It has been a week that has rushed by and yet Monday feels like very long time ago. You know these kinds of weeks. So, let’s do a quick roundup of what made me pause between the stimulation overload of Vegas.
And So it Begins? The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suffered huge staffing cuts these last few months and the consequences have felt a little wait and see. This week the first missed deadline came and went. Stealth BioTherapeutics was waiting for word on the approval of its rare disease drug but there was no approval and no timeline given for when they might hear something. Hopefully it is a blip and not a trend.
Free Isn’t Free. KFF writes how care that feels preventive comes will a bill.
Thinking Ahead. A survey of American adults on their thoughts about Alzheimer’s and treatment. Long story short – they want to know if they have it early and want to try medications, even if there are side effects. They do worry if insurance will cover it.
Don’t Tell Me More. Back in March, RJK. Jr, head of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said that HHS can cut back on notice and comment periods for regulations. Some members of Congress are pushing back on that decision.
It may sound more efficient to skip notice and comment but that’s when other stakeholders get a chance to share what they see as the potential unintended consequences and possible solutions – stakeholders who have been there, done that and seen what happens.
Win Some, Lose Some. Republican House members are calling on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to focus on saving money. The intent of CMMI, as I see it, was spaghetti at the wall – build in year one, try year two and evaluate in year three. Quickly see what works to save money and maintain quality. Some things work and other things just don’t. Test and move on. Trying to save money is a good goal but it is a test and tests fail. Just like one attempt at gambling this week. Promised my 14 year old I’d put money down on black.
Policy Shifts. A study in JAMA shows that policy shifts likely influenced the movement of Medicare physicians from visiting primary care offices to federally qualified health centers, rural health centers, hospital outpatient departments and large multispecialty practices.
Save for Later. PSG Specialty Drug Report.
