Optum adds 20,000 physicians in 2023; Biden administration to send free COVID tests to schools; California pharmacies suspend flavors- Morning Medical Update

Optum adds 20,000 physicians in 2023

Optum added 20,000 physicians in 2023, bringing their total up to 90,000. The United Health Group subsidiary is currently the largest employer of physicians in the United States. It currently serves more than 4 million patients.

Biden administration to send free COVID tests to schools

For the first time, schools will be able to order free COVID tests. The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) will team up with the Department of Education to order and distribute the tests. Experts say timely testing is more important now than ever given the slow uptake of the latest vaccine.

California pharmacies suspend flavors

Over 3,000 California pharmacies have stopped flavoring kids’ medicines as they await new rules from a state regulator who deemed flavor mixing as drug compounding. Multiple bills that would allow flavoring to continue have been vetoed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Many parents are worried about the effect this will have on their children.