The FEHBlog is back inside the Capitol Beltway following a weekend trip. Congress remains in session on Capitol Hill this coming week. Fierce Healthcare reports that “Leaders of the Senate Finance Committee demanded Cigna and Optum produce critical documents over the pricing of insulin, with a subpoena threat looming.”

Here are links for the Centers for Disease Controls’ U.S. situation summaries for influenza and the COVID-19 viruses. Yesterday, Leap Day, the CDC reported regrettably about

three hospitalized patients [in the State of Washington] who have tested presumptive-positive for the virus that causes COVID-19, including one patient who died.

Two of the patients are from a long-term care facility (LTCF) where one is a health care worker. Additional residents and staff of the LTCF who have not yet been tested for COVID-19 are reportedly either ill with respiratory symptoms or hospitalized with pneumonia of unknown cause.

The patient who died, a male in his 50s, was being treated at the same hospital. He was not a resident of the LTCF.

This is the first reported death in the United States from COVID-19, as well as the first reported case in a health care worker and the first possible outbreak in a LTCF. These reports from Washington follow others of community spread in Oregon and two places in California earlier this week. While there is still much to learn about the unfolding situations in California, Oregon and Washington, preliminary information raises the level of concern about the immediate threat for COVID-19 for certain communities in the United States. Most people in the United States will have little immediate risk of exposure to this virus, but some people will be at increased risk depending on their exposures. The greatest risk is to those who have been in close contact with people with COVID-19. People with suspected or confirmed exposure should reach out to their state or local public health department.

ABC News adds today that

Two new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Washington state, according to health officials.

The cases include a male in his 60s, who has underlying health conditions but is stable, and another man in 60s with underlying health conditions but is in critical condition.

Both cases are in King County, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the county to six. One of those cases is a U.S. postal worker, county’s health administration stated.

It appears that this unfortunate Postal worker is the first FEHB member afflicted by the disease. Good luck to all of the COVID-19 and influenza patients. We are lucky to live in a country with excellent healthcare.