DCMedical News: Friday, June 26, 2020
DCMedical News-DCMN
Washington, D.C.
Friday, June 26, 2020
DCMedical News is published every day both the House and the Senate are in session and on pre-pandemic Regularly Scheduled Session days (see CQ calendar, below). DCMN will resume publication with the Congressional schedule July 21.
THE BIG STORY IN HEALTH CARE
Tracking by Johns Hopkins shows on 6-25 at 8:00 p.m. EST worldwide 9,506,788 confirmed COVID-19 cases; 484,406 deaths worldwide; 122,481 U.S. deaths (25%). Statista shows graph of new cases, E.U. vs. U.S., diverge beginning mid-April, here. Kaiser Family Foundation reports (here) on state “hot spots.” RAND testified Wednesday (here) on the “Strategic National Stockpile and COVID-19” before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
CDC Reports Virus at 10x Previous Estimates of Prevalence
CQ reports (here) that “The number of cases of the virus that causes COVID-19 may be 10 times higher than what has been reported, according to a top federal health official. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield said Thursday that nationwide serological testing, or testing for antibodies, shows that the rate of infection, including from asymptomatic cases, is much higher than the confirmed number of diagnosed illnesses. ‘Our best estimate right now is that for every case that was reported, there actually are 10 other infections,’ Redfield said on a call with reporters.”
HOSPITALS, NURSING HOMES AND OTHER HEALTH CARE FACILITIES
Aid Delayed, 41% Held Up Says Senate Committee
Becker’s reports that “HHS has yet to distribute $72 billion, or 41 percent, of the approved [$175 billion] funds, according to a report (entitled “The Damage From Delays,” here), released June 23 by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee. GAO is not happy, either, weighing in with a 403-page report (here), “COVID-19, Opportunities to Improve Federal Response and Recovery Efforts.”
Texas Delays Elective Procedures in Hospitals
“Governor Greg Abbott today issued an Executive Order to ensure hospital bed availability for COVID-19 patients as Texas faces an increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. The Governor’s order suspends elective surgeries at hospitals in Bexar, Dallas, Harris, and Travis counties. Under this order, the Governor directs all hospitals in these counties to postpone all surgeries and procedures that are not immediately, medically necessary to correct a serious medical condition or to preserve the life of a patient.” (News release here, Governor’s Order here.)
KaufmanHall Reports on Hospital Operating Margins, Cites Patient Fear
The firm’s May “Flash Report” (here) based on April data notes that “April’s steep losses came despite aggressive cost-cutting efforts at individual hospitals . . . Yet, even as many states look to restart non-urgent procedures, there is widespread uncertainty as to when patients will return. Research indicates . . . patient behavior was a significant driver of volume. According to May 2020 Kaufman Hall consumer research, 60% of adults were concerned about the coronavirus directly affecting their health or the health of a family member or other loved one, and nearly 40% said they would be uncomfortable seeking care at a hospital as restrictions ease.”
MEDICARE, MEDICAID AND COMMERCIAL HEALTH INSURANCE
CBO Estimates Modest Impact on Revenues and Deficit from PPACA Expansion
The Congressional Budget Office has projected (here) a modest impact on both federal revenues and the federal deficit from HR 1425 (here), expanding and modifying the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, to be debated in the House Monday.
Proposed FY 2021 IPPS Rule
The FY 2021 proposed payment rule known as the Inpatient Prospective Payment System has its own “home page,” here. The HFM summary is here (147 pages). The comment period on the proposed rule ends July 10.
DRUGS & DEVICES
Hospitals/device makers under pressure on dim outlook for elective surgeries
Seeking Alpha reports (here) that “Certain hospital operators and medical device makers are in the red as investors head for the exits on diminished expectations for a rebound in elective surgeries due to nagging COVID-19 infection rates. Elective procedures are big revenue and profit drivers for hospital chains. Less procedures mean lower product sales for manufacturers. Elective procedures dropped off significantly in Q1 because hospitals cut back [in] anticipation of needing additional resources for COVID. The expected rebound has been pushed out due to the persistence of new infections. Patients are also reluctant to return to operating rooms out of fear of contracting the virus.”
READINGS & REFERENCES
“The Economic Effect of COVID-19 on U.S. Hospitals and Health Systems” A webinar panel presentation of the Columbia Business School Alumni Club, Health Committee, Monday June 29th at 2:00 p.m., registration here. Panelists from NYC H+H, Lehigh Valley, Nuvance, Avalere, moderator Assoc. Prof. Carri Chan.
More from RAND: “Health Care Resource Allocation Decision-making During a Pandemic,” here. Builds on RAND’s “Core Guidance Checklist” project.
Coronavirus Public Health Resources and References (alphabetical):
Association of American Medical Colleges Clinical Guidance Repository, here.
AMA resource page for physicians here. AMA guide to medical education and COVID-19, here.
American Public Health Association information here.
CDC information page for professionals here, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports on Coronavirus, here.
CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) Current Emergencies website, here.
Council of State Governments, here.
JAMA Network’s COVID-19 resource center here.
Library of Congress Coronavirus Research Guide, (here) from the In Custodia Legis blog of the Library of Congress (LoC), with links to Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports.
NIH information page here.
National Library of Medicine Coronavirus page here,
New England Journal of Medicine update here, New England Journal of Medicine Journal Watch here.
The Lancet COVID-19 Resource Centre here and real-time dashboard to monitor clinical trials, here.
The New York Times Coronavirus coverage, here.
Reproduction rate (rt), website https://rt.live/ tracks the highest and lowest COVID-19 reproduction.
State actions, Kaiser Family Foundation, here.
UC Hastings College of Law’s “The Source” (on health care prices and competition) COVID-19 page, here.
The White House open research dataset (CORD-19) here.
World Health Organization COVID-19 page here.
U.S. House of Representatives:
Members at https://www.house.gov/representatives
Committees and Members at https://www.house.gov/committees
U. S. Senate:
Committees and Members at https://www.senate.gov/committees
CQ 2020 Calendar of Regularly Scheduled Sessions, here.
PUBLICATION SCHEDULE FOR DCMEDICAL NEWS
July 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
August, none
September 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 25, 30
October 1, 2
Notes to: Fred Hyde, MD, JD, MBA; fredhyde@aol.com.