirus transmission rates, a new study shows. The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine on Monday, gathered private health insurance data from 2.9 million U.S. households from Jan. 1 to Nov. 8, 2020. In counties with high rates of transmission, households were 31% more likely to test positive for the virus that causes COVID-19 within two weeks after someone had a birthday. In households where a child’s birthday occurred, there were 15.8 more positive coronavirus tests per 10,000 people than in households that didn’t. When adults had a birthday, there were just 5.8 more positive tests in the following two weeks. (Avery, 6/21)

CIDRAP: Birthdays Associated With More COVID-19 Outbreaks
The researchers looked at nationwide data covering about 2.9 million households and 6.5 million people with private health insurance from Jan 1 to Nov 9, 2020, and found that households with a birthday up to 2 weeks prior were associated with increased positive diagnoses. The COVID-19 prevalence rate for birthday households was 8.6 more diagnoses per 10,000 individuals. Compared with households in the 90th percentile for COVID-19 cases, which had 27.8 cases per 10,000 individuals, this was still a 31% relative increase. (6/21)

In updates on the delta variant —

CNBC: Covid Delta: WHO Says Variant Is The Fastest And Fittest And Will 'Pick Off' Most Vulnerable
The highly contagious delta variant is the fastest and fittest coronavirus strain yet, and it will “pick off” the most vulnerable people, especially in places with low Covid-19 vaccination rates, World Health Organization officials warned Monday. Delta, first identified in India, has the potential “to be more lethal because it’s more efficient in the way it transmits between humans and it will eventually find those vulnerable individuals who will become severely ill, have to be hospitalized and potentially die,” Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO’s health emergencies program, said during a news conference. (Lovelace Jr., 6/21)

San Francisco Chronicle: Delta Coronavirus Strain Is Growing Fast In California, With Risk For Unvaccinated People
The highly infectious delta coronavirus variant is rising fast in California, with cases more than doubling in the past month and tripling in one Bay Area county, according to genomic sequencing results reported by state and local public health departments. The first California cases of delta, a variant that emerged in India, were reported in early May. As of last week, 349 cases had been identified, and the variant made up about 5% of all coronavirus cases that underwent genomic sequencing for the week. The alpha variant, first identified in the United Kingdom, continues to dominate statewide, making up just over half of all cases reported last week. (Allday, 6/21)

Dallas Morning News: More-Contagious Delta Variant Of Coronavirus On The Rise In Dallas County, Health Experts Say
Dallas County reported two more COVID-19 deaths and 106 new coronavirus cases Monday as concerns increase that a new variant of the virus could become the dominant strain in North Texas. The latest victims were a Dallas man in his 80s and a DeSoto woman in her 70s. Both had underlying high-risk health conditions. County Judge Clay Jenkins said in a written statement Monday that about 56.7% of the county’s residents have had at least one shot. President Joe Biden has set a goal of having 70% of eligible people nationwide to get at least one vaccine dose by July 4. (Somasundaram and Steele, 6/21)

In other news about the spread of the coronavirus —

Fox News: Almost 4,000 Fully Vaccinated People In Massachusetts Have Tested Positive For COVID-19
Nearly 4,000 fully vaccinated people in Massachusetts have tested positive for COVID-19, according to recent data from the state Department of Public Health. The number of breakthrough cases in the state has been infrequent so far -- accounting for approximately one in 1,000 vaccinated people. As of June 12, there were 3,791 coronavirus cases among the more than 3.7 million fully vaccinated individuals in Massachusetts, reports said. (Aaro, 6/22)

CNN: A Coronavirus Outbreak Hit A Florida Government Building. Two People Are Dead But A Vaccinated Employee Wasn't Infected
Two people are dead and four of their coworkers were hospitalized after a Covid-19 outbreak swept through a government building in Manatee County, Florida. The outbreak began in the IT department, according to Manatee County Administrator Scott Hopes, who is also an epidemiologist. Another person who worked on the same floor but in a different department also tested positive for coronavirus last week. (Lynch, 6/22)

Georgia Health News: Stewart County Becomes COVID Hot Spot As Cases Rise At Detention Center 
An outbreak of COVID-19 at an immigrant detention center is fueling a spike in cases in a west Georgia county. Stewart Detention Center, in the town of Lumpkin, has 47 inmates currently under isolation or monitoring for COVID, according to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) website. State data show Stewart County has had 69 infections over the past two weeks. It has the second-highest overall COVID rate per 100,000 population among Georgia’s 159 counties, trailing only Chattahoochee County just to its north. Chattahoochee, which is home to much of the Army’s Fort Benning, where many soldiers from around the nation receive training, has shown consistently high COVID infection rates during the pandemic. (Miller, 6/21)

The Washington Post: Or The First Time Since The Pandemic Started, Maryland Reported No Covid Deaths 
Maryland over the weekend reported its first consecutive days with zero deaths from the coronavirus since the early days of the pandemic — a symbolic benchmark suggesting the region has entered a new, more hopeful phase in its fight to stop the spread of the virus. On Monday, D.C. reported zero deaths over the weekend. Virginia reported a single death on Saturday, but the numbers crept up on Sunday and Monday — a reminder that the virus can still claim lives, especially in areas where vaccination rates are relatively low. (Tan, Brice-Saddler and Portnoy, 6/21)

Fox News: Rare COVID-19-Linked Syndrome In Kids Possible In Adults Too, Case Report Notes
While research into the specific cause of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is ongoing, a new case report suggests that it may also appear in adults who have a history of COVID-19 diagnosis or exposure. In a case report involving a 60-year-old Canadian man, doctors suggest that age should not limit the potential diagnosis. The man, whose case was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, sought medical treatment at a hospital for prolonged shortness of breath, high fever, swelling and severe fatigue. His medical history included a positive SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis four weeks prior to the new symptoms, and subsequent testing detected an enlarged heart and lung swelling. He had not received a COVID-19 vaccine and no known comorbidities. (6/21)

CIDRAP: Optimal Therapy For Post-COVID Syndrome In Kids Proves Elusive
Two new real-world studies evaluated the use of intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) therapy plus glucocortioids for treatment of post–COVID-19 multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), one finding a lower risk of new or persistent cardiovascular dysfunction with the combination treatment and the other showing no lessening in disease severity or time to recovery. The studies and a related editorial were published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine. (Van Beusekom, 6/21)

The Boston Globe: Study Suggests COVID-19 Harms Parts Of The Brain, Even In Mild Cases
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, one of the stranger symptoms of COVID-19 has been a loss of smell, taste, or both. Now, a study of brain scans of people who have had the disease offers new clues in the mystery. Researchers from Oxford University said they had found that people who had COVID-19 had a “loss of grey matter” in areas of the brain related to smell and taste. A review of hundreds of brain scans revealed “a significant, deleterious impact of COVID-19 on the olfactory and gustatory cortical systems,” the study said. (Finucane, 6/21)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Recovery From COVID Could Include Lingering Mental Health Concerns
The physical struggle experienced by people who have contracted COVID-19 can often lead to mental health challenges and feelings of guilt similar to those who have survived a traumatic car crash, according to mental health experts. Andrew Schramm, clinical trauma psychologist with the Medical College of Wisconsin, said referral rates for patients who are struggling mentally with trauma went up roughly 70% from 2019 to 2020. “There’s a combination of factors that explain that increase. It’s not due to the virus only,” Schramm said. “This is a time where people are faced with a lot of stress from a lot of different angles.” (Torres, 6/21)

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: Health Official Advises: Keep Wearing Mask
As the number of covid-19 patients in Arkansas hospitals continued to climb Monday, a top public health official said she'd recommend even people who are vaccinated to wear masks in public or when around people whose vaccination status is unknown. "Of course, the more spread there is, the more exposure people who are fully vaccinated get," state Epidemiologist Jennifer Dillaha said. "I'm encouraging people who are fully vaccinated to go ahead and wear a mask when they're out in public or when they're around large groups of people where they don't know who's vaccinated or who's not, because they still could be exposed and develop mild disease." (Davis, 6/22)

Is it better to get immunity from the virus or the vaccine? —

The Oregonian: Have You Heard That It’s ‘Better’ To Get Immunity From Catching COVID-19 Than From Vaccines? That’s Probably Not True, Experts Say 
Research shows both coronavirus infection and vaccination offers immunity that can protect people from getting sick again. But by how much and for how long remains unclear — a scientific gap that only time could fill. Regardless of how immunity is acquired, there’s no telling whose bodies will or won’t create effective antibodies, and why they last longer for some than others; doctors speculate age or certain medical conditions might play a role. (6/21)

KHN: Is Rand Paul Mixing Up The Vaccine Message For Covid Survivors?
Last week, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) posted a Twitter thread asserting that people who have survived a covid-19 infection were unlikely to be reinfected and have better immunity against variants than those who have been vaccinated against — but not infected by — SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes covid. The social media communication represented his latest salvo in the ongoing debate over whether natural immunity is equivalent or even better than vaccination. (Knight, 6/22)

The Wall Street Journal: Medicaid Enrollment Surged During Covid-19 Pandemic, Report Shows
More than 80 million people—a record number—have health coverage through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, as enrollments surged due to Covid-19, according to new data released Monday by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Between February of 2020 and January 2021, nearly 9.9 million people enrolled in the two programs—a 13.9% increase, the data shows. And more than 38.3 million children, or nearly half of the total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment, were in both those programs. (Parti, 6/21)

Axios: Medicaid Enrollment Hits Record 80 Million, With Insurers Benefiting 
National Medicaid enrollment hit a record 80.5 million this past January, as Congress provided extra funding for states to retain and sign up more low-income adults and children during the coronavirus pandemic. Because more states have outsourced their Medicaid programs to private health insurers, this pandemic-fueled growth also has been a boon for some of the largest insurance companies. (Herman, 6/22)

Previously From KHN: Pandemic Swells Medicaid Enrollment to 80 Million People, a ‘High-Water Mark’

And more news about Medicaid —

AP: Lawyers Make Cases In Suit Over Missouri Medicaid Expansion
If Missouri conservatives don’t want to fund a voter-approved expansion of the state’s Medicaid program, they can either propose another constitutional amendment that would gut it or cut funding to the existing program completely, a lawyer for three would-be new recipients told a judge on Monday. If lawmakers set aside any money for the Medicaid program — which they did — then they must fund the expansion so that newly eligible adults get coverage on July 1, when the constitutional amendment kicks in, lawyer Chuck Hatfield told Cole County Circuit Court Presiding Judge Jon Beetem. (Ballentine, 6/21)

AP: Parson Sets Tight Deadline For Missouri Medicaid Funding Fix
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Monday set a tight deadline for lawmakers to work out a deal on a critical piece of Medicaid funding. If lawmakers can’t find a solution by noon Tuesday, Parson said he’ll cut $722 million from the state budget July 1. That includes close to $182 million in state funding and would hit programs ranging from K-12 school busing to nursing home care. “The implications of this are huge,” Parson said. (Ballentine, 6/21)

Health News Florida: Florida Eliminates COVID-19 Flexibilities For Medicaid 
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration announced Friday that the state will next month step back from flexibilities that were offered to Medicaid providers and beneficiaries during the COVID-19 pandemic, including allowing people to receive behavioral health services without first obtaining prior authorization. The Agency for Health Care Administration issued eight Medicaid notices announcing that the policies designed to make it easier for patients to access health care and for providers to bill for the care were being rescinded. (6/21)

North Carolina Health News: NC Medicaid Managed Care Information Blitz Fell Short 
As the July 1 rollout date for North Carolina’s transition to managed care fast approaches, a coalition of advocacy groups, insurers and other community organizations says a substantial chunk of enrollees do not know enough about the change. The so-called transformation will change Medicaid, the largest public insurer in the state, into something that looks and acts more like private health insurance. (Engel-Smith, 6/22)

Mississippi Clarion-Ledger: State Auditor 'Looking Into' UnitedHealth As Part Of Medicaid Pharmacy Benefits Probe
The Mississippi State Auditor's Office is looking into whether UnitedHealth Group, the fifth largest company in the U.S., is over-billing Medicaid for prescription drugs. Confirmation of the probe comes a week after Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch and State Auditor Shad White announced a $55 million settlement with Centene, another Fortune 500 company, to resolve allegations Centene had over-billed the state Division of Medicaid for prescription drugs. (Sanderlin, 6/21)

KHN: Hospitals, Insurers Invest Big Dollars To Tackle Patients’ Social Needs
When doctors at a primary care clinic here noticed many of its poorest patients were failing to show up for appointments, they hoped giving out free rides would help. But the one-time complimentary ride didn’t reduce these patients’ 36% no-show rate at the University of Pennsylvania Health System clinics. “I was super surprised it did not have any effect,” said Dr. Krisda Chaiyachati, the Penn researcher who led the 2018 study of 786 Medicaid patients. (Galewitz, 6/22)

AP: Watchdog: Nursing Home Deaths Up 32% In 2020 Amid Pandemic
Deaths among Medicare patients in nursing homes soared by 32% last year, with two devastating spikes eight months apart, a government watchdog reported Tuesday in the most comprehensive look yet at the ravages of COVID-19 among its most vulnerable victims. The report from the inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services found that about 4 in 10 Medicare recipients in nursing homes had or likely had COVID-19 in 2020, and that deaths overall jumped by 169,291 from the previous year, before the coronavirus appeared. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 6/22)

CBS News: Deaths Of Medicare Patients In Nursing Homes Soared Almost A-Third Last Year Amid Pandemic, Watchdog Says 
Deaths among Medicare patients in nursing homes soared by 32% last year, with two devastating spikes eight months apart, a government watchdog reported Tuesday in the most comprehensive look yet at the ravages of COVID-19 among its most vulnerable victims. The report from the inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services found that about 4 in 10 Medicare recipients in nursing homes had or likely had COVID-19 in 2020, and that deaths overall jumped by 169,291 from the previous year, before the coronavirus appeared. (6/22)

AARP: 4 in 10 Medicare Beneficiaries in Nursing Homes Had or Likely Had COVID-19 Last Year
The study, which analyzed the Medicare claims of 3.1 million Medicare beneficiaries who resided in nursing facilities and skilled nursing facilities in 2020, highlights the pandemic's disproportionate toll on the country's seniors in nursing homes, where more than 130,000 residents have died from the virus so far. It found that some 763,000 Medicare beneficiaries in nursing homes were confirmed positive for COVID-19 in 2020, and an additional 533,000 likely had it. COVID-19 was suspected in that latter group, but not confirmed by a positive test result, mainly due to a shortage of tests during the early months of the pandemic. (Paulin, 6/22)

In related news about nursing homes —

AP: Most Idaho Nursing Home Workers Unvaccinated For COVID-19
Less than half of nursing home workers in Idaho have been vaccinated against COVID-19, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said. The agency said that 47.5% of Idaho nursing home workers were fully vaccinated by May 30. The agency said more than 82% of residents are vaccinated. (6/21)

And more news about Medicare —

Stat: Cost-Effectiveness Studies For Widely Used Medicare Part D Drugs Are Rare
As more emphasis is placed on the value of prescription medicines, a new study found cost-effectiveness analyses were unavailable for many of the medicines that accounted for a large share of Medicare Part D spending in 2016. And more than half of the analyses that were conducted failed to meet minimum standards. Specifically, cost-effectiveness was not studied for 115 of the 250 drugs for which Part D spending was greatest in 2016, the last year for which complete data was available when the study began. Those medicines accounted for 33% of the $146.1 billion in total Part D spending that year, according to the study published in JAMA Network Open. (Silverman, 6/21)

Axios: Pricey Drugs Paid By Medicare Lack Cost-Effectiveness Data 
Nearly $50 billion or a third of Medicare Part D costs in 2016 were for drugs with absent cost-effectiveness analyses, according to a report from JAMA Network Open. The lack of a quality analysis that weighs the relative cost with outcomes of these drugs may create hurdles toward efforts aimed at addressing drug spending in terms of value. (Fernandez, 6/21)

AP: Humana Picked To Continue Medicare Service For West Virginia
West Virginia has picked Humana Inc. to continue providing health insurance for the 54,000 retirees eligible for Medicare and their dependents in the state. The state’s public employees’ insurance agency awarded the health provider a new, four-year contract last week. (6/22)

CNBC: Here Are 3 Medicare Surprises That Can Cost You Thousands Every Year
For some Medicare beneficiaries, health-care coverage ends up costing more than it does for most of their peers — and it’s not by choice. While there are costs that individuals often are aware of — i.e., they purchase a supplemental policy or choose a more expensive plan — some premium-related expenses sneak up on enrollees. And depending on the person, they could add up to thousands of dollars extra a year. (O'Brien, 6/21)

NBC News: Since 9/11, Military Suicides Dwarf The Number Of Soldiers Killed In Combat
Since 9/11, four times as many U.S. service members and veterans have died by suicide than have been killed in combat, according to a new report. The research, compiled by the Costs of War Project at Brown University, found an estimated 30,177 active duty personnel and veterans who have served in the military since 9/11 have died by suicide, compared with 7,057 killed in post 9/11 military operations. The figures include all service members, not just those who served in combat during that time. The majority of the deaths are among veterans who account for an estimated 22,261 of the suicides during that period. (Kube, 6/21)

Lawmakers are trying again to pass the "Brandon Act" —

Stars and Stripes: Lawmakers Reintroduce Brandon Act To Offer Troops Confidential Access To Mental Health Care
After a failed attempt last year, lawmakers reintroduced a bill Wednesday that would allow service members to quickly seek mental health care in confidence by using a safe word. The bill, titled the Brandon Act, was named for Brandon Caserta, a 21-year-old sailor who died by suicide June 25, 2018, at Naval Station Norfolk, Va. A command investigation into Caserta’s death determined that belligerent and brash leadership of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28 contributed to his decision to end his own life. He felt alone, stuck and afraid of retaliation, his parents said. (Wentling, 6/16)

Military.Com: 'Brandon Act' Named For Sailor Who Died By Suicide Gains New Supporters In Congress
Marine Corps veteran Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., and Navy veteran Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., are among the sponsors of the Brandon Act: legislation that would give service members a safe phrase that would trigger an automatic referral to a mental health specialist for evaluation. The bill is named for Navy Aircrew Aviation Electrician's Mate Striker Brandon Caserta, who died three years ago this month by suicide in Norfolk, Virginia. Military.com first reported on the tragedy in 2019. According to Navy records and personal correspondence, Caserta was being bullied by one of his supervisors and was despondent over his circumstances. (Kime, 6/17)

Cronkite News: Peoria Parents Hope Military Mental Health Act Spares Others Their Pain
Patrick Caserta hopes no one has to go through what he and his wife, Teri, went through in 2018 when their son died by suicide while serving in the Navy. That’s why the Peoria parents were in Washington Wednesday for the introduction of the Brandon Act, a bill that would provide service members confidential access to mental health care without fear of rebuke or retaliation. This is the second try for the bill, named in memory of Brandon Caserta, that was introduced last year but failed to get a hearing. (Newman, 6/21)

In related news about military suicides —

USA Today: Military Suicides Stand Out In Alaska, Where 6 Have Died In 5 Months
Six soldiers stationed in Alaska have died by apparent suicide in the first five months of the year, an alarming number of deaths after the Army poured more than $200 million into the state to combat the mental health crisis it identified in 2019, according to Army figures released to USA TODAY. The 2021 suicide toll among the roughly 11,500 soldiers stationed there already has nearly matched last year when seven soldiers died by suicide while stationed with U.S. Army Alaska, whose principal posts are Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage. (Vanden Brook, 6/11)

Military.Com: Frequent Military Funeral Duty May Increase Soldiers' Risk Of Suicide, Officer Warns 
Army Capt. Kristen Bell stunned XVIII Airborne Corps leaders at a forum on preventing suicides in the ranks with her warning that soldiers assigned frequently to military funeral details are at risk of taking their own lives. "Capt. Bell presented eye-opening statistics regarding the volume of soldier suicides following duty on military funeral details. Everyone in the room was surprised," said Col. Joe Buccino, spokesman for the XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. (Sisk, 5/30)

Augusta Chronicle: Army Veteran Continues 1,800-Mile Walk For Veteran Suicide Awareness
Capt. Greg Washington had left the military and was at a low point in his life in 2011. He was contemplating suicide. A call asking to go window shopping by his young cousin saved his life and started his healing journey. “Everyone that I meet, I challenge them, think about that one friend, family member, loved one, battle buddy that you haven’t talked to in a while and call and check on them. You never know, you might be that angel that my cousin was to me,” he said. Washington, 39, stopped by Augusta this week as he continues his 1,800-mile "A Walk To Honor" through 11 states to raise awareness for veteran suicide. He began his journey about 45 days ago in April from Mound Bayou, Mississippi, and will be arriving at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point for Sept. 11. (Papp, 6/18)

The New York Times: Air Force Tries Virtual Reality To Stem Suicide And Sexual Assault 
The three airmen sat quietly adjusting their headsets, murmuring to their colleague, who was in distinct trouble. “Everyone goes through rough patches sometimes,” each said, a few moments apart, to the same despondent and mildly intoxicated man, whose wife recently left him and who seemed immersed in suicidal thoughts. The airman on the other end of the headsets was virtual, but the conversation was all encompassing, a 30-minute, occasionally harrowing journey among three actual airmen and a virtual actor, whom they each tried to coax into getting help. (Steinhauer, 5/29)

In news about mental health apps —

KHN: In A Murky Sea Of Mental Health Apps, Consumers Left Adrift
In the eyes of the tech industry, mental health treatment is an area ripe for disruption. In any given year, 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experience a form of mental illness, according to federal estimates. And research indicates only about half of them receive treatment in a system that is understaffed and ill distributed to meet demand. For tech startups looking to cash in on unmet need, that translates into more than 50 million potential customers. (Gold, 6/22)

Philadelphia Inquirer: The Pandemic Increased Mental Health Needs. Some Addressed It By Building New Apps
The mental health toll of COVID-19 has been difficult for many, and traditional resources such as talk therapy have been overloaded in recent months. As a result, developers and grassroots mental health organizations are trying to address the increase in need through behavioral health smartphone apps, which have been gaining popularity since even before the pandemic. Headspace and Calm are popular meditation apps that have millions of users all over the world, and teletherapy apps such as Talkspace and BetterHelp have helped users connect with therapists. Last year, the American Psychological Association estimated that there are more than 10,000 mental health apps available to those in need. (Ao, 6/21)

The Hill: Move By Catholic Bishops Against Biden Brings Howls Of Hypocrisy 
Catholic bishops who voted to advance an effort that could deny President Biden Communion over his stance on abortion are being accused of hypocrisy by critics of the decision. Biden, just the second Catholic U.S. president in history, regularly goes to church and touts his faith as a deeply personal aspect of his life. ... “You did not tell Bill Barr, a Catholic, not to take Communion when he expanded killing human beings with the death penalty,” said Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), referring to the former attorney general and his position on the death penalty. (Gangitano, 6/21)

Politico: White House: Biden's Catholic Faith Is Not 'Political' 
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday that President Joe Biden did not interpret his Catholic faith “through a political prism,” declining to comment on a recent decision by U.S. Catholic bishops that could result in a rebuke of the president for his views on abortion. “Joe Biden is a strong man of faith. And as he noted just a couple of days ago, it’s personal. He goes to church, as you know, nearly every weekend. He even went when we were on our overseas trip,” Psaki told reporters — referring to the president and first lady’s attendance at a Sunday service last week at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in the English seaside town of St. Ives. (Forgey, 6/21)

Fox News: Biden To Continue To Attend Church Despite Possible Rebuke From Catholic Bishops 
White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Monday said President Biden will likely "continue to attend church" despite efforts by U.S. Catholic bishops to prevent him and other politicians who support abortion policies from receiving Communion at Mass. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) last week voted overwhelmingly to draft a formal document on the meaning of the Eucharist after a contentious debate on whether Biden and other politicians supportive of abortion policies are worthy of receiving Communion. The vote tally announced Friday was 168 bishops in favor, 55 opposed, and six bishops abstaining. (Singman, 6/21)

The New York Times: Why Do Some Catholic Bishops Want To Deny Joe Biden Communion? 
The nation’s Roman Catholic bishops last week advanced a conservative push to deny communion to President Biden, the nation’s second Catholic president, who regularly attends Mass and has spent a lifetime steeped in Christian rituals and practices. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops voted last week to draft new guidance on the sacrament of the Eucharist, in a challenge to Mr. Biden for his support of abortion rights, which contradicts church teaching. The new statement will address the sacrament broadly. But ultimately, it could be used as theological justification to deny communion to Mr. Biden and Catholic politicians like him who support abortion rights. (Heyward, 6/21)

The Washington Post: Biden Administration To Endorse Bill To End Disparity In Drug Sentencing Between Crack And Powder Cocaine
The Biden administration plans to endorse legislation that would end the disparity in sentences between crack and powder cocaine offenses that President Biden helped create decades ago, according to people with knowledge of the situation — a step that highlights how Biden’s attitudes on drug laws have shifted over his long tenure in elected office. (Sullivan and Kim, 6/21)

Reuters: U.S. Justice Department Backs Bill To End Disparities In Crack Cocaine Sentences
President Joe Biden's Justice Department is urging Congress to pass legislation to permanently end the sentencing disparities between crack cocaine and powder, a policy that has led to the disproportionate incarceration of African Americans across the United States .In written testimony submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Justice Department lambasted the "unwarranted racial disparities" that have resulted from the differences in how drug offenses involving crack and powder cocaine are treated under current law, and said the misguided policy was "based on misinformation about the pharmacology of cocaine and its effects." (Lynch, 6/22)

In news about pharmacies —

Stat: HHS Withdraws Drug Discount Opinion Amid Lawsuits By Pharma Companies
After a defeat in federal court, the Department of Health and Human Services withdrew an advisory opinion which said drug makers participating in a controversial federal program must offer discounts through pharmacies that contract with hospitals serving low-income patients. However, HHS simultaneously maintained the move does not have any bearing on a separate set of “violation” letters sent last month to six drug makers, which could face fines for failing to offer discounts through the 340B drug discount program for safety-net hospitals and clinics. The agency said the letters should be viewed as distinct from the opinion and that enforcement action can be pursued. (Silverman, 6/21)

The Hill: Access To Medicine: The States With The Most And Least Pharmacies Per Capita
The need of a pharmacist is dire amidst the pandemic. However, a new study shows that some of the nation's most populated counties are lacking pharmacists per 10,000 residents. North Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and West Virginia are the top four states with the most adequate number of pharmacies, juxtaposed with states such as Oklahoma, California, Rhode Island and Hawaii, which have the least number of pharmacies per capita, according to USA RX. (Spencer, 6/21)

In other pharmaceutical industry news —

Stat: A New Research Effort Aims To Vet Digital Health Data From Wearables
Covid-19 upended the way clinical trials get done — and don’t get done. With in-person visits on hold last year, drug companies jump-started a decade-old idea to enable trial participation from home. The momentum toward virtual, decentralized trials is continuing: Many drug companies are aiming to deploy digital devices like smartwatches and connected blood pressure cuffs to streamline data collection and develop new endpoints. (Palmer, 6/22)

Modern Healthcare: Center Of Excellence Programs Foster Discontent Among Local Providers
At the end of March, Eli Lilly inked a contract with Cleveland Clinic to provide cardiac surgery for the drug giant's more than 35,000 employees. It was another initiative from a self-insured employer looking to lower costs and control quality by partnering with a center of excellence program. In 2020, more than half of large employers offered workers access to centers of excellence through their health plans, according to a survey from Willis Towers Watson, with companies often flying patients out of state to obtain care at nationally ranked centers. (Tepper, 6/22)

Stat: Drug-Resistant Bacteria Pose A Growing Threat. Can New Antibiotics Be Developed Fast Enough To Combat Them? 
In 2016, a landmark report was issued on the global problem of  antimicrobial resistance. The paper, commissioned by the U.K. government and the Wellcome Trust, sought to quickly grab the attention of  policymakers — by tapping a former high-profile Goldman Sachs economist named Jim O’Neill to lead the effort. He issued a particularly dire warning of what was to come if the issue was ignored. (Silverman, 6/22)

Roll Call: Medicare Demo Emerges As Coverage Option For Alzheimer’s Drug 
The decision on how to cover an expensive and controversial new Alzheimer’s drug could be settled by letting Medicare run its own trial to study payment and treatment implications. Aduhelm, from drugmakers Biogen and Eisai, won accelerated approval from the Food and Drug Administration earlier this month despite objections from the agency’s advisory committee. While clinical trials proved the drug significantly reduced amyloid beta plaques in the brain — which are associated with the disease — the drug failed to show evidence that it slowed progression of the disease itself. (Clason, 6/22)

The New York Times: Many Alzheimer’s Experts Say Use Of Aduhelm Should Be Sharply Limited 
A new drug for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease should be given to a much narrower group of patients than the federal approval permits, Alzheimer’s experts — including those who strongly supported approval of the medication — said on Monday. Since the Food and Drug Administration approved the controversial and expensive drug, Aduhelm, made by Biogen, this month, much discussion has focused on the fact that many scientists, and the F.D.A.’s own independent advisory committee, say the evidence does not convincingly show that the drug works. (Belluck, 6/21)

Fox News: FDA Adviser Who Resigned Over Alzheimer's Drug Says 'No Good Evidence' It Works
One of the FDA advisory panel members who resigned after the agency granted Biogen’s Alzheimer’s drug Accelerated Approval has said "the drug showed no good evidence that it worked." Dr. Aaron Kesselheim, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and faculty member at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, spoke to CBS about his stepping down, with a resignation letter blasting the Aduhelm approval as "probably the worst drug approval decision in recent U.S. history." The agency’s decision, which was met with mixed reviews and marked the first approval of an Alzheimer’s drug in nearly two decades, came after the Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee said in November that it was not reasonable to consider clinical benefit of the drug based on one successful study. (Rivas, 6/21)

In related news —

Stat: BIO’s Chief On The FDA Commissioner Rumors, Drug Pricing, And IP Rights 
Everyone wants to know whether Michelle McMurry-Heath, the newly minted president of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, will be President Biden’s pick to lead the Food and Drug Administration. And whether, quite frankly, she wants the job. So STAT asked her just that — and asked, too, about the FDA’s controversial decision to approve Aduhelm for Alzheimer’s, and whether the drug industry should have gotten behind a high-profile, bipartisan drug pricing package it has opposed vehemently. (Florko, 6/21)

Stat: Biogen Isn’t The Only Drug Company That Will Profit From Aduhelm
Biogen’s expecting to make billions from its newly approved Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm. But it won’t be the only one making money: the complex brain scans that help doctors decide whether a patient is a good fit for the pricey therapy will also bring in money for PET scan manufacturers and imaging drug makers, too. If the use of those scans skyrockets, it’ll open up a new market for the companies that make the machines and the drug companies that manufacture the imaging drugs needed for those screenings. (Cohrs, 6/22)

Modern Healthcare: Supreme Court Rejects Review Of Insurers' ACA Funding Lawsuit
The U.S Supreme Court on Monday rejected the latest appeal by private insurance companies seeking reimbursement for losses over claims covered under the Affordable Care Act. Maine Community Health Options and Community Health Choice from Texas asked the high court in February to reverse a lower-court ruling that only would permit them to recoup a portion of the money the insurers say the federal government owes them. Justices declined to hear the appeal, leaving it in the hands of other courts, where this issue remains active. (Gellman, 6/21)

In other updates from the health care industry —

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Health Systems File Thousands Of Lawsuits: Johns Hopkins
Wisconsin health systems and hospitals filed more than 18,000 lawsuits to collect unpaid medical bills from Jan. 1, 2018, through July 31, 2020, according to a recent report from researchers at Johns Hopkins University. A separate report by ABC for Health, a public interest law firm based in Madison, looked at 5,023 lawsuits to collect unpaid medical bills filed by five large health systems in Wisconsin from 2017 through 2019. The report — which was not connected to the one from Johns Hopkins — found that the patients were without legal representation in 99% of the court actions. (Boulton, 6/21)

Savannah Morning News: Savannah Hospitals Use Back Up Systems For Fifth Day After Cyberattack
For the fifth day, doctors, nurses and patients at St. Joseph's/Candler on Monday made do with computer backup procedures, including the use of paper records, after a cyberattack prompted a shut down of the hospitals' network Thursday. Spokesman Scott Larson issued a statement around 2 p.m. Monday: "While we continue to investigate the incident, we’re working to get systems up and running as quickly and as safely as possible," Larson wrote. "Our priority is patient care, and our staff are committed to doing everything they can to mitigate disruption and provide uninterrupted care to our patients." (Landers, 6/21)

Modern Healthcare: The Patient Is The New Site Of Care: VCU Health Moves Into Post-Acute Care
For a few years, Jay Holdren knew that VCU Health had a patient throughput problem that was contributing to higher readmission rates than the health system wanted. “We have a high demand for inpatient care and emergency services, and so moving patients through in a timely manner is an issue,” said Holdren, senior director of continuum integration at the Richmond, Va.-based system. “And balancing that against readmissions, it's a tough proposition.” VCU Health—comprised of an academic medical center, a smaller community hospital, a children’s hospital and a physician group—had its own home health agency in the 1990s, but it shuttered after very limited success. (Gillespie, 6/22)

Modern Healthcare: Encompass Health Names New Home Health And Hospice CEO
Encompass Health appointed Barbara Jacobsmeyer as CEO of its home health and hospice segment, the company announced Monday. She succeeds April Anthony, whose last day was June 18. Jacobsmeyer previously served as president of inpatient hospitals for Encompass Health, a role that the company President and CEO Mark Tarr will fill until further notice, the company said. Jacobsmeyer will still report to Tarr. (Christ, 6/21)

Philadelphia Inquirer: Students Studying Medicine Grapple With Career Path In Light Of Pandemic: ‘Did I Make The Right Decision?’
In April, Sreya Pattipati, a pre-med student at the University of Pennsylvania, received a text from her aunt, a critical care specialist in India, where a dangerous second coronavirus wave was taking hold. “The waters are dark and deep at the moment. We are trying to hold on,” the text read. “My team and I are exhausted, depressed, and totally lost. I hope this ends soon.” Pattipati recently completed her first year virtually and has hopes to follow her aunt in a career in medicine. But the pandemic’s toll on health care workers’ physical and mental health, its exposure of serious gaps in the health care system, and her extended family’s battle on the front lines in India has made her wary. (Ahn, 6/22)

Daily Montanan: New Legislation Aims To Boost Number Of Rural, 'Frontier' Doctors 
U.S. Sen. Jon Tester has introduced legislation that could make a substantial difference in the number of doctors being trained in Montana’s frontier medical centers. Additional training opportunities would allow for the hundreds of medical school graduates to be matched with clinical training sites, which provide the experience they need to be licensed. (Ehrlick , 6/18)

AP: Ex-CEO Of Phoenix Health Facility Pleads Guilty To Fraud
The former CEO of a Phoenix health care facility has pleaded guilty to two counts of felony fraud, according to state prosecutors. William J. Timmons is scheduled to be sentenced on July 22.The Arizona Attorney General’s Office said Monday that Timmons could be facing between three and 12 ½ years in prison on each count. (6/22)

KHN: Hemmed In At Home, Nonprofit Hospitals Look For Profits Abroad 
Across the street from the Buckingham Palace Garden and an ocean away from its Ohio headquarters, Cleveland Clinic is making a nearly $1 billion bet that Europeans will embrace a hospital run by one of America’s marquee health systems. Cleveland Clinic London, scheduled to open for outpatient visits later this year and for overnight stays in 2022, will primarily offer elective surgeries and other profitable treatments for the heart, brain, joints and digestive system. The London strategy attempts to attract a well-off, privately insured population: American expatriates, Europeans drawn by the clinic’s reputation, and Britons impatient with the waits at their country’s National Health Service facilities. The hospital won’t offer less financially rewarding business lines, like emergency services. (Rau, 6/22)

Stat: A Popular Algorithm To Predict Sepsis Misses Most Cases, Study Finds
It was a win-win. Hospitals needed to prevent patient deaths from sepsis, a complication of infection; and Epic, the nation’s largest seller of medical records, needed users for its new product — an algorithm that could predict which patients would develop the condition so doctors could intervene earlier. Over the last few years, hundreds of hospitals have plugged in the algorithm without verifying its advertised 80% accuracy rate. Then a group of researchers at the University of Michigan started asking questions about its performance. (Ross, 6/21)

In other public health news —

Indianapolis Star: Toxic Cancer-Causing Contamination In Franklin May Have Spread, Report Says
A new study of the contamination in the groundwater under Franklin calls into question whether the toxic chemicals have spread farther beneath homes and the city than originally thought. Toxic sludge was first released into the sewers underneath the Johnson County city more than 50 years ago. But it wasn’t until just the last five years that federal and state agencies conducted extensive testing at and around the site to determine how far the contamination had moved. Then they began to clean it up, digging up the sewers and surrounding soils. (Bowman, 6/22)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Study Shows Emotions Key In Improving Heart Health In People With Obesity
A non-judgemental approach can play an important role in boosting heart health in people with obesity. The European Society of Cardiology concluded people who have obesity improved their heart and mental health in 10 weeks. They attended a non-judgemental, personalized lifestyle modification program during this period. Participants lost weight and saw improvements in anxiety, depression and blood pressure. (Willis, 6/21)

Columbus Ledger-Enquirer: Fatal Overdoses Linked To Fentanyl-Laced Drugs In GA 
Officials in a coastal Georgia community have issued an “urgent” warning after reports of several overdoses linked to a batch of fentanyl-laced drugs, including marijuana. Officials responded to several calls involving a person unconscious or unresponsive on Friday, according to Camden County’s Emergency Management Agency. Responders used CPR and Narcan, a drug used to reverse opioid overdoses, to treat the victims — some of whom could not be revived, the agency said. (Kenney, 6/21)

Also —

NBC News: 'Friends' Actor James Michael Tyler, Who Played Gunther, Shares Prostate Cancer Diagnosis
James Michael Tyler, the actor who played sarcastic coffee shop employee Gunther on "Friends," opened up about his struggle with prostate cancer since being diagnosed in September 2018. Tyler told "TODAY" on Monday that the illness had not been caught early and had advanced to other parts of his body. (Breen, 6/21)

Carroll County Times: ‘Aiden’s Impact Will Be Forever’: Westminster Family Turns Tragedy Into Community Service 
A Westminster couple took a tragic life event and decided to turn it into something that would help a number of other families struggling through difficult times. A year after losing one of their 2-year-old triplets, Aiden, to open heart surgery, Katelin and Tom Krueger created the Krueger Hat Trick Foundation, a nonprofit devoted to providing financial aid and hope for families affected by congenital heart defects/disease (CHD). According to the organization’s website, every year nearly 40,000 babies are born with CHD, which is nearly 110 children per day. Despite these numbers, they say CHDs are not widely known about and research is underfunded. (Bateman, 6/22)

NBC News and Houston Chronicle: New Texas Law Aims To Protect Parents Wrongly Accused Of Child Abuse
Texas child welfare workers and family courts will be required to consider additional medical opinions before taking children from parents in cases of suspected child abuse, under a new law going into effect Sept. 1. The law, signed by Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday, also orders a state commission to study the work of state-funded doctors who are tasked with diagnosing child abuse. The commission will propose improvements to the process that Texas Child Protective Services workers follow when relying on these doctors’ medical reports. (Hixenbaugh and Blakinger, 6/21)

Houston Chronicle: Gov. Abbott Vetoes Bill Requiring Dating Violence Prevention Lessons
Despite a bipartisan push from state lawmakers, Texas middle and high school students won’t be required to learn about preventing family violence, dating violence and child abuse. Senate Bill 1109, which would have implemented such instruction in public schools, was among the 21 bills vetoed by Gov. Greg Abbott after they were approved by both chambers of the Legislature. The measure, named the “Christine Blubaugh Act” in memory of a 16-year-old Grand Prairie girl who was murdered by an ex-boyfriend in 2000, would have mandated that Texans learn about prevention efforts at least once in middle school and twice in high school. Those lessons would have included information about the prevalence and signs of dating violence, ways to report abuse and resources available to students. (Harris, 6/22)

In news from Nevada, New Mexico, Connecticut, Alaska and California —

Las Vegas Review-Journal: Study Shows Improvement In Child Well-Being In State But More Work To Be Done
Nevada ranks among the bottom states for overall child well-being, though it experienced improvements in several categories, according to a new 50-state data report that tracks the topic through economic, educational, health and family lenses in the United States. The state earned the 45th spot for overall well-being, the Kids Count Data Book by the Annie E. Casey Foundation found. That’s up one spot from the 2020 ranking, according to the study released Monday. (McKenna, 6/21)

Albuquerque Journal: NM Shows Modest Improvement In Child Well-Being
New Mexico’s national child well-being ranking improved from 50th last year to 49th this year, displaced by Mississippi, and following Louisiana, according to the 2021 Kids Count Data Book. The book also tracked improvements in the state’s national rankings in economic well-being and health. Compiled annually by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the 2021 book, released Monday, primarily used statistics from 2019, the most recent year available. Consequently it does not reflect changes or trends that may be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Nathanson, 6/21)

The CT Mirror: Deal Made To Improve Education, Mental Services For Incarcerated Youths
Lawyers representing young people incarcerated in adult prison have reached an agreement with the state over the Department of Correction’s delivery of educational and mental health services to youth held at Manson Youth Institution as the pandemic wanes in correctional facilities across Connecticut. The settlement, which is in place until Sept. 30, 2021, ensures the DOC will provide support to incarcerated young people after a year in which they were largely kept in their cells to protect them from COVID-19. Broadly, the accommodation deals with three topics: education, access to mental health and cell confinement in medical isolation and quarantine units. (Lyons, 6/22)

Anchorage Daily News: Alaska Had A Record Number Of Syphilis Cases In 2020; This Year Is On Track To Hit Similar Highs
Last year, Alaska saw the highest number of syphilis cases ever reported in a single year, part of an outbreak that has been growing for the last three years, according to new data released by the state on Monday. In 2020, there was a record high of 361 reported cases — a 49% increase from the previous year, according to the latest report. This year is on track to hit similar highs, officials said, noting that the pandemic hindered efforts to control the outbreak. The state’s syphilis outbreak was first declared in 2018, when 114 cases were reported. The yearly total has increased every year since. In 2019, cases more than doubled, with 242 new cases of the infection. (Berman, 6/21)

The New York Times: California Plans Rent Forgiveness Using Federal Stimulus Surplus
Swimming in cash from an unexpected budget surplus and federal stimulus money, California is planning rent forgiveness on a scale never seen before in the United States. A $5.2 billion program in final negotiations at the State Legislature would pay 100 percent of unpaid rent that lower-income Californians incurred during the pandemic and would be financed entirely by federal money. The state is also proposing to set aside $2 billion to pay for unpaid water and electricity bills. (Fuller, Dougherty and Heyward, 6/21)

Reuters: Cuba Says Abdala Vaccine 92.28% Effective Against Coronavirus
Cuba said on Monday its three-shot Abdala vaccine against the coronavirus had proved 92.28% effective in last-stage clinical trials. The announcement came just days after the government said another homegrown vaccine, Soberana 2, had proved 62% effective with just two of its three doses. (6/22)

In other global developments —

Reuters: Colombia's COVID-19 Deaths Pass 100,000 In Unrelenting Third Wave
Reported deaths from COVID-19 in Colombia passed 100,000 on Monday, the country's health ministry said, amid warnings of potential scarcity of treatment drugs and oxygen in hospitals during a long and brutal third peak of infections and deaths. The country of 50 million people has reported more than 3.9 million cases of coronavirus infections, as well as 100,582 deaths. (6/21)

NPR: Europe Watches With Worry As Delta Variant Spreads Fast In The U.K. And Lisbon
A worrying spike of coronavirus infections in Europe is being driven by the delta variant, according to global health leaders, even as immunization rates in some countries are on the way up. Increased cases reported in the U.K. and Portugal have forced officials to reimplement lockdown restrictions or hold off on lifting pandemic mandates. Officials in France, Germany and Spain said they are closely monitoring clusters of infection tied to the delta variant. The strain, also known as B.1.617.2, was first detected in India. It is now "well on its way to becoming the dominant variant globally because of its increased transmissibility," Soumya Swaminathan, the World Health Organization's chief scientist, said Friday. (Diaz, 6/21)

Reuters: Vaccinated Brits Could Be Back On Europe's Beaches Soon - Minister 
Britain is working on easing travel restrictions for the fully vaccinated to allow people to enjoy a summer holiday on Europe's beaches but the plans are not finalised yet, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Tuesday. Currently British citizens are essentially prevented from travelling to most countries - including those in the European Union - as the quarantine and testing rules are so cumbersome and expensive. (Faulconbridge and Smout, 6/22)

AP:  NKorea Tells WHO It Has Detected No Virus Cases
North Korea has told the World Health Organization it tested more than 30,000 people for the coronavirus through June 10 but has yet to find a single infection. The WHO said in a monitoring report Tuesday that North Korea’s testing figures included 733 people who were tested during June 4-10, of which 149 were with influenza-like illnesses or severe respiratory infections. (6/22)

AP: Duterte Threatens To Arrest Filipinos Who Refuse Vaccination
The Philippine president has threatened to order the arrest of Filipinos who refuse COVID-19 vaccination and told them to leave the country if they would not cooperate with the efforts to contain the pandemic. President Rodrigo Duterte, who is known for his public outbursts and brash rhetoric, said in televised remarks Monday night that he has become exasperated with people who refuse to get immunized then help spread the coronavirus. (6/21)

USA Today: Vaccine Clots More Deadly Than COVID In Australia This Year
Australia's top medical officer on Monday urged countrymen who have received an AstraZeneca COVID shot to "not delay" getting the second dose – even though the vaccine has been linked to more deaths than COVID in Australia this year. Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly, after a National Cabinet meeting, reiterated the benefits of vaccination and encouraged Australians to stay vigilant for symptoms of COVID-19. He told Australia's ABC network that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in combating COVID-19 "far outweighed" the risks of developing a very rare blood clotting syndrome. (Bacon and Aspegren, 6/21)

AP: Hungary's Immunity Cards Allow Packed Stands, Raise Concerns
Tens of thousands of soccer fans packed the Puskas Arena in Budapest last week to attend Euro 2020 matches. It was the first full-house international soccer event in Europe in more than a year — made possible largely by Hungary’s adoption of government-issued immunity cards. The only one of the tournament’s 10 host countries to allow full crowds in stadiums, Hungary has conducted one of Europe’s most successful COVID-19 vaccination drives. The immunity cards attest that their bearers have received at least one vaccine dose or recovered from COVID-19, and allow them access to sports events as well as to services and venues such as hotels, spas, concerts, theaters and indoor restaurant dining. (Spike, 6/22)

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CIDRAP: CDC Bans Imported Dogs From High-Risk Nations After Rabies Variant Detected
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has temporarily suspended the import of dogs from high-risk countries and recently launched a multistate investigation based on the detection of a rabies variant detected in a rescue dog from Azerbaijan. The 1-year suspension will begin on Jul 14."The importation of just one dog infected with CRVV [canine rabies virus variants] risks re-introduction of the virus into the United States resulting in a potential public health risk with consequent monetary cost and potential loss of human and animal life," said a notice from the Federal Register. (6/21)

Bloomberg: U.K. Pledges Patient Health Data Revamp To Accelerate Treatment
Boris Johnson’s government promised to revamp health care data in England to give patients easier access to test results, medication lists and care plans -- and for records to be shared between systems to speed up treatment. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the move would deliver “better patient-focused care” by transforming the way data is used across health and care sectors. It would ensure clinicians have up-to-date medical information so they can make quicker, more informed decisions, he said. (Ashton, 6/22)

AP: UK Infected Blood Probe Focuses On School Where Dozens Died
A public inquiry into Britain’s contaminated blood scandal, which led to the deaths of more than 2,000 people in the 1970s and ’80s, began hearing evidence Monday from former students at a disabled children’s school where dozens died after being given blood products tainted with HIV and hepatitis. Former students and parents from Treloar’s College, an English boarding school, were testifying to the Infected Blood Inquiry because the school’s health center gave children infected blood products such as plasma to treat their haemophilia, a condition that impairs the body’s ability to make blood clots. (Hui, 6/21)

Newsweek: U.S. Immigration Detention Centers Remain Strongholds Of COVID-19 Transmission 
In the United States, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the deeply entrenched social roots of the profound premature and "unnatural" loss of lives among our communities, most historically marginalized by the system. COVID-19 wreaked havoc among communities of color, low-income neighborhoods, inside congregate settings including nursing homes, jails, prisons and immigration detention centers. The resulting social calamity illustrates how social hierarchies, racial and ethnic identities, lack of legal status and the distribution of wealth determine, in large part, who falls ill during a pandemic. (Carlos Franco-Padres, Michelle Haas, Yadira Caraveo and Janine Young, 6/21)

Kansas City Star: Missouri Leads In COVID Cases, And Vaccines Are The Solution 
The COVID-19 crisis isn’t over, and we shouldn’t act as if it is. Yes, yes, we’re tired of masks and social distancing. Crowds at the Truman Sports Complex, in the 18th & Vine Jazz District and at the neighborhood pool reflect the hunger for normalcy. At the grocery store, the movie theater, churches and synagogues, masks are gone and grins are back. Yet the latest numbers in Missouri suggest such overconfidence can be dangerous, or even deadly. The state has led the nation in its rate of new COVID-19 cases over the past week, worrisome evidence that the viral disease is still a problem. (6/22)

Chicago Tribune: University Of Illinois COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Should Be Applauded. It’s Public Health, Not Ideology. 
Despite considerable pushback, I stand by my controversial opinion that dying is bad. It’s a hill I’m willing to live on. With that in mind, I applaud the University of Illinois’ decision to require COVID-19 vaccinations for all students attending fall classes on all three of its campuses. In an email message sent Monday, university President Tim Killeen wrote: “This requirement is consistent with our own scientific modeling of the risks associated with the spread of the virus and its variants. It is also consistent with the Illinois Department of Public Health’s goals.” (Rex Huppke, 6/22)

USA Today: We Studied COVID-19 Cases After Birthdays. Family Gatherings Can Still Be Dangerous.
Despite more than a year of significant restrictions on formal gatherings, America has seen more than 33.5 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and nearly 602,000 deaths. This high toll is likely partly due to informal social gatherings that have not been subject to state and local restrictions. They are often small, intimate, and involve people we trust. And that makes them dangerous.  One study found that peoples’ compliance with public health recommendations like wearing masks depended on the perceived risk of COVID-19 among the people with whom they interact. Another hypothesized that people might not view being with friends and family as being in a truly public setting. (Christopher Whaley and Dr. Anupam B. Jena, 6/21)

Los Angeles Times: UC Betrays Its Values When It Partners With Catholic Hospitals That Restrict Care
More than 500 abortion restrictions have been introduced in state legislatures this year. Laws banning gender-affirming care for transgender young people are sweeping the nation. These attacks make Californians feel lucky to live in a state that prides itself as a leader in reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights. Yet at a moment when we need to be standing up for access to these essential services, the University of California, where I work as an obstetrician/gynecologist and researcher, is considering formalizing and expanding partnerships with facilities that prohibit UC doctors, nurses, residents and medical and nursing students from providing this exact care. (Daniel Grossman, 6/22)

Bloomberg: Four Cancer-Treatment Developments Worth Celebrating 
When it comes to health breakthroughs, Covid-19 vaccines have received the lion’s share of recent attention – and rightly so, as they are key to ending a global pandemic that has killed millions and disrupted the lives of almost everyone on the planet. But there have also been big advancements in the field of cancer treatments. The American Society of Clinical Oncology held its annual meeting earlier this month, giving drugmakers and researchers the chance to share their findings on the latest developments in cancer research and drug research. There was much to celebrate. Here are four particularly promising takeaways: (Sam Fazeli, 6/21)

Stat: FDA Should Lead The Way On New ALS Treatments 
Following the Food and Drug Administration’s recent decision to give the green light to aducanumab, the first treatment approved for Alzheimer’s disease in nearly two decades, the agency has been loudly criticized by some for moving too quickly. In the case of another deadly neurological illness — amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS — it is moving too slowly. (Calaneet Balas, 6/22)

NBC News: The WHO Alcohol-Pregnancy Warning For Childbearing Women Overlooks Men, As Usual
The World Health Organization is advising that “women of childbearing age” should be a focus of alcohol prevention efforts — regardless of whether they know they’re pregnant. The suggestion was included in an early draft of the organization’s global action plan on alcohol, which argues that anti-alcohol campaigns should target women specifically due to the risks alcohol poses to the health of a fetus. Yes, even a fictitious, does-not-yet-exist fetus. (Danielle Campoamor, 6/21)

The CT Mirror: Achieving Results For Nursing Home Residents, Yet More To Do
One of the most meaningful steps forward Connecticut was able to take this year during the 2021 legislative session was in our state’s nursing homes. After the terrible early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the continued spread of the virus through these homes in the months that followed, we realized many of the issues plaguing nursing home residents and were able to enact change. (State Sen. Saud Anwar MD, 6/21)

Scientific American: How End-Of-Life Doulas Help Ease The Final Transition 
Birth and death are the bookends of life, yet we welcome one and dread the other. Why is it that birth is celebrated, but death is taboo? When a friend was expecting her first child, she needed additional support through her pregnancy, so she hired a birth doula. The idea of women helping other women during childbirth is not new. Since the beginning of time, women have labored and birthed at home, attended by a midwife and their female friends and kin. This camaraderie of women, once universal, was a way to provide birth support and also to pass on knowledge about pregnancy, childbirth and parenting. (Virginia Chang, 6/19)

The Baltimore Sun: As A Sexually Active Gay Man, I Can’t Donate Blood Or Tissue In America. That’s Ridiculous
My blood type is O negative, I am healthy, I can run a half-marathon, I do not smoke or use drugs, I only have two to three drinks a week, and I am in a committed relationship. Yet, due to homophobic stereotypes and outdated policies, gay men like myself  -- termed “MSM” or “men who have sex with men” -- cannot freely donate blood and soft tissue in America. According to the most recent Food and Drug Administration guidance, updated last year, MSMs must undertake a three-month deferral from male-to-male sexual activity before blood donation. Shockingly, that’s an improvement on the original full ban on blood donation implemented in 1985 (for any male who had a sexual encounter with another male after 1977) and the 2015 version of the policy, which required a 12-month deferral. (Greg Brightbill, 6/21)

Modern Healthcare: Healthcare Leaders Must Help Rebuild Primary Care
When people cross a bridge, they take its stability for granted. They don’t consider it might collapse. So should it be in healthcare. Whether a patient or a family member is trying to stay healthy or manage a chronic condition, they need reliable partners to navigate an uncertain and risky passage. Primary care is healthcare’s foundation and the only part of the system associated with longer lives, improved health outcomes, and reduced racial and ethnic health disparities. Relationships with a primary-care doctor can last a lifetime. A worried parent, the adult child of a frail elder, or someone facing troubling symptoms understands the comfort of a clear treatment plan and reassuring words from someone who knows their values. (Christopher F. Koller and Dr. Robert Phillips, 6/22)