Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Beyond Insulin: Medi-Cal Expands Patient Access to Diabetes Supplies
California’s Medicaid program is making it easier for people with diabetes to obtain the supplies and equipment they need to manage their blood sugar, partly by relaxing preauthorization requirements that can cause life-threatening delays.
Compensation Is Key to Fixing Primary Care Shortage
Many proposals have been floated about how to address the nation’s primary care problem. They range from training slots to medical school debt forgiveness but often sidestep comprehensive payment reform.
Biden Administration’s Limit on Drug Industry Middlemen Backfires, Pharmacists Say
A rule taking effect Jan. 1 was intended to stop one set of abuses by pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, but some pharmacists say it’s enabling these price brokers to simply do new things unfairly.
The Unusual Way a Catholic Health System Is Wielding an Abortion Protest Law
Dignity Health is suing several patients and their advocates for “commercial blockade” for refusing discharge during the covid-19 pandemic. The lawsuits could set precedents for use of the California commercial blockade statute, conceived to constrain abortion protesters, and how hospitals handle discharges.
Facing Financial Ruin as Costs Soar for Elder Care
The United States has no coherent system of long-term care, leading many to struggle to stay independent or rely on a patchwork of solutions.
What Long-Term Care Looks Like Around the World
Most countries spend more than the United States on care, but middle-class and affluent people still bear a substantial portion of the costs.
Do Republican Spending Cuts Threaten Federal HIV Funding? For Some Programs, Yes.
Spending cuts proposed by a Republican-led House subcommittee would cut millions from HIV-related spending.
Why It’s So Tough to Reduce Unnecessary Medical Care
Treatments that don’t help patients, and may even harm them, are difficult to eliminate because they can be big sources of revenue.
Who Will Care for Older Adults? We’ve Plenty of Know-How but Too Few Specialists
The principles and practices of geriatrics are being widely disseminated. And we understand much more now about how to improve older adults’ care. Yet we don’t have enough geriatricians to meet the growing demand.
A New RSV Shot Could Help Protect Babies This Winter — If They Can Get It in Time
Supply problems, a high price tag, and bureaucratic obstacles are slowing the distribution of a therapy that can protect infants from the respiratory syncytial virus. That will leave them unnecessarily at risk of hospitalization this winter, pediatricians fear.