Medicaid and health equity: a message to primary care

The top news stories in medicine today: A federal order requires every international air passenger bound for the U.S. to attest they haven't recently been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; an Illinois man pleads guilty in a $227 million Medicare COVID-19 test kit scheme; aspirin alone holds up after left atrial appendage closure in a JAMA trial.

Control of Congress, 30 governorships in Medicaid work-requirement states and eight statewide health care measures were on Tuesday's ballot. Here is what each one would change for physicians and their patients.

Only 22 of the articles in a Georgetown scoping review defined health equity, a gap the lead author said could steer resources toward the most advantaged groups.

Primary Care Collaborative leads first major study of uptake of new Advanced Primary Care Management codes.

About 1 in 3 U.S. adults avoid or delay blood tests, leaving physicians without results that inform most clinical decisions. Here's how easier scheduling, less-invasive collection options and clearer results communication can help patients complete ordered testing.

The top news stories in medicine today: At least 125 health professionals are on today's ballots as California votes on a clinic spending rule; a California doctor gets 15 years for $45 million in Medicare Botox billing; Medicare's prior authorization pilot curbs targeted services.

After private equity firms bought for-profit hospices, Medicare paid $993 more per hospice encounter and stays ran 6.3 days longer, with no increase in visits.

New patients in big metros wait about a month to see a physician, and shortage areas, coverage losses and a proposed Medicare pay cut are adding pressure ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms.