April 15, 2021 | CDC to take on racism
INDUSTRY NEWS
Employee health a growing burden for small business
A year into the pandemic, a third of small businesses are struggling with the costs of employee health care, according to a new poll sponsored by the Small Business Majority and Families USA. The struggle is particularly challenging Black, Asian-American and Latino business owners. Small businesses want policymakers to expand coverage access and lower medical costs, Healthcare Dive reports. And they want more than the temporary fixes included in the most recent stimulus plan. (Healthcare Dive)
About a quarter of us are now vaccinated, but pace may slow
The U.S. reached a milestone in its vaccination efforts on Wednesday, with new data showing that close to 25% of adults in the country have been fully vaccinated. The data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also show that 40% of adults and 75% of seniors have received at least one dose. However, the pace may be slowing. As COVID vaccination eligibility expands, some states are experiencing low uptake. (KHN; NBC News)
INNOVATION & TRANSFORMATION
At least a third of Americans lack access to oral health care, according to the Primary Care Collaborative, which argues that the integration of oral health and primary care is key to achieving health justice. It recently held a briefing and issued a new report on the topic: Innovations in Oral Health and Primary Care Integration. “For all primary care clinicians who seek to eliminate suffering and promote equity, oral health has to be key to our efforts — we have so many years of separation to undo,” report author Lisa Simon, MD, DMD, told Healio Primary Care. (Helio Primary Care; PCC report and video)
The Affordable Care Act has slowed increases in out-of-pocket costs for those with health insurance coverage under the law by about 80%, according to analysis published in JAMA Network Open. Since the ACA was enacted in 2010, average out-of-pocket expenses have risen by an average of 0.2% per year, but during the nine years before the law's passage, those fees increased by an average of 1% per year. A large part of this is fueled by drug costs—specifically, a 24% drop in out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs under the health insurance law. (JAMA Network Open; UPI)
CONSUMERS & PROVIDERS
Most frontline workers cite mental health challenges
The pandemic has had a major impact on the mental health of frontline health care workers, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation/Washington Post Frontline Health Care Workers Survey. Most (62%) say COVID-related worry or stress has a negative impact on their mental health. In addition, more than half (56%) of all frontline health care workers say that worry or stress related to COVID-19 has caused them to experience trouble with sleeping or sleeping too much (47%), frequent headaches or stomachaches (31%) or increased alcohol or drug use (16%). (Kaiser Family Foundation)
Turning to Google helps with self-diagnosis
Provider concerns about "Dr. Google" may be misplaced, according to research published in JAMA Network Open. In fact, it appears to improve a patient’s diagnostic abilities: “Results of this survey study challenge the common belief among clinicians and policy makers that using the internet to search for health information is harmful. We found that performing an internet search was associated with improved diagnosis.” As co-author David Levine, MD, MPH, put it, "Our work suggests that it is likely OK to tell our patients to 'Google it.'" (JAMA Network Open)
NEW & NOTED
CDC to take on racism: Racism is a serious threat to public health, the CDC announced last week. The declaration is part of a new initiative, Racism and Health. The CDC is far from the first organizations to make such a proclamation. The AMA, for example, did so in November. (The Hill)
Going local: The Biden administration’s new COVID vaccine strategy will emphasize working with community groups—especially those working with underserved, including rural, populations. The localized campaign’s focus will be built around the slogan “We Can Do This,” and will rely on messengers from these organizations to push the importance of the vaccine. (Wall Street Journal)
Antibiotic stewardship falls short: Hospitals aren’t meeting national targets to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing despite efforts in recent years to bolster stewardship. The CDC found that 56% of antibiotic prescriptions were inappropriate in terms of the type of drug used, the duration for which they were prescribed or the conditions for which they were given. Inappropriate antibiotic use is the largest contributor to the spread of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens. Overall, 30% of all antibiotic prescriptions are given to treat for infections that don't need antibiotics. (Modern Healthcare*)
MULTI-MEDIA
BPC forum on integrating mental, physical health
To mark the release of "Tackling America's Mental Health and Addiction Crisis Through Primary Care Integration," The Bipartisan Policy Center hosted a forum on the topic. (BPC report and video of forum)
On April 6, The Bipartisan Policy Center and the Get the Medications Right Institute (GTMRx) convened a panel discussion to identify ways to build vaccine confidence and overcome vaccine hesitancy in local communities. During the session, GTMRx announced the formation of a new National Taskforce: Building Vaccine Confidence in the Medical Neighborhood. In order to offer a “level-setting” tool for the Task Force as they begin crafting recommendations to overcome barriers and build vaccine confidence in local communities, GTMRx has commissioned a report: Background and Resources to Build Vaccine Confidence in the Medical Neighborhood. You can watch a recording of the event here.
MARKETVOICES...QUOTES WORTH READING
“What we know is this: racism is a serious public health threat that directly affects the well-being of millions of Americans. As a result, it affects the health of our entire nation. Racism is not just the discrimination against one group based on the color of their skin or their race or ethnicity, but the structural barriers that impact racial and ethnic groups differently to influence where a person lives, where they work, where their children play, and where they worship and gather in community. These social determinants of health have life-long negative effects on the mental and physical health of individuals in communities of color.” —CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, in a prepared statement