UnitedHealth Group aims to restore services amid investigations; providers advised to administer measles vaccine to infants before international travel; study finds significant increase in medication abortions after Supreme Court decision.
UnitedHealth Group Pays Out Over $2 Billion to Health Providers Affected by Cyberattack
UnitedHealth Group announced it has disbursed over $2 billion to support health care providers impacted by the cyberattack on its subsidiary, Change Healthcare, according to CNBC. The attack, which disrupted vital services including e-prescription software and payment management tools, prompted UnitedHealth to implement temporary funding assistance programs and restore critical infrastructure. As investigations into the cyberattack's extent unfold, UnitedHealth has emphasized its collaboration with law enforcement and cybersecurity experts to assess the breach and safeguard against future threats.
CDC Urges Measles Vaccination for Young Travelers Amid Rising Cases
The CDC issued an alert urging health providers to ensure that children as young as 6 months old receive the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine before traveling internationally, amidst a surge in measles cases both domestically and globally, according to CIDRAP. With 58 cases reported in the US so far this year, equaling the total for all of 2023, most cases were linked to international travel, particularly affecting unvaccinated children. Declining vaccination coverage in US kindergarteners has raised concerns about herd immunity, prompting health officials to emphasize the importance of vaccination to prevent outbreaks.
Medication Abortions Surge in the US Following Roe v Wade Reversal
A notable rise in medication abortions in the US were identified post the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v Wade, according to NBC News. In 2023, there were approximately 642,700 medication abortions, constituting 63% of all abortions in the country, up from 492,210 in 2020. The surge in medication abortions follows legal changes in response to the Dobbs v Jackson ruling, with 14 states implementing complete abortion bans. Despite potential restrictions on medication abortion, the procedure has remained popular due to its privacy and accessibility benefits.
Integrating RECIST and Clinician Approaches Boosts NSCLC Research
May 8th 2024Outcomes among patients with stage IV non–small cell lung cancer as evaluated within clinical trials via Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) and clinician response criteria in observational studies were compared for their concordance and reliability.
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CMS Medicare Final Rule: Advancing Benefits, Competition, and Consumer Protection
May 7th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with Karen Iapoce, senior director of government products and programs at ZeOmega, about the recent CMS final rule on Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage.
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The Joint Commission is launching the Rural Health Clinic Accreditation Program to standardize staff training and patient care practices at rural health clinics nationwide; the American Cancer Society recently launched the largest-ever study of cancer risk and outcomes in Black women; the HHS COVID-19 vaccination campaign saved $732 billion by preventing illness and related costs.
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Examining Low-Value Cancer Care Trends Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
April 25th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the April 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on the rates of low-value cancer care services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
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AA Unlikely to Cause Anxiety, Depression but May Be Affected by Mental Illness
May 7th 2024A Mendelian randomization study using genetic analysis found that alopecia areata (AA) increases the risk of anxiety and depression, but not the other way around, providing unique evidence for a causal link while adding to existing evidence.
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