SPOTLIGHT -
Keith A. Reynolds is the editor of Physicians Practice.
Healthcare jobs still down from end of 2020
Small employment increases in March and February couldn’t replenish the more than 80,000 jobs lost in January.
Pfizer chief says COVID-19 booster likely needed
The CEO of the drug company says that a booster followed by annual vaccinations will likely be needed to defeat the pandemic.
Medicare sequestration pushed to end of 2021
President Biden signed legislation extending the moratorium on a 2 percent Medicare cut.
Drug advisory committee needs more time on Johnson and Johnson vaccine decision
ACIP delayed a vote on lifting a federal pause on the single-dose COVID-19 vaccine.
Physician advocacy group pushes CMMI to change course on direct contracting model
The physician group organization wants CMS to reverse course and reopen applications for the Global and Professional Direct Contracting Model for 2022.
Microsoft to acquire Nuance
The technology juggernaut is acquiring the company as part of its push into artificial intelligence and cloud services for the healthcare industry.
FDA, CDC call for pause on Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine
U.S. regulators is taking a pause on administering the vaccine while experts study a small number of blood clots.
New CMMI director to headline NAACOS conference
Elizabeth Fowler, JD, PhD, will be opening the conference April 20.
Physician organizations call for prior authorization changes
A letter to the acting administrator of CMS says there’s concern they can delay patient access to care.
Information blocking rules take effect
The interoperability rule is currently limited in what information cannot be blocked.
CDC: COVID-19 surface transmission rare
The risk of contracting COVID-19 from surfaces is far less than believed early in the pandemic.
COVID-19 drove increase in size of healthcare mergers
While the number of healthcare mergers fell, the average transaction size skyrocketed.
Fewer patients complete clinical trials during pandemic
Clinical research has been limited during the pandemic due to COVID-19 precautions.
COVID-19 brought little relief from prior authorizations
Insurers continued to impose bureaucratic barriers as new COVID-19 cases peaked in late 2020.
Majority in healthcare say pandemic has hurt their mental health
New poll from Kaiser Family Foundation and The Washington Post details the effects of the pandemic on healthcare workers.
Verizon moving into telehealth
The new venture will seek to connect physicians to their patients simply and securely.
CDC: Fully vaccinated people can travel
Travel restrictions have been loosened for those who’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19.
FDA amends Moderna COVID-19 vaccine EUA
The move clarifies the number of doses that can be administered from each vial and approves larger vials.
Coronavirus case numbers in the United States: April 5, 2021 update
Data from the Coronavirus Resource Center at Johns Hopkins University and the Centers for Disease Control.
Pandemic financial troubles persist for practices
A survey found eight in 10 practices are still seeing revenue more than 10 percent below pre-pandemic levels.
CDC: COVID-19 third leading cause of death in 2020
COVID-19 comes in behind heart disease and cancer as the provisional top causes of death in the U.S. in 2020.
Healthcare access a struggle for small businesses during pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has only increased barriers to healthcare access for small businesses and private practices.
Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine shows promise in adolescents
An analysis by the drug maker shows the vaccine may be more effective in adolescent patients than in adults.
HHS to make COVID-19 vaccines more available to older adults, disabled people
Agencies will provide about $100 million in grants to aging and disability networks across the country.
Electronic prior authorizations help patient, physicians
Electronic prior authorizations can cut down on administrative delays to care, America’s Health Insurance Plans says.
Congress extends Paycheck Protection Program
The program, which helps small businesses financially, will continue another two months.
Senate passes bill to avoid Medicare 2 percent payment cut
ACP decries gun violence, hate crimes
The physician’s organization is calling for policies to prevent gun violence and hate crimes.
AstraZeneca releases updated COVID-19 vaccine data
The updated data was released after U.S. regulators questioned a release earlier this week.
What patients want post-pandemic
Healthcare consumers want many of the contactless practices implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic to continue.