In the healthcare industry, safety and compliance are of paramount importance. This often means that background checks on employees and contractors are conducted. LiveScan fingerprinting, which is used to check criminal records in the healthcare industry, is a popular method. This ensures that only trustworthy and qualified personnel can work with patients. You might be wondering how long it will take to receive the results of a LiveScan background screening if you are applying for a healthcare job. What you need to understand.
Importance of LiveScan in Healthcare
LiveScan is a process of electronic fingerprinting that takes fingerprints and sends them electronically to state and federal agencies such as the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This process is crucial for healthcare professionals because it flags individuals who have criminal histories that may compromise patient safety before they are hired.
Average Processing Time
The length of time it takes for LiveScan results to be received in the healthcare sector can depend on a number of factors. These include the role you are applying for, your state, and the agencies that conduct the background check.
State Level Checks (DOJ ): In many states the Department of Justice is responsible for processing LiveScan Results. The DOJ typically processes background checks for healthcare positions within 48-72 hours. This process may take longer during busy times or when there are problems with the quality of fingerprints.
Federal Level Checks (FBI ): In certain cases, especially for roles that have higher levels of responsibility, or access to sensitive data, fingerprints may also be sent to the FBI to undergo additional screening. These checks are usually processed by the FBI within 3 to five business days. The processing time may be extended if the volume of requests is high or if an in-depth investigation is needed.
Factors that Can Affect the Processing Time
Many factors, particularly in the healthcare sector, can affect the speed of LiveScan results being returned.
Volume Requested: Healthcare facilities conduct background checks on many employees at once, which can cause processing delays.
Fingerprint quality: If fingerprints are not of good quality, the results may be delayed.
Additional screening requirements: Certain healthcare positions require additional screenings such as checking child abuse registries, or other specialized databases. This can prolong the timeframe.
Regulatory Compliance: The healthcare industry is heavily regulated. Some roles require more thorough background checks which can lead to longer processing time.
What to Expect
It’s a good idea to prepare for possible delays. While the turnaround time for LiveScan in the healthcare sector is typically 48-72 hours for DOJ and FBI are 3- 5 days, it’s advisable to plan. It’s important to submit your fingerprints early if you need to do a LiveScan for your healthcare job. This will help avoid delays.
LiveScan results in the healthcare sector are usually processed within a couple of days. However, several factors can affect this timeline. Allowing enough time to allow for delays and understanding the process will ensure that you have a smooth transition. These checks are vital for the safety of patients and compliance with regulatory requirements. Accurate and timely results are essential.
This post was written by Physicians Choice Medical Billing, LLC. Physicians Choice Medical Billing, LLC has been providing exceptional, and comprehensive Full-Service Practice Management including medical billing, coding, revenue cycle management, credentialing and consulting services to our clients. Whether you are a new startup or an established medical group, PC has the experience and dedication to make your practice a financial success. The staff bring multiple years of experience and dedication. Live scan fingerprinting St Petersburg FL with Physicians Choice provides the highest quality, professional digital Live Scan fingerprints in a comfortable professional office atmosphere. Physicians Choice offers both individual and corporate account service.
Two common skin conditions that can be uncomfortable and upsetting are psoriasis and eczema. While their symptoms and outward appearances may be somewhat similar, it’s important to recognise the differences between the two in order to get an accurate diagnosis and receive the best possible care. We will explore the causes, signs, and available treatments for psoriasis vs eczema in this post to help you confidently navigate these skin mysteries.
The Overactive Immune System in Psoriasis
A chronic autoimmune disease called psoriasis is characterised by an overactive immune system that unintentionally speeds up the skin cell turnover process. On the skin, these quickly growing cells cause the development of thick, flaming, and scaly areas. Psoriasis commonly affects the scalp, elbows, knees, lower back, and nails. There are many different symptoms, but they frequently involve elevated, silver-white scales, itching, dryness, and occasionally discomfort.
Although the precise aetiology of psoriasis is still unknown, genetic and environmental factors are thought to play a role. Psoriasis symptoms can be made worse by triggers like stress, some drugs, infections, and skin injuries. While there is no known cure, a number of treatment methods, such as topical creams, oral drugs, light therapy, and lifestyle changes, try to manage and control the symptoms.
Eczema: The Inflammatory Itchy Skin Disease
A common inflammatory skin condition that frequently begins in childhood but can last into adulthood is eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis. It is characterised by skin patches that are red, itchy, and inflamed and can develop anywhere on the body. With excessive scratching, the affected areas may become dry, scaly, or even leak or crust over.
Eczema is thought to be brought on by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, while its exact aetiology is yet unknown. People who have eczema have impaired skin barrier function, which makes their skin more sensitive to allergens and irritants. Allergens, irritants (such harsh soaps or textiles), dry skin, stress, and changes in temperature or humidity are some of the causes of eczema flare-ups.
Eczema treatment focuses on symptom management, itching relief, and avoiding flare-ups. Antihistamines, topical corticosteroids or immunomodulators, moisturisers, and avoiding triggers that exacerbate the illness may all be used to help with this. Additionally, eczema symptoms can be controlled by adopting healthy skincare practises like gentle cleaning, routine moisturising, and wearing non-irritating textiles.
Differentiating between Eczema and Psoriasis
Although psoriasis and eczema might have a similar appearance, there are some important distinctions that can help in their differentiation:
Psoriasis commonly manifests as thick, red patches covered in silver-white scales, whereas eczema patches are frequently red, itchy, and may appear weepy or crusty.
Location: Eczema can develop on the face, neck, hands, and feet, but psoriasis typically affects the scalp, elbows, knees, lower back, and nails. Eczema’s signature symptom is itching, which can be extreme. Psoriasis is more frequently characterised by mild to moderate irritation.
Family History: Although there may be a hereditary component to both disorders, eczema is more frequently linked to allergies, asthma, or eczema itself in families.
In search of expert diagnosis and treatment.
It is essential to see a dermatologist for a precise diagnosis and the best course of therapy if you think you might have psoriasis or eczema.
Gov. Roy Cooper prompted loud cheers, whoops and a standing ovation during his state of the state address on Monday evening when he mentioned Medicaid expansion.
The governor came to the General Assembly as part of a biannual tradition to provide lawmakers and the people of North Carolina his take on how best to approach the future.
In his fourth such address, with a little less than two years left in his second term as governor, Cooper told lawmakers that he thinks the state is poised for “once-in-a-generation opportunities.”
That includes stepping up efforts to extend broadband to the rural-most reaches of the state. He called for double-digit raises for teachers and enhanced funding for North Carolina’s children, from cradle to career.
Cooper hearkened back to the past as he heralded the future.
“Time and again, overcoming adversity, our leaders had the foresight and the resolve to invest in new ideas that have revolutionized our state, impacting the generations that followed,” Cooper said. “And while we stand on their shoulders, we also stand at an altogether new crossroads.
“Our moment to build enduring prosperity is now,” Cooper added.
Part of that construction, for some 600,000 low-income residents in North Carolina, is something Cooper has been advocating for since he became governor in 2017. Just last week, after years of facing opposition from Republicans to his pitch to extend the subsidized health care benefit made possible through the Affordable Care Act, Senate leader Phil Berger (R-Eden) and House speaker Tim Moore (R-Kings Mountain) made a long-awaited announcement: They had negotiated an agreement that would include a provision to expand Medicaid in the budget for the next two years.
Federal dollars at risk
Cooper reveled in the whoops and applause at his mention of Medicaid and the news from the previous week.
“I’m grateful for our unified Democratic legislators — and some of the Republicans who have been relentless for years in this effort to expand Medicaid,” Cooper said, acknowledging those across the aisle who had joined Democrats to make it happen.
“I commend the hard work of this Republican legislature for embracing this and coming together in agreement,” he said.
He thanked advocates who shared his commitment to making health care more affordable and accessible to residents who were caught between a rock and a hard place.
Expansion will cover many low-income workers who made too much money to get traditional Medicaid but didn’t earn enough for private insurance and could not get subsidies offered through the Affordable Care Act.
“When we get Medicaid expansion across the finish line, it will save lives,” Cooper said. “Tonight I bring a message of urgency that I hope all of you will keep at heart as we go through these legislative weeks.”
By tying Medicaid expansion to approval of the budget, the Republican leadership puts Cooper in a difficult position. If the lawmakers pad their spending plan with policies and budget items the governor is loath to support, he will be less likely to veto it and jeopardize the Medicaid expansion bill that only will be enacted once the budget passes.
“Every month we wait to expand not only costs lives but costs our state more than $521 million a month in federal health care dollars,” Cooper said. “If we don’t expand soon, we will forfeit an additional $1.8 billion in Health Care Access and Stabilization, or HASP funds, that our hospitals never will get back. That would be particularly hard on our rural hospitals. No business would make that kind of financial decision.”
The hospitals can claim retroactive HASP funding to cover care already delivered back to mid-2022 if the Medicaid expansion bill passes before the end of the state fiscal year on June 30.
“Guys, finally, we now all agree on Medicaid expansion,” Cooper added. “We now all agree on how to do it, and we all now agree on what other health care laws will be changed with it.
“For mental health, for working families, for rural hospitals, for a healthier North Carolina, for $1.8 billion that we cannot afford to leave behind, let’s expand Medicaid now,” Cooper said loudly.
Members of the General Assembly applaud during Gov. Roy Cooper’s State of the State speech on Monday evening. Credit:PBSNC/ Screen shot
Mental health projects
Many of Cooper’s special guests embodied some of the health care issues facing the state.
Meredith Draughn, a school counselor at B. Everett Jordan Elementary School in Alamance County and the National School Counselor of the Year, sees the problem firsthand.
“Her support is critical to their well-being and can be life-saving,” Cooper said, pointing to Draughn, who was sitting in the gallery of the House of Representatives. “All our counselors, teachers and school staff play a vital role in student mental health.”
Cooper said he already has directed “tens of millions of dollars” in federal funds to Mental Health First Aid that helps teachers and school staff recognize the signs of a child in crisis and other efforts. The governor hinted at more resources to come.
“I’ll propose a plan that makes historic investments in the whole-person health of every North Carolinian,” Cooper said. “It will save lives, save government resources and pay dividends for decades to come.”
Telecommuting to the doctor
Cooper singled out Kim Schwartz, CEO of Roanoke Chowan Community Health Center, and Phyliss Pillmon, an Ahoskie resident, to show how extending broadband can play a key role in telemedicine and providing better health care to residents in rural North Carolina.
“Phyllis has a hybrid plan of care, where she sees her regular doctor in person while connecting with specialists as far away as Charlotte,” Cooper said. “That’s a 280-mile gap that Phyllis and her specialist can span in just seconds.”
Additionally, Cooper called attention to Russell Devane, an Ivanhoe resident, who worked with the state to repair aging pipes and an inadequate system with a $13.2 million investment in a modern water and sanitation system that now delivers clean water to the Sampson County community.
Kim Schwartz, CEO of Roanoke Chowan Community Health Center, and Ahoskie resident Phyliss Pillmon acknowledge applause from the gallery after being called out during Gov. Roy Cooper’s State of the State speech on Monday. Credit:PBSNC/ screen shot
Guns and children
Cooper also highlighted gun violence in North Carolina and the state’s place on a list that does not instill pride.
“A recent report found that in 2021, children in North Carolina were 51 percent more likely to die from gun violence than children in the U.S. as a whole,” Cooper said, referring to a recent report from the Child Fatality Task Force.
This legislative session, Republican lawmakers considered bills to end requirements that handgun buyers first obtain a permit from their county sheriff. Republicans advocating for the change have argued that it is not necessary because handgun buyers already go through a background check to purchase their guns.
Critics argue that not all purchases require such checks, while advocates point to research that shows the checks save lives.
“If you support the responsible gun ownership that we are granted under the Second Amendment as I do, then we cannot accept this,” Cooper said. “In the weeks to come, let’s move forward to fight gun violence, not backward.”
Cooper acknowledged the differences that he and the Republican-led General Assembly have had over the years.
“In my six years as Governor, you legislators and I have found plenty to disagree about,” Cooper said. “But we have found areas of common ground to strengthen our communities, create opportunity and make our state more resilient and prepared for the future.”
“This has always been North Carolina’s story: good people from diverse communities coming together to build a common future.”
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by Anne Blythe, North Carolina Health News March 8, 2023
Reduced trust driven by issues about exterior affect and conflicting suggestions
For speedy launch: March 6, 2023
Boston, MA—In the initial nationally consultant survey of U.S. older people on causes for have confidence in in federal, condition, and neighborhood public wellness agencies’ details for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan Faculty of Community Health and fitness and colleagues discovered that the Facilities for Sickness Manage and Prevention (CDC) was remarkably trusted for information by far more than 1-third of U.S. grown ups, whilst point out and neighborhood health and fitness departments ended up remarkably reliable by about one-quarter. An supplemental 37-51{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of adults reliable these community wellbeing companies considerably, and <10{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} reported no trust at all in these agencies for health information.
High levels of trust were not primarily due to people believing agencies had “done a good job” controlling the spread of COVID-19, but rather to public beliefs that agencies communicated clear, science-based recommendations and provided protective resources, such as tests and vaccines. The survey found that lower levels of trust were primarily related to beliefs that health recommendations were influenced by politics or corporations, or were conflicting.
“Trust in public health agencies is crucial for enabling effective policies that save lives during emergencies,” said lead author Gillian SteelFisher, principal research scientist in the Department of Health Policy and Management and director of global polling at the Harvard Opinion Research Program. “Emergency programs have been underfunded for decades, but these data make clear how important it is to ensure public health agencies have appropriate stockpiles, have authority to make decisions based on scientific information, and have a stronger communication infrastructure.”
The survey’s findings will be published March 6, 2023, in the March issue of Health Affairs, a themed issue focused on public health lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. The survey was conducted in February 2022 among a nationally representative sample of 4,208 U.S. adults.
The researchers also found significant differences in reasons that the public trusts federal, state, and local public health agencies. Public trust in the CDC was related primarily to beliefs in their scientific expertise, whereas trust in state and local public health agencies was more related to their provision of direct, compassionate care.
In addition, the study found key differences in the primary reasons why adults had lower levels of trust. Among those who reported trusting public health agencies “somewhat,” concerns were focused on conflicting recommendations and the perception of political influence. By comparison, those who reported trusting agencies “not very much” or “not at all” raised many more concerns, including agencies’ recommendations going “too far” and limited trust in government generally.
The researchers used the results to suggest takeaways to inform public health leaders in COVID-19 and future emergencies. They suggested a need to enhance policies around stockpiles of protective resources such as masks to support a robust communication infrastructure in which public health agencies are given clear authority to disseminate science-based recommendations and to engage trusted partners, such as clinicians and religious leaders, to amplify agency communications. Such measures would allow public health agencies to develop strategies to more effectively engage different segments of the public who have varying levels of trust, the researchers said.
Other Harvard Chan School co-authors included Mary Findling and Hannah Caporello.
Howard Koh, Harvey V. Fineberg Professor of the Practice of Public Health Leadership, Health Policy and Management at Harvard Chan School, served as an issue advisor for Health Affairs, and co-authored a paper in the issue about public health workforce retention.
The study was conducted through a cooperative agreement between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, who subcontracted to the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.
“Trust in US Federal, State, and Local Public Health Agencies During COVID-19: Responses and Policy Implications,” Gillian K. Steelfisher, Mary G. Findling, Hannah L. Caporello, Keri M. Lubell, Kathleen G. Vidoloff Melville, Lindsay Lane, Alyssa A. Boyea, Thomas J. Schafer, Eran N. Ben-Porath, Health Affairs, March 6, 2023, doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2022.01204
Visit the Harvard Chan School website for the latest news, press releases, and multimedia offerings.
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health brings together dedicated experts from many disciplines to educate new generations of global health leaders and produce powerful ideas that improve the lives and health of people everywhere. As a community of leading scientists, educators, and students, we work together to take innovative ideas from the laboratory to people’s lives—not only making scientific breakthroughs, but also working to change individual behaviors, public policies, and health care practices. Each year, more than 400 faculty members at Harvard Chan School teach 1,000-plus full-time students from around the world and train thousands more through online and executive education courses. Founded in 1913 as the Harvard-MIT School of Health Officers, the School is recognized as America’s oldest professional training program in public health.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
KHN:
Struggling To Survive, The First Rural Hospitals Line Up For New Federal Lifeline
Just off the historic U.S. Route 66 in eastern New Mexico, a 10-bed hospital has for decades provided emergency care for a steady flow of people injured in car crashes and ranching accidents. It also has served as a close-to-home option for the occasional overnight patient, usually older residents with pneumonia or heart trouble. It’s the only hospital for the more than 4,500 people living on a swath of 3,000 square miles of high plains and lakes east of Albuquerque. (Tribble, 3/6)
KHN:
Despite Pharma Claims, Illicit Drug Shipments To US Aren’t Full Of Opioids. It’s Generic Viagra.
For years, the FDA has defended its efforts to intercept prescription drugs coming from abroad by mail as necessary to keep out dangerous opioids, including fentanyl. The pharmaceutical industry frequently cites such concerns in its battle to stymie numerous proposals in Washington to allow Americans to buy drugs from Canada and other countries where prices are almost always much lower. (Galewitz, 3/6)
KHN:
Virtual Or In Person: Which Kind Of Doctor’s Visit Is Better, And When It Matters
When the covid-19 pandemic swept the country in early 2020 and emptied doctors’ offices nationwide, telemedicine was suddenly thrust into the spotlight. Patients and their physicians turned to virtual visits by video or phone rather than risk meeting face-to-face. During the early months of the pandemic, telehealth visits for care exploded. (Andrews, 3/6)
KHN:
Journalists Discuss Insulin Prices, Gun Violence, Distracted Driving, And More
Midwest KHN correspondent Bram Sable-Smith discussed the Eli Lilly news on insulin prices on “PBS NewsHour” and insulin prices on Slate’s “What Next” on March 1. … KHN contributor Andy Miller discussed Georgia’s legislative wrap-up including Medicaid work requirements on Georgia Public Broadcasting’s “Lawmakers” on Feb. 28. He also discussed health care for foster children on WUGA’s “The Georgia Health Report” on Feb. 3. (3/4)
Diabetes and obesity are rising among young adults in the United States, an alarming development that puts them at higher risk for heart disease, according to a study of 13,000 people between 20 and 44 years old. The authors of the study, published Sunday in a major medical journal, warn the trends could have major public health implications: a rising generation dying prematurely of heart attacks, strokes and other complications. And Black and Hispanic people, particularly Mexican Americans, would bear the brunt. (Nirappil, 3/5)
The prevalence of diabetes climbed from 3{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} to 4.1{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}; obesity shot up from 32.7{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} to 40.9{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}, based on the study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on Sunday, which uses data from 2009 to 2020. (Bowman, 3/6)
A two-part message is permeating the halls of medicine and the fabric of society, sliding into medical school lectures, pediatricians’ offices, happy hours and social feeds: Obesity is a chronic biological disease — and it’s treatable with a new class of medications. (Chen and Herper, 3/5)
The popularity around weight loss drugs like Ozempic is worrying eating disorder experts, who say the conversation risks making recovery harder and could put others at risk of developing disorders. “My fear is that there is now a belief that anyone can and should achieve a certain body shape and size with the help of these medications, so there’s going to be an even greater drive towards a certain body type,” said Tracy Richmond, director of the eating disorder program at Boston Children’s Hospital. (Wetsman, 3/6)
In a major study, a different kind of cholesterol-lowering drug named Nexletol reduced the risk of heart attacks and some other cardiovascular problems in people who can’t tolerate statins, researchers reported Saturday. Doctors already prescribe the drug, known chemically as bempedoic acid, to be used together with a statin to help certain high-risk patients further lower their cholesterol. The new study tested Nexletol without the statin combination — and offers the first evidence that it also reduces the risk of cholesterol-caused health problems. (Neergaard, 3/4)
More than a quarter of Americans over 40 take medications to lower their cholesterol, most of them statins. But not everyone can tolerate statins or wants to. Now a new study confirms that bempedoic acid, approved in 2020, not only lowers cholesterol, but also reduces the risk for heart attack and stroke. (Weintraub, 3/4)
On Saturday a new study showed that Nexletol, the cholesterol-lowering medicine made by Esperion Therapeutics, prevented heart attacks among people who cannot or will not take potent cholesterol-lowering statins. The question now is whether those benefits are going to be enough to make sales of Nexletol take off. They have been basically dead in the water since the oral medicine was approved three years ago. (Herper, 3/6)
A low-carb, high-fat “keto-like” diet may be linked to higher levels of “bad” cholesterol and double the risk of cardiovascular events such as blocked arteries, heart attacks and strokes, according to new research. “Our study found that regular consumption of a self-reported diet low in carbohydrates and high in fat was associated with increased levels of LDL cholesterol – or “bad” cholesterol – and a higher risk of heart disease,” lead study author Dr. Iulia Iatan with the Healthy Heart Program Prevention Clinic, St. Paul’s Hospital and University of British Columbia’s Centre for Heart Lung Innovation in Vancouver, Canada, said in a news release. (Hassan and LaMotte, 3/6)
For the first time, patients with damaged tricuspid valves in their hearts might have a safe treatment that actually helps. More than 1 million mostly older Americans have seriously leaking tricuspids, a valve on the right side of the heart that lets deoxygenated blood flow between the right atrium and the right ventricle. When the valve leaks, blood flows backward. As a result, fluid accumulates in vital organs while legs and feet get swollen. The eventual outcome is heart failure. (Kolata, 3/4)
President Biden had a cancerous lesion removed from his chest during his physical last month, the president’s doctor said Friday. The existence of the lesion was included in the summary of Mr. Biden’s physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in mid-February. On Friday, Dr. Kevin C. O’Connor, the president’s longtime physician, said a biopsy confirmed that it was basal cell carcinoma, a common and relatively unaggressive form of skin cancer. (Rogers, 3/3)
Just over two weeks ago, President Biden had skin cancer, but today, he doesn’t. According to a White House physician’s memo on Friday, doctors at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center removed a lesion off his chest on Feb. 16, treated the area around the tumor site, and that was that. The president’s cancer might be cause for more concern were it not for the type: basal cell carcinoma. (Chen and Cohrs, 3/3)
Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), who was a White House doctor during the Obama and Trump administrations, jabbed President Biden on Sunday when asked about his cancerous lesion removal earlier this week. (Sforza, 3/5)
With the COVID-19 state of emergency a thing of the past, California health officials on Friday unveiled plans to relax guidance on masking in high-risk settings and to end vaccination requirements for healthcare workers. (Money, 3/3)
Washington and Oregon will soon drop mask requirements in health care settings, state health officials said Friday, moving to lift the last major masking requirements meant to curb the spread of COVID-19. Mandates in both states will end on April 3, meaning health care workers, patients and visitors will no longer be required to wear a mask in facilities including hospitals, urgent care centers and dental and doctors’ offices. Washington’s mask requirements in correctional facilities will also end April 3. (3/3)
Five residents of a South Yarmouth nursing home died in recent days following an outbreak of COVID-19, which also caused more than 90 additional cases among residents and staff. The state Department of Public Health has ordered Pittsfield-based Integritus Healthcare, which operates Windsor Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in South Yarmouth, to cease admissions of new residents while officials respond to the outbreak. (Hilliard, 3/4)
One year after COVID-19 infection, US adults with lingering symptoms were at elevated risk for cardiovascular conditions such as ischemic stroke and blood clots in the lungs, according to a nationwide study published today in JAMA Health Forum. (Van Beusekom, 3/3)
Officials from the World Health Organization on Friday said that all COVID-19 origin theories remain viable despite recent U.S. reports promoting the idea that the deadly virus originated in a lab in Wuhan, China. “If any country has information about the origins of the pandemic, it is essential for that information to be shared with WHO and the international scientific community,” Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press briefing. (Vaziri, 3/3)
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Friday that he plans to sign a measure that would effectively ban abortion clinics from operating in the state, meaning hospitals will soon be the only places where they can be provided in the state. After passing through the state Senate on Thursday with minor amendments, it returned to the Utah House of Representatives Friday morning, where it was approved and then sent to the governor for final approval. The move comes less than a year after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision, returning the power to regulate abortions to states. (Metz, 3/4)
Rite Aid Corp. said it was “monitoring the latest federal, state, legal and regulatory developments” and would keep evaluating its policies. The Associated Press also sought comment from CVS Health Corp., retail giant Walmart and the grocery chain Kroger. Some independent pharmacists would like to become certified to dispense the pills, said Andrea Pivarunas, a spokeswoman for the National Community Pharmacists Association. She added that this would be a “personal business decision,” based partly on state laws. The association has no specifics on how many will do it. (Murphy, 3/3)
The Massachusetts Legislature is trying, once again, to create a state-funded public education campaign about crisis pregnancy centers, antiabortion facilities accused of posing as reproductive health care clinics. Former governor Charlie Baker vetoed an identical proposal last November. (Mohammed, 3/5)
Judith Heumann, a renowned activist who helped secure legislation protecting the rights of people with disabilities, has died. She was 75 years old. Ms. Heumann died Saturday in Washington, D.C., according to a statement from her family. Over decades of activism, Ms. Heumann played a role in developing national disability-rights legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. She was also involved in the passage of the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. (Otis, 3/5)
President Biden on Sunday remembered disability rights activist Judith Heumann, who passed away on Saturday at 75, as a “trailblazer” and a “rolling warrior.” … “Judy Heumann was a trailblazer – a rolling warrior – for disability rights in America. After her school principal said she couldn’t enter Kindergarten because she was using a wheelchair, Judy dedicated the rest of her life to fighting for the inherent dignity of people with disabilities,” Biden said in a statement. (Sforza, 3/5)
A hospital on the Mississippi Gulf Coast will suspend labor and delivery services April 1 because of a shortage of obstetricians, further decreasing health care access in a state that has seen other hospitals shut down birthing centers or intensive care for newborn babies. Singing River Gulfport said in its announcement Thursday that hospital leaders hope the suspension of services will be temporary, WXXV-TV reported. (3/3)
Hospital systems are turning to cross-market mergers to satiate their thirst for growth and avoid antitrust heat. But hospitals are also still signing other lower-profile deals, which experts believe inevitably lead to higher insurance premiums and create more medical bill stress for people in those communities. “Smaller mergers just don’t get the attention they deserve because they affect fewer people,” said Vivian Ho, a health economist at Rice University who studies hospital consolidation. (Herman, 3/6)
Labor shortages, rising expenses and poor performance in the financial markets led to a money-losing year many in the industry would like to forget. “When you look back at 2022, for a sizable portion for the sector, it’s going to go down again as really one of, if not the worst, operating income years ever,” said Kevin Holloran, senior director at Fitch Ratings. “Some people got better as the year went on … but not everybody.” (Hudson, 3/3)
The company that owns the medical transport aircraft that crashed in northern Nevada last week, killing all five people aboard, has been tied to two other fatal crashes in the last four years. A review of records shows that with the latest crash, 11 people total have now died on planes owned and operated by Guardian Flight, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported Friday. The company is also now facing its fourth National Transportation Safety Board probe since 2018, said Bruce Landsberg, NTSB vice chairman. (3/3)
Eli Lilly would’ve had to pay Medicaid about $150 for each vial of insulin used in the program if it hadn’t dramatically cut the list prices for some of its older products this week. The company was about to run into a Medicaid penalty for hiking the price of its drugs faster than the rate of inflation. Now that it plans to lower the list price of the insulin Humalog 70{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}, it won’t trigger that penalty. Lilly also is lowering the price of Lispro, a biosimilar of Humalog, to $25 a vial. (Wilkerson, 3/6)
The HPV vaccine is a slam dunk in preventing the vast majority of cancers related to the infection — namely tumors of the head and neck, anus, penis, vagina, and cervix. But that’s only for people who got shots early enough to prevent HPV infection. Everyone else must hope for other vaccines that scientists are developing to treat existing HPV-associated cancer. A new study on that front offers some promising, if early, results in mice. (Chen, 3/3)
Psychologists in Colorado will be allowed to write prescriptions if they’re willing to obtain an additional two-year degree, under a new law signed Friday by Gov. Jared Polis. The measure is intended to increase access to mental health care in Colorado, which has a severe shortage of mental health professionals. Psychiatrists, who are medical doctors, fought the legislation. (Brown, 3/3)
Florida legislators have proposed a spate of new laws that would reshape K-12 and higher education in the state, from requiring teachers to use pronouns matching children’s sex as assigned at birth to establishing a universal school choice voucher program. The half-dozen bills, filed by a cast of GOP state representatives and senators, come shortly before the launch of Florida’s legislative session Tuesday. Other proposals in the mix include eliminating college majors in gender studies, nixing diversity efforts at universities and job protections for tenured faculty, strengthening parents’ ability to veto K-12 class materials and extending a ban on teaching about gender and sexuality — from third grade up to eighth grade. (Natanson, Rozsa and Svrluga, 3/5)
As he moves toward entering the 2024 presidential race, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made a pilgrimage to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Sunday, where the Republican accused leaders in blue states such as California of being “lockdown politicians” and charged that the nation’s coronavirus crisis created “a great test in governing philosophies.” (Reston, 3/5)
In updated treatment guidelines issued last year, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health said evidence of later regret is scant, but that patients should be told about the possibility during psychological counseling. Dutch research from several years ago found no evidence of regret in transgender adults who had comprehensive psychological evaluations in childhood before undergoing puberty blockers and hormone treatment. (Tanner, 3/5)
Las Vegas area health officials say Legionnaires’ disease was found in two people who stayed at the same hotel in recent months. The Southern Nevada Health District announced Friday it is looking into two cases reported in guests who stayed at The Orleans Hotel & Casino a few miles west of the Strip. One guest visited there in January. The other in December. The hotel is informing current and past guests going back to Dec. 16 of possible exposure. (3/3)
Norovirus appears to be at a 12-month high, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rate of norovirus tests coming back positive, averaged over three weeks, was around 17{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} as of the end of last week. That’s the highest it has been at any time in the last year. (Varinsky and Ede-Osifo, 3/9)
A person in southwest Florida has died after being infected with an extremely rare brain-eating amoeba, health officials said. The Florida Department of Health in Charlotte County confirmed the death Thursday. The agency had previously issued an alert last month, warning residents about the Naegleria fowleri infection. (3/3)
Nearly a quarter million Floridians are being warned to avoid washing their face with tap water after a man died from a brain-eating amoeba in February. The advice, which applies to the nearly 200,000 residents of Charlotte County, comes after a county resident died on February 20. (Vacchiano, 3/3)
Every year, deer ticks bite thousands of people in the Northeast. And as winters in the region become more mild, adult deer ticks are becoming more active at a time when they’re normally dormant — causing a bigger public health risk. “It’s becoming a year-round, check-yourself-for-ticks situation,” said Dr. Toni Lyn Morelli with the Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center. (Savitt, 3/4)
Following an infant death linked to a contaminated breast pump last year, officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are continuing to warn parents about rare infections caused by Cronobacter sakazakii bacteria. In a report published on Friday, the CDC notes that C. sakazakii infections can cause severe illness and death in newborns. (Grantham-Philips, 3/3)
Regular laxative use may be correlated with dementia, according to research published in the journal Neurology in February. The study looked at a cohort of 502,229 British adults participating in UK Biobank, a long-term initiative that gathered extensive genetic and health information from 40- to 69-year-olds in England, Wales and Scotland between 2006 and 2010. The participants had no history of dementia. Researchers compared those who reported no regular laxative use with those who said they used laxatives most days of the week for the past four weeks in surveys. (Blakemore, 3/4)
All skin tests doctors commonly use to check for food allergies can provide false negative results, the Food and Drug Administration has concluded — meaning people with potentially life-threatening allergies could mistakenly be told they are not at risk. The tests will now be required to include a warning urging doctors to consider double-checking the test with more accurate approaches. (Tin, 3/3)
The Consumer Brands Association, which represents 1,700 major food companies from General Mills to Pepsi, wrote a 54-page comment to the FDA in which it stated the proposed rule was overly restrictive and would result in a framework that would automatically disqualify a vast majority of packaged foods. (Reiley, 3/5)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to clinicians and public health officials warning that US travelers could be affected by a growing chikungunya outbreak in Paraguay. Since the chikungunya outbreak began in October 2022, the Ministry of Health in Paraguay has reported 71,748 suspected cases of the mosquito-borne alphavirus, with 29,362 of those cases being probable or confirmed. Most cases have been reported in the capital district of Asuncion and the neighboring Central department. Further increases in case counts are expected. (Dall, 3/3)
This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
Time is running out for totally free-to-shopper covid vaccines, at-home test kits, and even some therapies.
The White Home introduced this month that the national public wellbeing crisis, to start with declared in early 2020 in response to the pandemic, is established to expire May perhaps 11. When it finishes, so will a lot of of the procedures developed to overcome the virus’s unfold.
Take vaccines. Right up until now, the federal federal government has been getting covid-19 photographs. It a short while ago bought 105 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent booster for about $30.48 a dose, and 66 million doses of Moderna’s edition for $26.36 a dose. (These are amid the providers that designed the first covid vaccines marketed in the United States.)
Folks will be in a position to get these vaccines at low or no cost as extensive as the govt-acquired provides last. But even before the conclusion day for the public crisis was set, Congress opted not to provide more money to improve the government’s dwindling stockpile. As a outcome, Pfizer and Moderna had been now preparing their moves into the business industry. Equally have indicated they will raise prices, somewhere in the vary of $110 to $130 per dose, nevertheless insurers and governing administration wellbeing plans could negotiate decreased rates.
“We see a double-digit billion[-dollar] marketplace chance,” traders have been explained to at a JPMorgan meeting in San Francisco not too long ago by Ryan Richardson, main system officer for BioNTech. The firm expects a gross rate — the total price tag just before any discount rates — of $110 a dose, which, Richardson stated, “is a lot more than justified from a health and fitness economics viewpoint.”
That could translate to tens of billions of bucks in income for the companies, even if uptake of the vaccines is sluggish. And consumers would foot the invoice, either specifically or indirectly.
If half of older people — about the same share as people who opt for an annual flu shot — get covid boosters at the new, increased prices, a recent KFF report estimated, insurers, employers, and other payors would shell out $12.4 billion to $14.8 billion. That is up to virtually two times as considerably as what it would have value for every single grownup in the U.S. to get a bivalent booster at the normal selling price compensated by the federal authorities.
As for covid therapies, an August weblog post by the Office of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Reaction mentioned that govt-purchased provides of the drug Paxlovid are envisioned to final by midyear ahead of the non-public sector can take around. The government’s bulk order price tag from producer Pfizer was $530 for a program of procedure, and it isn’t nonetheless known what the companies will demand when government provides run out.
How A lot of That Pinch Will Individuals Come to feel?
One particular matter is specific: How significantly, if any, of the boosted charges are passed on to individuals will rely on their wellbeing coverage.
Medicare beneficiaries, those people enrolled in Medicaid — the point out-federal wellness coverage program for folks with small incomes — and men and women with Very affordable Care Act coverage will continue on to get covid vaccines with no charge sharing, even when the general public health unexpected emergency finishes and the govt-bought vaccines run out. A lot of men and women with occupation-based mostly insurance policies will also likely not experience copayments for vaccines, until they go out of community for their vaccinations. People today with constrained-gain or short-time period insurance plan procedures could have to pay out for all or portion of their vaccinations. And persons who really do not have insurance will have to have to both fork out the whole price tag out-of-pocket or seek out no- or minimal-cost vaccinations from community clinics or other suppliers. If they cannot discover a absolutely free or minimal-cost alternative, some uninsured individuals may possibly be forced to skip vaccinations or tests.
Coming up with what could be $100 or more for vaccination will be primarily hard “if you are uninsured or underinsured which is the place these cost hikes could push further disparities,” said Sean Robbins, government vice president of exterior affairs for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Affiliation. These will increase, he mentioned, will also have an affect on folks with insurance coverage, as the charges “flow via to rates.”
Meanwhile, general public policy industry experts say lots of non-public insurers will continue on to go over Paxlovid, although people may perhaps deal with a copayment, at minimum until finally they meet up with their deductible, just as they do for other remedies. Medicaid will keep on to deal with it devoid of charge to people until at minimum 2024. But Medicare coverage will be restricted until the remedy goes by way of the standard Food and drug administration process, which usually takes lengthier than the unexpected emergency use authorization it has been promoted less than.
Another complication: The rolls of the uninsured are very likely to climb more than the upcoming calendar year, as states are poised to reinstate the method of routinely identifying Medicaid eligibility, which was halted for the duration of the pandemic. Starting in April, states will get started reassessing whether Medicaid enrollees meet cash flow and other qualifying factors.
“This is our No. 1 concern” appropriate now, said John Baackes, CEO of L.A. Treatment, the nation’s most significant publicly operated wellbeing prepare with 2.7 million users.
“They could not notice they’ve shed coverage right until they go to fill a prescription” or request other healthcare care, such as vaccinations, he claimed.
What About Covid Exam Kits?
Regulations stay in area for insurers, which includes Medicare and Cost-effective Treatment Act plans, to cover the price tag of up to 8 in-property take a look at kits a month for every single individual on the system, till the community wellbeing emergency ends.
For people — such as individuals with no insurance policy — a governing administration website is still featuring up to four examination kits for every family, till they operate out. The Biden administration shifted funding to invest in additional kits and produced them obtainable in late December.
Commencing in May possibly, while, beneficiaries in original Medicare and numerous people today with private, task-centered insurance plan will have to start off having to pay out-of-pocket for the quick antigen exam kits. Some Medicare Advantage programs, which are an alternative to authentic Medicare, may well opt to go on covering them without having a copayment. Procedures will change, so test with your insurer. And Medicaid enrollees can carry on to get the take a look at kits devoid of price for a minor about a yr.
State guidelines also can fluctuate, and continued protection without having expense sharing for covid exams, treatment options, and vaccines immediately after the well being emergency finishes may well be offered with some wellness options.
In general, the foreseeable future of covid tests, vaccines, and treatment plans will replicate the complicated blend of coverage shoppers currently navigate for most other kinds of care.
“From a consumer standpoint, vaccines will nevertheless be free, but for solutions and test kits, a large amount of people today will deal with charge sharing,” said Jen Kates, a senior vice president at KFF. “We’re having what was universal obtain and now indicating we’re likely again to how it is in the typical U.S. wellbeing method.”
KHN correspondent Darius Tahir contributed to this report.
