New program seeks to revitalize struggling rural health care facilities; NIH director advocates for actions to address unaffordable medications; WHO reveals significant drop global tobacco use
A New Federal Program Aims to Stem Rural Hospital Closures
The Rural Emergency Hospital initiative, launched in January 2023, aims to combat the persistent closures of rural hospitals across the US, according to Kaiser Health News. The program aims to offer increased Medicare payments and financial incentives for hospitals that transition to providing emergency and outpatient services while discontinuing inpatient care. However, only 18 out of over 1700 eligible rural hospitals have applied for this designation, highlighting challenges such as reluctance to forego inpatient services entirely and confusion about the definition of "rural."
NIH Director Urges Biden Administration to Tackle Rising Drug Prices
Monica Bertagnolli, director of the NIH, has called on the Biden administration to take decisive steps in addressing the escalating problem of rising drug prices, according to Stat. With pharmaceutical costs reaching unprecedented levels, Bertagnolli emphasized the urgent need for bold and effective measures to make medications more affordable for the American public. As debates on drug pricing reforms continue, the pressure is mounting on policymakers to implement substantial changes that will alleviate the financial burden on patients and enhance access to essential medications.
Global Tobacco Use Declines Despite Industry Lobbying
The WHO reported a notable decline in global tobacco use, defying persistent lobbying efforts by the tobacco industry to maintain smoking rates, according to Reuters. Despite aggressive marketing and influence campaigns, especially in some regions, the overall reduction in tobacco consumption signals progress in global anti-smoking initiatives. Additionally, the WHO underscored the importance of continued efforts to counter industry tactics and emphasized the need for comprehensive tobacco control policies to further diminish smoking prevalence and promote public health worldwide.
Study Highlights Significant Increases in Utilization, Spending on DMD Drugs in Medicaid
May 17th 2024The findings add to recent research on the growing utilization, expenditure, and prices of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) therapies in the current landscape, an area health care policy could potentially address.
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Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity: Urban Health Outreach
May 9th 2024In the series debut episode of "Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity," Mary Sligh, CRNP, and Chelsea Chappars, of Allegheny Health Network, explain how the Urban Health Outreach program aims to improve health equity for individuals experiencing homelessness.
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Perioperative Nivolumab Boosts NSCLC Survival: CheckMate 77T Trial
May 16th 2024This interim analysis of the CheckMate 77T trial, outcomes were compared between adult patients receiving neoadjuvant nivolumab plus chemotherapy or neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus placebo for resectable non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
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