FEHBlog

Friday report

David Ermer–ACA, CDC, Congress, COVID-19, FDA, Federal employment benefits, Medical / Rx research, Obesity, Telehealth–
Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

From Washington, DC,

  • Govexec tells us,
    • “On Thursday night, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee published its portion of the budget reconciliation bill, which aims to cut federal spending to partially pay for tax cuts for the wealthy and increased immigration enforcement.
    • “Gone from the bill are House-passed provisions that would require all federal workers to contribute 4.4% of their basic pay toward the Federal Employees Retirement System, reduce their FERS benefit calculation from the average highest three years of salary to the highest five years, and eliminate the FERS supplement for employees who retire before Social Security kicks in at age 62.
    • “But in their place is a more draconian iteration of the controversial plan to force future federal workers to choose between a more expensive defined benefit annuity and at-will employment, meaning they can be fired “for good cause, bad cause, or no cause at all.” Under the Senate plan, all new federal hires would pay more than double toward FERS compared to feds hired after 2014—9.4% of their basic pay—and those who elect to accrue civil service protections would pay an additional 5 percentage points on top of that, or 14.4% of basic pay.”
  • Federal News Network adds,
    • “The Trump administration would proceed with plans to downsize the federal workforce and reorganize agencies with minimal interference from Congress, under a Senate committee’s proposal.
    • “The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, in its contribution to the budget reconciliation package, would allow the Trump administration to proceed with sweeping changes to the federal workforce — including those currently stalled by federal judges — without approval from Congress.
    • “The committee’s section of the “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” which passed the House last month, also sets aside $100 million for the Office of Management and Budget to oversee and implement the Trump administration’s reorganization plans over the next decade.”
  • Fierce Pharma lets us know,
    • “Independent Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine have introduced a bill that would ban pharmaceutical companies from advertising directly to consumers.
    • “The End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act would prevent drugmakers from promoting prescription drugs through television, radio, print, digital platforms and social media.” * * *
    • “The proposal is likely to receive support from the Trump administration.” 
  • KFF released a report about “ACIP, CDC, and Insurance Coverage of Vaccines in the United States.”
  • The Sequoia Blog notes,
    • Recent guidance from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the United State Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) will impact coverage for women that must be provided by group health plans at no-cost, explained further [in the blog post].
  • Radiology Business adds,
    • “Radiology Partners was the No. 1 initiator of No Surprises Act payment disputes in the second half of 2024 with 136,784, according to new data released Wednesday. 
    • “The El Segundo, California-based industry giant accounted for about 15% of all disputes in Q4 of 2024 and 18% in Q3. HaloMD, a San Antonio, Texas, firm specializing in NSA dispute resolutions, was No. 2, initiating 134,318, followed by Knoxville, Tennessee, multispecialty group TeamHealth with 94,598. 
    • “In a summary document, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services highlighted the “high volume of disputes” handled between July 1 and Dec. 31, 2024. Provider groups such as Rad Partners initiated a total of 853,374 disputes through the federal independent dispute resolution (IDR) portal, up 40% from the first half of 2024. Across all of last year, a small number of organizations were responsible for the majority of disputes, CMS noted.
    • “Many of the top initiating parties are (or are represented by) large practice management companies, medical practices or revenue cycle management companies representing hundreds of individual practices, providers or facilities,” the agency said May 28. “The top three initiating parties (Radiology Partners, HaloMD, and TeamHealth) represent thousands of clinicians across multiple states and accounted for approximately 43% of all disputes initiated in the last six months of 2024.”
  • STAT News points out,
    • “The links between ultra-processed food and higher risk of diabetes will be the focus of the first wave of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s national “Take Back Your Health” campaign, according to a notice posted on a government site for contractors.
    • “The notice invites public relations agencies to pitch strategies for the launch of the ad campaign, “a wake-up call to Americans that eating processed foods dramatically increases the risk of diabetes and chronic disease.”

From the Food and Drug Administration front,

  • Per Fierce Pharma,
    • “The FDA has approved Moderna’s mRESVIA for the prevention of lower respiratory tract disease caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in adults ages 18 to 59 who are at an increased risk for severe disease.
    • “Back in May, mRESVIA scored an FDA approval in adults 60 and older, becoming Moderna’s second commercial product behind the company’s first-generation COVID-19 shot, Spikevax.”
  • and
    • “Despite a recent rebuff from an FDA advisory committee, the first treatment for a specific and underserved cohort of U.S. bladder cancer patients has crossed the FDA finish line as UroGen Pharma’s Zusduri.
    • “The New Jersey-based pharma paired chemotherapy mitomycin with a sterile hydrogel using its sustained-release RTGel technology to create a localized therapy for potent tumor ablation of recurrent low-grade intermediate-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (LG-IR-NMIBC). It’s a drug delivery combo familiar to UroGen from its 2020 approved Jelmyto, another hydrogel and mitomycin pairing formulated as a liquid solution made for delivery in the kidney’s pyelocalyceal system that is indicated for low-grade upper tract urothelial cancer.”
    • “In its phase 3 ENVISION trial, UroGen found that Zusduri could deliver a 78% complete response for patients with LG-IR-NMIBC at three months, with 79% of those patients still event-free 12 months later.”

From the judicial front,

  • The Wall Street Journal reports,
    • “Anne Wojcicki, the co-founder and former CEO of 23andMe, is poised to regain control of the DNA-testing company after a nonprofit she controls topped a prior bid.
    • “23andMe said Friday that a nonprofit backed by Wojcicki was the new buyer for the company’s assets, offering $305 million.
    • “Last month, 23andMe said Regeneron, a biotech based in Tarrytown, N.Y., had won the bidding during a bankruptcy auction to buy the company for $256 million. 
    • “The bidding reopened early this month, after Wojcicki, through her nonprofit, TTAM Research Institute, made the unsolicited offer. TTAM is an acronym that aligns with the first letters of 23andMe.
    • “Regeneron declined to make a bid that topped TTAM’s offer, which is being financed by Wojcicki and her affiliated entities, according to a court filing. The TTAM bid still needs to be approved by the court.”

From the public health and medical research front,

  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced today,
    • Reported on Friday, June 13, 2025
    • Seasonal influenza activity is low. COVID-19 and RSV activity is very low.
    • COVID-19
      • COVID-19 wastewater activity, emergency department visits, and laboratory percent positivity are at very low levels.
    • Influenza
    • RSV
      • RSV activity is very low.
  • The University of Minnesota’s CIDRAP adds,
    • Dozens of medical and public health organizations have signed a letter urging insurers to continue covering COVID-19 vaccination in pregnant patients.
    • The letter from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is in response to the recent move by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to no longer recommend COVID-19 shots for healthy pregnant women.
  • and
    • “In its latest update on variant proportion estimates, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the level of NB.1.8.1 viruses, recently added as a variant under monitoring (VUM) by the World Health Organization (WHO), has grown from 15% to 37% since late May, bringing it nearly even with LP.8.1, which has been dominant over the last few months.” * * *
    • “The CDC also reported a rise in XFG variant proportions, which rose from 6% to 8% over the same period. Both viruses are descendants of the JN.1 Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant.”
  • and
    • “The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today in its weekly measles update reported 29 more cases, bringing the national total to 1,197 cases and coming within 77 cases of matching the total from 2019, which was the most since the disease was eliminated from the country in 2000.
    • “So far, 35 states have reported cases, one more than a week ago, which likely reflects Arizona’s first cases of the year.
    • “Four more outbreaks were reported, bringing the national total to 21. For comparison, the CDC recorded 16 outbreaks for all of 2024. Of measles cases reported this year, 90% have been part of outbreaks. Last year, 69% of the illnesses were related to outbreaks.
    • “School-aged children are the most affected group (37%), followed closely by adults ages 20 and older (33%), and children younger than 5 years old (29%).”
  • The AHA New relates,
    • “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has added new resources for health care providers to its Be Ready for Measles Toolkit. They include a decision tree to help providers determine when to give measles, mumps and rubella vaccinations to adults; checklists for summer camps; and immunity records templates.” 
  • CBS News reports,
    • “The average age of moms giving birth in the U.S. continues to rise, hitting nearly 30 years old in 2023, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
    • “In the report, published Friday by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, researchers found the average age of all mothers giving birth in the United States increased from 28.7 years old in 2016 to 29.6 in 2023. For new first-time moms, average age also increased, from 26.6 in 2016 to 27.5 in 2023. The data was taken from the National Vital Statistics System, which includes all birth records in the country.” 
  • The New York Times reports, “In Some Ozempic Households, the Weight Loss Is Contagious. Patients taking the drugs are finding their families are benefiting, too.”
  • Managed Healthcare Executive adds,
    • “Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) — a class of drugs typically prescribed for type 2 diabetes and weight loss — may significantly reduce the risk of developing several common age-related eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and glaucoma, according to a study published online earlier this year in Ophthalmology.
    • “The study, based on an analysis of electronic health records (EHRs) from older patients in the United States, revealed that GLP-1RAs were associated with lower rates of age-related macular degeneration, as well as primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), when compared with other common medications such as metformin, insulin, statins and aspirin.”
  • Per MedPage Today,
    • Starting fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) at ages 40 to 49 was associated with reduced colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality compared with starting screening at age 50, a Taiwanese cohort study suggested.
    • Among over 263,000 participants, the incidence of CRC was 26.1 per 100,000 person-years for those who participated in early screening (at ages 40 to 49) versus 42.6 per 100,000 person-years for those who participated in regular screening (at age 50 and older), reported Tony Hsiu-Hsi Chen, PhD, of National Taiwan University in Taipei, and colleagues.
    • The mortality rate was 3.2 per 100,000 person-years for the early screening group compared with 7.4 per 100,000 person-years for the regular screening group, they noted in JAMA Oncology.
  • Per Health Day,
    • “A good number of people don’t know that high blood pressure is a silent killer, increasing a person’s heart risk with no obvious symptoms, a new poll has found.
    • “More than a third of Americans (37%) erroneously think high blood pressure always has noticeable symptoms like dizziness or shortness of breath, according to a survey by the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center.
    • “In truth, high blood pressure usually has no signs or symptoms to indicate its presence, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
    • “Likewise, nearly 4 in 10 people (39%) mistakenly believe that “feeling calm and relaxed” is an indication that blood pressure is normal, the poll shows.
    • “And very few people — only 13% — know the correct reading that reflects high blood pressure, 130/80, poll results show.
    • “Because controlling blood pressure reduces one’s risk of serious health problems, including heart attacks and strokes, correcting misperceptions about ways to identify it should be a public health priority,” Patrick Jamieson, director of the policy center’s Annenberg Health and Risk Communication Institute, said in a news release.”

From the healthcare business front,

  • The Wall Street Journal reports,
    • “AstraZeneca said it entered into a strategic research collaboration with China’s CSPC Pharmaceuticals, focused on artificial intelligence-driven research, valued at up to $5.33 billion.
    • “The partnership aims to advance the discovery and development of novel oral candidates, with the potential to treat diseases across multiple indications, the British pharmaceutical giant said Friday.
    • “Under the terms of the deal, CSPC will receive an upfront payment of $110 million. It is also eligible to receive up to $1.62 billion in potential development milestone payments and up to $3.6 billion in sales milestone payments, as well as potential single digit royalties based on annual net sales of the products.
    • “The British group will have rights to exercise options for exclusive licenses to develop and commercialize worldwide candidates identified under the agreement.
    • “The research will be carried out by CSPC and will utilize its AI-driven technology.
    • “The collaboration boosts AstraZeneca’s presence in China following the $2.5 billion investment in the country announced earlier this year, while it also strengthens its collaboration with the Chinese group.”
  • Modern Healthcare reports,
    • “Amazon is restructuring its healthcare division and another high-profile executive is departing the company.
    • “As part of the restructuring, Amazon’s Vice President of Health Partnerships and Marketing Aaron Martin is planning to leave the company later this summer after assisting with the transition, according to a person familiar with the situation.
    • “The moves were made to simplify the company’s structure, reduce layers and elevate tenured leaders across six teams, said Neil Lindsay, senior vice president at Amazon Health Services, in a statement on Friday. 
    • “Two of Amazon’s healthcare teams will focus on Amazon’s One Medical virtual and in-person care product, with one focused on clinical care delivery while the other is centered on operations and performance. The four other teams will focus on pharmacy, growth and network development, compliance as well as a segment focused on marketing and technology.”
  • Medscape tells us,
    • “Hospitals are struggling with long emergency room (ER) wait times, capacity issues, and staffing shortages. A growing number of patients with cellulitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, pneumonia, and other chronic conditions are being asked to skip hospital stays and return home.
    • “Hospital at Home models may be the answer. The explosion of Hospital at Home programs now makes it possible to provide acute level care at home. Today, 378 hospitals in 140 health systems and 39 states have been approved to provide healthcare at home. And a recent report found that 71% of health systems planned to launch Hospital at Home models.
    • “Digital care is the way of the future,” said Melissa Meier, MSN, RN, manager of Digital Care for OSF OnCall, the Digital Health Division for OSF HealthCare in Peoria, Illinois. “We’re always looking at ways to help reach more patients [and] always being on the cutting edge to reach our patients wherever they are is super important…[Hospital at Home] is certainly an answer for that.”
  • Per Beckers Hospital Review,
    • Becker’s has compiled a list of the hospitals with a CMS five-star rating for care transitions.
    • CMS’ “Patient survey (HCAHPS)-Hospital” database listed hospital ratings based on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey. This is a national, standardized survey of hospital patients about their experience during a recent inpatient hospital stay. The survey was completed between July 2023 and June 2024. The data was last updated April 30. 
    • [The article lists] the 195 hospitals by state with five-star care transition ratings.
  • Per BioPharma Dive,
    • “Quest Diagnostics has partnered with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to develop a cancer risk blood test.
    • “The collaboration, which Quest disclosed Tuesday, builds on MD Anderson’s research into protein biomarkers that may indicate a patient is at high risk of cancer diagnosis in the coming years.
    • “MD Anderson’s approach is potentially a cheaper way than liquid biopsies to find patients who would benefit from conventional screening, according to the announcement. Quest is aiming to launch the test next year.”
  • and
    • “Novo Nordisk is planning Phase 3 clinical trials for a obesity drug combination called amycretin, adding another emerging weight-loss medicine to the list of prospects it has in advanced testing.
    • “The Danish drugmaker said Thursday the trials could begin in early 2026 and will test both an injectable and an oral formulation. In a Phase 2 trial, amycretin helped people with obesity lose up to 22% of their body weight over 36 weeks, topping Novo’s marketed medication Wegovy as well as Eli Lilly’s rival Zepbound.
    • “Amycretin targets GLP-1, as Wegovy does, but also a separate metabolic hormone called amylin that has drawn increasing interest from drugmakers. Earlier this week, shares of Metsera climbed by double digits after the biotechnology company reported promising Phase 1 data for an amylin-targeting agent.”

Thursday report

David Ermer–ACA, Congress, FDA, Generative AI, Medical / Rx research, Patient safety, Telehealth, U.S. Healthcare–
Photo by Josh Mills on Unsplash

From Washington, DC

  • The Wall Street Journal reports
    • “House Republicans narrowly passed a $9.4 billion rescissions package that includes cuts to foreign aid as well as the entity that funds National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service.
    • “The vote was 214-212, after some last-minute arm-twisting by GOP leaders convinced two Republicans to switch their votes to yes from no. All Democrats were opposed. The package now heads to the Senate, where it could face more scrutiny from Republicans.”
  • Beckers Payer Issues tells us,
    • “Proposed changes to Medicare Advantage are unlikely to be included in a final budget deal, The Hill reported June 11. 
    • “Senators had floated adding provisions of the No UPCODE Act, which targets overpayments in the program, to the massive federal budget bill. 
    • “Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., who first raised the idea of targeting MA savings in the bill, told The Hill the final legislation is unlikely to touch Medicare.”
  • STAT News informs us,
    • The Trump administration is pushing pharmaceutical companies to begin negotiations to bring their drug prices in line with what other countries pay — usually far less than Americans.
    • “Under President Trump’s direction, HHS is demanding that pharmaceutical companies end their obstruction and come to the table—just as they already do with nearly every other economically comparable nation—to negotiate fair, transparent pricing for Americans,” an agency spokesperson said in a statement to STAT, adding that the companies were “prevent[ing] progress of lowering prices for the American people.”
    • “The spokesperson did not immediately clarify how companies were preventing that progress. The administration’s statement comes after pharmaceutical executives said they were expecting more details about the kinds of drugs that would be up for negotiations and the price targets for them. 
    • ‘It also comes after a number of drug companies have met with the administration. At least three firms said this week that talks have not yet gotten into the details of pricing, instead mostly consisting of exchanging high-level ideas about the pharmaceutical market.”
  • The International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans points out
    • The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued 2025 draft 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C, and 1095-C forms for use by employers, plan sponsors and group health insurers to report health coverage to plan members and the IRS.
  • Per MedTech Dive,
    • “Medtronic has recalled ventilators and asked customers to stop using the devices because of a fault linked to two serious injuries and one death, the company said Wednesday.
    • “Affected Newport HT70 and HT70 Plus ventilators can shut down during use or fail to effectively sound the shutdown alert alarm. The company also recalled certain related Newport service parts. There have been 63 medical device reports about the problem.
    • ‘The Food and Drug Administration said in a Class 1 recall database entry about the fault this week that 4,842 affected ventilators are in commerce worldwide.”

From the judicial front,

  • Bloomberg Law reports,
    • A trio of air ambulance providers lost [Dropbox link] an appeals court bid to overturn a decision in two surprise medical bill disputes, narrowing the legal path for physicians to challenge alleged malfeasance from health insurers in court.
    • The consolidated case revolves around two conflicting provisions of the No Surprises Act, which requires doctors and insurers to settle unexpected out-of-network bills via arbitration rather than balance billing the patient. 
    • The US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit’s decision accompanies a separate ruling also issued [Dropbox link] Thursday in which the same panel of judges upheld a lower court’s decision, similarly, asserting that surprise billing arbitration disputes may not be addressed through litigation.
    • The Fifth Circuit sided against air ambulance companies Guardian Flight LLC, Reach Air Medical Services LLC, and Calstar Air Medical Services LLC in the consolidated case challenging Aetna Health Inc., Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc., and arbitrator Medical Evaluators of Texas ASO LLC over what the providers said were misrepresentations during the arbitration process. 
    • Judges Stuart Kyle Duncan, a Donald Trump appointee, Jerry E. Smith, a Ronald Reagan appointee, and Edith Brown Clement, a George H. W. Bush appointee, also reversed the lower court’s ruling in determining that MET was protected from litigation under the No Surprises Act.

From the public health and medical research front,

  • CBS News reports,
    • “Check your medicine cabinet — Zicam nasal swabs and Orajel baby teething swabs are being recalled due to potential microbial contamination, according to federal health officials.
    • “In an alert from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Church & Dwight Co., Inc., the brands’ manufacturer, voluntarily issued the recall after the potential contamination was discovered, which was identified as fungi in the cotton swab components of the products. 
    • “The recalled products include all lots of Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs (with UPC 732216301205), all lots of Zicam Nasal AllClear Swabs (UPC 732216301656) and all lots of Orajel Baby Teething Swabs (UPC 310310400002). All other Zicam and Orajel products are not affected by this recall, the FDA said.
    • “Consumers with any recalled products should stop using them immediately, the FDA advised.”
  • Health Imaging notes,
    • “New MRI data suggest that patients who weathered severe cases of COVID-19 may sustain long-lasting heart damage. 
    • “Specifically, researchers have uncovered evidence indicating patients who have been hospitalized with the virus may develop long-term left ventricular systolic dysfunction and coronary microvascular dysfunction. These findings were detailed this week in JAMA Network Open, where experts revealed the damage was evident on imaging nearly one year after patients had recovered from their initial infection. 
    • “In long COVID, or postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), patients commonly experience cardiopulmonary symptoms, including dyspnea, palpitations, chest pain, and fatigue, which impair quality of life and functional capacity,” Jannike Nickander, MD, PhD, with the department of clinical physiology at Karolinska University Hospital, in Sweden, and colleagues noted. “The underlying pathophysiological mechanisms are not fully understood but may stem from myocardial injury sustained during acute COVID-19 due to hypoxia, systemic hyperinflammation, hypercoagulability, and direct viral invasion of endothelial cells and cardiomyocytes.” 
  • Fierce Healthcare relates,
    • “Urine drug test (UDT) data can generate timely estimates of overdose deaths, a new study suggests. 
    • “The study, published in JAMA Network Open by specialty lab Millennium Health and The Ohio State University, aimed to determine whether UDT data could provide near real-time indications of overdose trends. Effective responses to the overdose crisis must be prompt, the study noted, which requires a timely evaluation of current trends. However, current publicly available data on fatal overdoses in the U.S. can lag by at least six months. 
    • “We were determined to close that gap,” Eric Dawson, vice president of clinical affairs at Millennium Health, told Fierce Healthcare. “We wanted to be able to tell people, here’s what’s happening today with overdoses—compared to here’s what you’re being told today happened six months ago.” 
  • The International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans offers a new look at virtual care.
    • “What’s next for virtual care? One area of focus is the further development of hybrid solutions that offer virtual-first care coupled with in-person clinics. Many vendors are also introducing their own health plan and/or TPA for a virtual-first solution. These can be offered alongside traditional health plans (e.g., not necessarily as a full replacement offering). Supplemental and/or coordinating carrier care management is also an avenue explored by new digital health startups offering virtual care. Another trend influencing virtual care is the development of artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool and the related ability to become more predictive and proactive around population health management and outreach. It will be important, however, for employers to track how these virtual offerings impact quality outcomes, engagement and positive user experience.
    • “Overall, the opportunity is clear—Virtual care as a component of a broader health care system can provide convenient and efficient care while increasing access and lowering costs for employer populations. Integration with in-person care will always be important, but technological developments will pave the way to create a more seamless patient experience.”

From the U.S. healthcare business front,

  • BioPharma Dive reports,
    • “COVID vaccine maker BioNTech is buying rival CureVac, announcing Thursday an all-stock deal weeks before the two companies were due to face off in a German court over potentially billions of dollars worth of royalties related to intellectual property on messenger RNA drugs.
    • “Per deal terms, each CureVac share will be exchanged for about $5.46 worth of BioNTech’s U.S.-listed shares, valuing the company at $1.25 billion. Upon the deal’s close, CureVac shareholders will own between 4% and 6% of BioNTech.
    • “In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, BioNTech and CureVac were among the companies racing to develop the first coronavirus vaccines. BioNTech, however, partnered with Pfizer and won approval of the first COVID-19 shot, while CureVac’s program never made it to market. The two companies have since been embroiled in patent litigation.”
  • Per Healthcare Dive,
    • “Cigna unveiled a number of new digital tools on Thursday meant to improve customer experience with its health benefits portal, including a virtual assistant based on generative artificial intelligence.
    • “The rollout — part of the insurer’s larger push to make it easier for members to access and afford the benefits they’re due — also includes a new tool to match patients to in-network providers.
    • “Experts have raised concerns about rising adoption of AI in the healthcare sector due to the technology’s tendency to make mistakes. Cigna said its new features were developed with “rigorous” research and testing within an AI governance framework.”
  • and
    • “Mergers and acquisitions should play an “important role” in Teladoc’s future business strategy, the virtual care firm’s CEO said Wednesday. 
    • “We’re going to make investments not just for the short term, but things that we think are going to start to increase that [total addressable market], start to increase the scope and range of what we can do. And we think that’s the right place to deploy our capital,” CEO Chuck Divita said at the Goldman Sachs Global Healthcare Conference.
    • “The telehealth company has already completed two acquisitions this year, scooping up preventive care firm Catapult Health in February and virtual mental health provider UpLift last month.”
  • Beckers Hospital Review calls attention to “six hospital partnerships and proposed deals that were called off or unwound so far this year”

Midweek report

David Ermer–CDC, Congress, FDA, Medical / Rx research, Rx coverage, U.S. Healthcare–

From Washington, DC

  • Roll Call tells us,
    • “House Republicans rescued their “big, beautiful” reconciliation bill from an early death in the Senate Wednesday by passing a measure deleting various provisions that would have violated Senate budget rules.
    • “To avoid a stand-alone vote on the fixes, automatic adoption of the resolution correcting the engrossment of the House reconciliation bill was embedded in a rule needed for floor debate of an unrelated bill that would cancel $9.4 billion in foreign aid and public broadcasting funds. The House adopted the rule on a nearly party-line vote of 213-207.
    • “Rules Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., said during floor debate that no new provisions were added to the reconciliation bill. She said the corrections measure only deleted some provisions for technical reasons “to make sure this big, beautiful bill has its day in the Senate.”
  • The American Hospital Association News informs us,
    • “The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee today released its text for the budget reconciliation bill. The text includes one health care provision, which would fund cost-sharing reduction payments to insurers in Affordable Care Act marketplaces. It also includes several policies related to student loan and repayment programs, including the termination of the Grad PLUS loan program effective July 1, 2026, and a change to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program for new borrowers that would not allow medical or dental residents to count their time in residency as qualifying payments for loan repayment.” 
  • STAT News reports,
    • “Senate health committee Chair Bill Cassidy (La.) is the latest Republican to take an interest in legislation that would tie U.S. brand drug prices to lower prices in other wealthy countries, according to seven people following the issue.” * * *
    • “Trump last month announced plans for pushing U.S. drug prices down to foreign levels, and more details are supposed to be forthcoming. However, it’s not clear that the administration could pressure drugmakers into matching the prices they charge abroad, which are typically much lower, without Congress passing a law that requires them to do so.” * * *
    • “After Trump’s announcement, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) also introduced a bill with Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) that would base U.S. prices on what other countries pay. 
    • “Cassidy’s bill would apply to Medicare prices, while the Hawley/Welch bill would apply to all retail drugs, not just those for which Medicare pays. 
    • “The Cassidy bill would instruct Medicare to claw back what it is owed when drugmakers charge prices that are higher than the foreign reference prices. It sets criteria for the countries that would be used to set prices, and Medicare would maintain that list. 
    • ‘The Hawley/Welch bill enforces its requirement for lower prices with civil monetary penalties that are 10 times the difference between the U.S. list price and the average price of the drug sold in Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, and the United Kingdom.”    
  • The Washington Post reports,
    • Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. named eight people to the influential federal panel that recommends vaccines to Americans Wednesday, elevating several vaccine critics days after he purged the group’s entire membership.
    • His picks for the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices include a well-known pediatric infectious diseases expert and at least two people who have criticized the use of mRNA coronavirus vaccines. Some of the more notable selections include Martin Kulldorff, the co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration * * * and Vicky Pebsworth, who has been listed on the board of the nation’s oldest anti-vaccine group.
    • “All of these individuals are committed to evidence-based medicine, gold-standard science, and common sense,” Kennedy said in a Wednesday X post announcing the picks. “They have each committed to demanding definitive safety and efficacy data before making any new vaccine recommendations.”
    • “The other new members are Joseph R. Hibbeln, a psychiatrist; Retsef Levi, a professor of operations management; Robert W. Malone, a biochemist; Cody Meissner, a pediatrician; James Pagano, an emergency medicine physician; Michael Ross, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology.”
  • Federal News Network relates,
    • “More than 460 laid-off employees at the nation’s top public health agency received notices Wednesday that they are being reinstated, according to a union representing the workers.
    • “The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services confirmed reinstatement notices went out to the former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees but provided few details.
    • “About 2,400 CDC employees lost their jobs in a wave of cuts across federal health agencies in early April, according to a tally at the time.” * * *
    • “An estimated 200 of the reinstated workers are based in the CDC’s National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention, HHS officials confirmed. Staffers at a CDC lab that does testing for sexually transmitted diseases are being brought back, said one CDC employee who wasn’t authorized to discuss what happened and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
    • “Also reinstated are an estimated 150 employees at the CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health, including people staffing a lab that works on lead poisoning, according to the union and employees.”
  • Per Fierce Pharma,
    • “Nine years after selling Medivation to Pfizer for $14 billion, David Hung, M.D., is going toe to toe with the New York drugmaker and two other pharma giants in a lung cancer field.
    • “Hung’s Nuvation Bio has won FDA approval for Ibtrozi, or taletrectinib, to treat patients with locally advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). With the nod, Ibtrozi will go up against existing medicines from Pfizer, Bristol Myers Squibb and Roche.
    • “ROS1 is a well-established subset of NSCLC. As it stands, Roche’s Rozlytrek is largely duking it out with BMS’ Augtyro, while Pfizer’s first-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) Xalkori gradually falls out of favor.
    • “However, ROS1 NSCLC has not been viewed as a major market opportunity, with combined Rozlytrek and Augtyro sales reaching roughly $200 million in 2024 despite their additional uses in NTRK gene fusion-positive solid tumors.
    • “But Hung believes Ibtrozi boasts a unique profile that could allow the next-generation TKI to reach new heights. For their part, analysts at Jefferies see potential for the Nuvation drug to become a blockbuster.”

From the public health and medical research front,

  • STAT News points out,
    • “Deaths from alcohol-related liver diseases have been rising for years — and at an accelerated rate for groups including women, young adults, and Indigenous people. New data suggest a surge in deaths in the early months of the pandemic has continued in subsequent years. 
    • “The study presents a discouraging picture of the nation’s liver health. Between 2018 and 2022, the most recent year for which mortality data are available, the annual percentage change in alcohol-associated liver disease deaths was nearly 9%, compared to 3.5% between 2006 and 2018. 
    • “Men still made up the bulk of these deaths, with 17 deaths per 100,000 people. But women’s death rates sped up, jumping up to 8 deaths from 3 per 100,000 people in the time period studied. On average, the annual percent change in women’s mortality was 4.3% — nearly twice that of men. Researchers also highlight a worsening trend of sudden and dangerous liver inflammation appearing in young people.
    • “While alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) mortality was relatively stable from 1999 to 2006, it’s been on the rise since then, and has worsened especially since 2018, according to findings published Wednesday in JAMA Network Open. Experts know the pandemic had something to do with that change, since studies suggest people drank more during the Covid era. But new data, and the continuing influx of younger patients with severe illness, further troubles liver doctors and public health researchers. 
    • “It puts numbers to what we’re seeing in the hospital, in the clinic,” said Brian Lee, a hepatologist and liver transplant specialist at Keck Medicine of USC who was not involved with the study.”
  • The American Journal of Managed Care lets us know,
    • “In the process of recovering from COVID-like symptoms, mental health and well-being took close to 3 times as long to recover compared with physical health, according to new research published online today. These new data from December 2020 through the end of August 2022 show that although physical health tends to bounce back by 3 months after symptoms became apparent, mental well-being can take up to 9 months to reach a comparable level of recovery.
    • “In Open Forum Infectious Diseases, these findings and additional data from the CDC’s INSPIRE project (Innovative Support for Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infections Registry; NCT04610515) shed new light on recovery after COVID-like symptoms.1 The study authors also highlight that up to 1 year after infection, close to 20% of patients continued to report a reduced health-related quality of life (HRQOL) vs before their self-reported COVID-like symptoms, and that there is potential for underestimation of other illnesses because of this; among their study population, health recovery recovered to a higher level for those who reported COVID-like symptoms vs those who tested negative.
    • “For patient prognostics, we found somewhat more pronounced recovery (i.e., return to the optimal HRQOL) for those in the COVID+ group compared to the COVID− groups, after adjustment,” the study authors wrote. Their results speak to the need for ongoing vigilance on the part of health care providers toward their patients’ mental health throughout recovery and to tailor care strategies accordingly.”
  • Per MedPage Today,
    • “CT colonography, also known as virtual colonoscopy, reduced the incidence of colorectal cancer by up to 75% versus no screening, while stool DNA testing reduced the incidence by 59%.
    • “Stool testing was cost-effective relative to no screening, while CT colonography was actually cost saving.
    • “CT colonography should be considered a legitimate first-line screening option along with stool testing and optical colonoscopy.”
  • Per Medical News Today,
    • As people are living longer, there is a greater emphasis on healthy aging. 
    • Diet is one aspect that can contribute to healthier aging.
    • A new study found that consuming more foods and beverages rich in flavonoids may help lower a person’s risk of certain aspects of unhealthy aging, such as frailty and poor mental health.
    • Flavonoids are found in a variety of fruits, vegetables, and plant-based foods, such as: 
      • Berries like blueberries and raspberries; Citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit; Dark chocolate; Fruits such as peaches and bananas; Green and black tea; Leafy greens such as kale and spinach; Red wine; Vegetables such as peas, onions, and tomatoes
  • The Washington Post relates,
    • “With a silly smile and frilly gills, the axolotl has wriggled its way into the hearts of millions, becoming a popular aquarium pet and pop culture icon in video games, children’s books and toy stores.
    • “But this adorable species of salamander is also helping researchers investigate a serious medical mystery: Could the human body be coaxed to regrow a severed arm or leg?
    • “Scientists are turning to the axolotl because it is an expert at regeneration. After losing a limb, an adult axolotl can grow it back fresh and new.
    • “In a study published in the journal Nature Communications on Tuesday, scientists used axolotls genetically engineered to glow in the dark to understand the molecular underpinnings of this amazing trait.
    • “This species is special,” said James Monaghan, a Northeastern University biologist who led the research. They’ve “really become the champion of some extreme abilities that animals have.”
  • GenEdge reports,
    • “Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research have identified a network of nerve cells that may be responsible for a reduction in feelings of hunger that may be felt as a result of smelling food, in mice. The team discovered a direct connection from the nose to a group of nerve cells in the brain that are activated by the smell of food and, when activated, trigger a feeling of fullness in lean mice, but not in obese mice. The discovery may suggest that treating obesity might require different advice about smelling food before a meal based on a person’s weight.
    • “Our findings highlight how crucial it is to consider the sense of smell in appetite regulation and in the development of obesity,” said study lead Sophie Steculorum, PhD, research group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research. “Our study shows how much our daily-lives’ eating habits are influenced by the smell of food. Since we discovered that the pathway only reduces appetite in lean mice, but not in obese mice, our study opens up a new way to help prevent overeating in obesity.”
  • The Wall Street Journal reports,
    • “Some health-obsessed Americans believe the next antiaging therapeutic already exists—in the medicine cabinets of millions of diabetes patients.
    • “The widely used class of drugs, called SGLT2 inhibitors and sold under brand names such as Jardiance and Farxiga, have been on the market for over a decade as Type 2 diabetes medications. They have also gained regulatory approval to treat conditions like heart failure and kidney disease. 
    • ‘Recently, though, the drugs have emerged as a hot topic on popular health podcasts and Reddit forums for longevity enthusiasts, many of whom don’t suffer from any of those conditions. Instead, they are adding SGLT2 inhibitors to a roster of hacks they hope will help them live healthier for longer—or in other words, increase their healthspan.” * * *
    • “This is probably the drug class of our era,” says Dr. Timothy Gong, section physician leader for heart failure and transplant cardiology at Baylor University Medical Center, who has researched SGLT2 inhibitors. “You see cardiologists, nephrologists, endocrinologists, even general internists as well, just getting so excited.”
    • “Gong says he wouldn’t be surprised to take an SGLT2 inhibitor one day, once they are studied more, though he’s free from heart issues and diabetes. Yet it’s too early to prescribe it for longevity benefits in otherwise healthy patients. 
    • “I don’t think that the evidence is strong enough yet for us to be able to say that,” he says.” 

From the U.S. healthcare business front,

  • Modern Healthcare reports,
    • “Risant Health CEO Dr. Jaewon Ryu said the new nonprofit system is making progress rolling out the first wave of its value-based care platform.
    • “The system is growing quickly, having completed two acquisitions in the past year-and-a-half. Oakland, California-based Kaiser Permanente launched Risant in early 2024 with the acquisition of Geisinger Health, followed by another deal in December to buy Cone Health. Kaiser formed Risant as a separate entity to acquire health systems and create a national value-based care network.
    • “As Risant expands, it is implementing a gameplan for value-based care throughout its footprint, ranging from primary care guidelines to technological tools that can help improve patient care.”
  • The Pharmacy Times discusses “The Role of Pharmacists in Cardiovascular Health: A Collaborative Approach to Treatment, Counseling, and Nutrition.”
  • Per Fierce Healthcare,
    • NeuroFlow, a behavioral health tech company, has launched a suite of analytics tools to help payers and providers understand population risk.
    • BHIQ is a standalone product built on the analytics work NeuroFlow has already routinely been doing for years. It leverages existing data, like historical EHR, claims and pharma data, to predict the behavioral health needs of a population or a patient. It also helps organizations understand the efficacy of their interventions. NeuroFlow piloted BHIQ with a number of partners including commercial payers, Medicaid and Medicare Advantage plans and ACOs. 
    • “This certainly is not meant to be a replacement to a diagnostic tool, and it’s not meant to diagnose issues,” NeuroFlow CEO Chris Molaro told Fierce Healthcare. “It’s more of a compass to help point them in the right direction and give them insight into where there may be risk—and then stratify that risk.” 
    • “BHIQ is meant to complement NeuroFlow’s other offerings, though it can be purchased separately. Compared to the company’s product for measurement-based care, which draws on patient-reported outcomes questionnaires, BHIQ does not require patients to download an app or respond to surveys. This means organizations have another pathway for data analysis.”
  • and
    • “Alternative pharmacy benefit manager and administrator Capital Rx is acquiring Amino Health, a care navigation company.
    • “The acquisition, the company said, will allow Capital Rx to offer a better member-facing experience to complement its unified claims platform on the back end.” * * *
    • “Amino Health CEO John Asalone positions the company as helping large, self-insured employers (often Fortune 100 companies) lower their costs through a sleek interface helping members search for top-rated providers, view integrated cost estimates, uncover prescription drug savings and book appointments easily. This allows members to not only search by medical provider or procedure but also search for drugs like GLP-1s.”
  • and
    • “Blue Shield of California has teamed up with Zocdoc for members to more easily schedule in-person appointments with providers in their health plan network, the companies announced on Wednesday. 
    • “Zocdoc connects consumers with primary care providers and specialists and to see their schedules and book appointments digitally. Blue Shield of California is bringing that seamless digital experience to its members to facilitate access to covered providers. 
    • “The new feature is available through Blue Shield of California’s searchable provider directory on its website. With the last-mile infrastructure provided by Zocdoc, members can immediately see the participating providers’ availability and book an appointment.”

Tuesday report

David Ermer–CMS, Congress, FDA, Medical / Rx research, Medicare, U.S. Healthcare–

From Washington, DC,

  • Politico reports,
    • “House Republicans have finalized changes to the party-line tax and spending package the chamber passed last month, to keep the bill in compliance with Senate rules. 
    • “An early copy of the amendment House Republicans plan to adopt this week, first obtained by POLITICO, would remove $2 billion for Pentagon military intelligence programs and strike policy that would have allowed mining in a protected wilderness in the Midwest, among other changes. By nixing items the Senate parliamentarian has flagged, the bill will retain its “privilege” and has a chance at passing the Senate without having to overcome the filibuster.
    • “House GOP leaders plan to adopt the tweaks on the floor Wednesday, according to House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. 
    • “So, the House doesn’t have to vote again on passage of the bill that was difficult to whip the first time, the changes will be adopted through a fast-track tactic. By approving a resolution this week to tee up floor debate on a separate bill, the House will be voting to amend the megabill before it is officially transmitted to the Senate.”
  • Fierce Pharma tells us,
    • “As President Donald Trump vows to bridge the drug pricing gap between the U.S. and other developed countries with his “most favored nation” (MFN) policy, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla is calling for a U.S. government-led push to increase overall drug spending outside the U.S.
    • “While the exact mechanism of implementing MFN to reduce drug prices in the U.S. remains unclear, Bourla proposed (PDF) that other countries should spend a certain percentage of their GDP per capita on innovative medicines.
    • “Bourla laid out the concept Monday at the Goldman Sachs annual global healthcare conference, drawing a comparison to how members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have agreed to commit 2% of their national GDP to defense spending.
    • “The U.S. is spending about 0.8% of GDP per capita on innovative drugs within 10 years of their launch, Bourla said. That’s higher than the 0.5% by Italy and Spain, or 0.4% in Germany, while the U.K. is spending about 0.3%, he said.” * * *
    • “To Bourla, reining in U.S. drug costs and increasing foreign countries’ expenditures are two sides of the same coin. In the U.S., it remains to be seen how the health department will enforce MFN, and Bourla said he doesn’t expect the industry will gain much clarity anytime soon.”
  • MedCity News opines,
    • “[P]olicy leaders overlook the fact that IVF is priced at around $20,000 per cycle because the system can’t expand to meet demand. Adding more insurance money will only inflate the queue, unless general insurers follow the lead of specialized fertility insurers that focus on actual outcomes; they have every incentive to keep costs controlled and success rates high. We risk repeating what happened in higher education, when the federal government expanded funding for college without restraining the total price. College prices continue to rise far faster than inflation. This is not a mistake we can afford with IVF.
    • “President Trump’s plan to fix IVF might look bold in a headline. In reality, it doesn’t create a single new embryology lab. It doesn’t hire one more specialist. It won’t change the fact that right now, only people with plenty of money can afford IVF, and throwing subsidies at a market that’s already bottlenecked only shifts who pays. If we keep ignoring capacity, we prolong the same heartbreak and keep IVF out of reach for many hopeful parents.
    • “We need more clinics, cutting-edge automation, and better oversight so clinics aren’t pressured to cut corners or limit embryo transfers just to stretch funding. We need a fundamental restructuring that rewards a successful pregnancy rather than a never-ending list of procedures.”
  • Per Beckers Payer Issues,
    • “Groups representing insurers are pushing back on proposed tighter regulations on Medicare Advantage coding. 
    • “Senate Republicans are considering targeted changes to Medicare Advantage as part of the sweeping “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Lawmakers are considering adding provisions of the No UPCODE Act to the package. 
    • “The bipartisan proposal was first floated by Sens. Bill Cassidy, MD, and Jeff Merkley in 2023, and would make changes to the risk-adjustment model MA plans use to bill the federal government and limit the ability to include old or unrelated medical conditions in the cost of care.”
  • Per a CMS news release,
    • “As he turns 65 on Wednesday, June 11, CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz is using his own Medicare enrollment experience to help Americans better understand how to sign up for Medicare and select the coverage that best fits their needs. Through a new video and social media series, Dr. Oz is walking future enrollees through simple steps they can take to get started—beginning with Medicare.gov.
    • Dr. Oz’s public service messages highlight key reminders for those approaching Medicare eligibility:
      • Start early to learn about options.
      • Enrollment paths may vary depending on whether someone is already receiving Social Security benefits or whether you are still working and have employer coverage.
        Use Medicare.gov to get clear, personalized guidance on enrollment and coverage.
      • To watch Dr. Oz’s messages, visit: 
        Dr. Mehmet Oz displays his Medicare card
  • JAMA Open informs us,
    • “The findings of a cross-sectional study suggest that although 988 has been contacted more than 16 million times since its launch [in July 2022], there remains opportunity to increase 988 use. For example, the past-year 988 contact rate of 23.7 per 1000 is less than half that of the rate of adult emergency department visits that include a mental health diagnosis (53.0 per 1000 population).4 Furthermore, there was regional and state-level variation in 988 use. This is consistent with state variation in funding for and legislative attention toward 988, both of which may affect awareness and use. Lower rates of 988 use in the South, which is more politically conservative than other regions, is also consistent with prior research showing less favorable attitudes toward 988 among Republicans than Democrats.
    • “Study limitations relate to 988 contacts being assigned to states according to area code, uncertainty about the 988 repeat contact rates, and state-level variation in the existence of other crisis lines that are not part of the 988 network. Despite these inherent data limitations, our findings suggest that there are opportunities to increase 988 use, especially in southern states.”

From the public health and medical research front,

  • Healio lets us know,
    • “Data show men were less likely to seek care for diabetes, HIV/AIDS and hypertension.
    • “More research is needed to track gender-related health risks and how they change over time, a researcher told Healio.”
  • MedPage Today points out,
    • “Active transportation modes in midlife — notably, cycling — were tied to a lower dementia risk over 13 years.
    • “Cycling was also associated with higher hippocampal volume.”
  • Cardiovascular Business reports,
    • “A nationwide data analysis found that nearly one-third of U.S. adults with hypertension may be eligible for therapy by two catheter renal denervation (RDN) devices cleared by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, the study’s authors noted that eligibility alone does not indicate which of the 35 million patients are most likely to benefit from the treatment. The study was published June 4 online in JACC: Interventions.[1]
    • “Co-author of the study Eric Secemsky, MD—a cardiologist and researcher from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical—and his team used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to estimate the proportion of hypertension patients who meet the FDA’s criteria for consideration of RDN.
    • “The researchers then broke down how many patients would qualify for RDN using the same criteria of each study for the two approved devices. They also looked at how many patients would qualify under the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) 2023 RDN position statement on patient selection and best practices.
    • “The authors found that on-medication, sham-controlled randomized trials had the most selective enrollment criteria, matching only about 2% of U.S. adults with hypertension. In contrast, U.S. single-arm registries and the SCAI 2023 position statement estimated a much larger potential eligibility, approaching 25 million Americans. This discrepancy underscores the challenge of generalizing highly selective trial results to a broader patient population in real-world settings.”
  • MedCity News lets us know,
    • “An experimental Metsera obesity drug led to an average 8.4% weight loss(Opens in a new window) in a small clinical trial, preliminary results that keep the biotech competitive in the crowded mix of companies pursuing a promising new metabolic target, but with the potential to offer less frequent dosing than its rivals.
    • “The drug, MET-233i, is a peptide engineered to activate amylin, a hormone that, like GLP-1, plays a role in regulating blood sugar and appetite. New York-based Metsera designed MET-233i with technology enabling the medication to last longer in the body.
    • “The 8.4% weight loss mark reported Monday was achieved by the 1.2 mg dose, the highest of four doses of the drug administered weekly for five weeks in a two-part Phase 1 study. Each part enrolled 40 participants. In the single-ascending dose portion of the study, in which a group of participants received just a single dose, the 1.2 mg dose led to an average 3.8% loss in body weight that was maintained for five weeks.”
    • “Metsera said its drug’s half-life of 19 days supports once-monthly dosing. That would be an advantage over the once-weekly dosing of the GLP-1 drugs currently available and the clinical-stage amylin drugs in development by other companies, such as Novo Nordisk, Roche, and AbbVie.”

From the U.S. healthcare business front,

  • Fierce Healthcare notes,
    • “Employers are aiming to be more strategic in how they administer benefits as costs continue to rise, according to a new survey from the consulting firm WTW.
    • “WTW released its latest Benefits Trends Survey on Tuesday and found that rising benefit costs were the largest factor driving the strategy around coverage for employers. In addition, employers ranked the financial pressures on budgets as the fourth-highest factor.
    • “Close to half (44%) of those surveyed said that they faced challenges in delivering on their health benefit strategies given rising costs, with 44% saying the same about wellness programs and 36% saying they faced challenges around leave offerings.
  • and
    • “The American Medical Association underwent its annual leadership change on Tuesday, inaugurating otolaryngologist Bobby Mukkamala, M.D. as the 180th president of the nation’s largest physician association. 
    • “The organization’s House of Delegates, composed of its member physicians and residents, also chose urologic surgeon William Underwood III, M.D., as its president-elect. Underwood will assume the presidency in June 2026. 
    • “Mukkamala is a Flint, Michigan-based physician who attended the University of Michigan Medical School and completed his residency at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago. Mukkamala said in an interview with Fierce Healthcare in June 2024 that he hopes to work on prevention of chronic diseases rather than the “sick care” model that costs the health system millions.
    • “He will also continue the heavy-hitting physician group’s advocacy on increasing physician pay and easing the burden of prior authorization, two top concerns for physicians.” * * *
    • “Underwood, the new president-elect, has spent his 25-year career in Buffalo, New York as a urologic surgeon and doing robotic urologic surgery. He holds patents for discovering a biomarker in prostate cancer and has co-authored nearly 120 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters and published abstracts.” * * *
    • “It is an incredible honor to be chosen by my peers to represent physicians and the patients we serve at this critical moment for health care and medicine,” Underwood said in a statement. “The AMA is leading the way in fighting for a rational Medicare payment system, to rein in prior authorization, and reduce physician burnout. I will stand up to advocate for our profession in a way that will inspire, motivate, and activate physicians to join the AMA in our efforts to improve the health of our nation.”
  • Modern Healthcare reports,
    • “Mayo Clinic is investing in an ambient clinical artificial intelligence startup, the health system said Tuesday.
    • “The Rochester, Minnesota-based health system made an undisclosed investment and entered into a collaboration focused on ambient clinical intelligence with Hellocare.ai, a healthcare artificial intelligence and virtual care company.
    • “Mayo becomes the fourth major health system to invest in Hellocare.ai since April. The investment is an extension of Hellocare.ai’s $47 million Series A funding round that included support from a group of health systems including Cincinnati-based Bon Secours Mercy Health, Aurora, Colorado-based UCHealth, OSF Ventures, the corporate investment arm of OSF HealthCare.
    • “Hellocare has developed an AI-enabled software and hardware platform for hospitals and health systems featuring cameras and microphones mounted on patient room televisions to assist clinical staff with tasks such as ambient documentation and patient monitoring. The company also offers a virtual care solution that supports clinicians with rounds, medication checks and patient discharge.”
  • and
    • “Abbott and Tandem Diabetes Care announced Tuesday an agreement to combine Abbott’s upcoming dual glucose-ketone sensor with Tandem’s insulin delivery systems to create integrated diabetes solutions.
    • “The sensor is in development, but once it’s commercially available, it will be able to detect an early rise in ketone levels to help patients avoid diabetic ketoacidosis. The company expects the sensor to be available next year, according to a spokesperson.”
  • Per Beckers Hospital Review,
    • “Cleveland-based University Hospitals recorded a $49.7 million operating loss (-3% operating margin) in the first quarter of 2025, an improvement from a $74.6 million operating loss (-4.9% margin), according to its June 10 financial report.  
    • “The system reported total operating revenue of $1.7 billion for the three months ended March  31, a 9.7% increase year over year. University Hospitals said that revenue growth was driven by a $106 million increase in net patient service revenue. 
    • “Total operating expenses increased 7.6% year over year to $1.7 billion. The growth was primarily driven by increased labor costs and patient care supplies of $39 million and $51 million, respectively.

Monday report

David Ermer–Congress, FDA, Medical / Rx research, Rx coverage, U.S. Healthcare–

From Washington, DC,

Photo by Sven Read on Unsplash
  • The Wall Street Journal reports,
    • “Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R., S.D.) is trying to release this week a revised version of President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.”
    • “But as he races to pass the legislation ahead of Republicans’ self-imposed July 4 deadline, he has got about as many problems as there are GOP senators, with lawmakers battling over the additional borrowing and spending cuts that will be used to finance tax relief, plus spending on the border and military.
    • “The House in May passed its own version by a one-vote margin, and Trump has urged the Senate to move the multitrillion-dollar bill quickly. But GOP senators want changes, and lawmakers disagree over the depth of cuts to Medicaid, clean-energy tax credits and nutrition assistance, with some seeking to protect their own states’ interests and others accusing colleagues of not taking federal deficits seriously.”
  • The American Hospital Association News tells us,
    • “The White House June 6 issued a memorandum directing the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services “to take appropriate action to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid, including by ensuring Medicaid payments rates are not higher than Medicare, to the extent permitted by applicable law.” In the memo, the administration expresses its view that rapid growth in state directed payment programs [“SPDs”] is a threat to the nation’s long-term stability, and that the “imbalance between Medicaid and Medicare payment rates under these programs jeopardizes access to care for seniors.”  
    • “The memo is in addition to the ongoing congressional reconciliation deliberations, which also include provisions impacting SDPs.”
  • Per HHS news releases,
    • “Jim O’Neill was sworn in today [June 9, 2025] as the Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. With decades of experience at the intersection of health care, technology, and public service, O’Neill will help Kennedy oversee an agency that includes the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Administration for Children and Families, and many others.
    •  “Jim O’Neill’s extensive experience in Silicon Valley and government makes him ideally suited to transition HHS into a technological innovation powerhouse. He will help us harness cutting-edge AI, telemedicine, and other breakthrough technologies to deliver the highest quality medical care for Americans,” said Secretary Kennedy. “As my deputy, he will lead innovation and help us reimagine how we serve the public. Together, we will promote outcome-centric medical care, champion radical transparency, uphold gold-standard science, and empower Americans to take charge of their own health.”
  • and
    • “The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today took a bold step in restoring public trust, links to an external website, opens in a new tab by totally reconstituting the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP), an advisory committee that makes recommendations on the safety, efficacy, and clinical need of vaccines to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Under the leadership of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the agency removed the 17 sitting members of the ACIP committee and will replace them with new members currently under consideration.” * * *
    • “ACIP will convene its next meeting, links to an external website June 25 through June 27 at CDC headquarters in Atlanta.”

From the Food and Drug Administration front,

  • Per Fierce Pharma,
    • “As several pharma juggernauts prepare for the upcoming respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) season, the FDA has blessed Merck’s entrant. 
    • “The monoclonal antibody, clesrovimab, will be known commercially as Enflonsia and will challenge Sanofi and AstraZeneca’s blockbuster Beyfortus.
    • “Enflonsia has been approved to prevent lower respiratory tract disease from RSV in children who are born during or entering their first RSV season, the U.S. regulator said in a social media post. The nod arrived one day ahead of the agency’s target decision date.” * * *
    • “Meanwhile, Sanofi and AZ have been unchallenged with Beyfortus as the lone prophylactic RSV antibody for children. The drug generated sales of 1.7 billion euros ($1.8 billion) last year. In 2023, reports emerged that demand for the antibody outstripped early supply.
    • “Also Monday, Sanofi said that it and partner AZ have already manufactured as many doses of Beyfortus as they supplied last year and that production remains ongoing. The companies added that they will begin shipping early in the third quarter.
    • “Enflonsia has delivered trial results that suggest it can compete with Beyfortus.” 
  • and
    • “A new era of hypertension treatment is on the horizon for U.S. patients with the FDA approval of George Medicines’ Widaplik, a three-in-one pill that can serve as an initial treatment to help lower blood pressure.
    • “The drug combines established high blood pressure meds telmisartan, amlodipine and indapamide and is the first triple-combination therapy to boast a label from the FDA that allows its use as an early treatment, helping patients who may need multiple drugs to achieve blood pressure goals with one fell swoop. 
    • “Its three dosing options—one low dose and two standard doses—can deliver the benefits of a triple-combo approach “early in the treatment pathway with an established safety profile and good tolerability,” according to a June 9 press release from George Medicines.”
    • “The drug is specifically approved for patients who are likely to need more than one medicine to achieve blood pressure goals.”
  • and
    • “When it comes to the use of PD-1 inhibitors in stomach cancer, the FDA has put its money where its mouth is.
    • “After questioning the benefits of checkpoint inhibitors in stomach cancer cases without PD-L1 expression, the FDA has moved to restrict the use of Merck & Co.’s and Bristol Myers Squibb’s immunotherapies in those patients.
    • “BMS’ Opdivo, used in combination with chemotherapy, is now allowed in advanced or metastatic gastric, gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) and esophageal cancers only among patients whose tumors express PD-L1. Simultaneously, the approval for a combination of Opdivo and BMS’ Yervoy in first-line esophageal squamous cell carcinoma has also been limited to PD-L1-positive disease.
    • “Similarly, the label for Merck’s Keytruda in gastric, GEJ and esophageal cancers has been narrowed to PD-L1-positive tumors as well. The amendment to Keytruda’s gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma uses only touches HER2-negative disease in this situation because the drug’s HER2-positive approvals in those settings had already been narrowed to PD-L1-positive cases in March.
    • “The revised indications reflect the patient populations for whom the drugs have favorable risk-benefit assessments, the FDA said in two separate letters (PDFs) sent to the drugmakers late May.”
  • Per MedTech Dive,
    • “Baxter has recalled its Novum IQ large volume pump in response to an under-infusion risk linked to one serious injury report, the Food and Drug Administration said Friday.
    • “Baxter is keeping the pumps on the market and updating the instructions to advise users on how to prevent the devices from infusing up to 50% less than the set amount. More than 34,500 units are affected across the U.S. and Canada, according to a recall database entry. 
    • “Variability of 10% or more can put infants at risk of dehydration, inadequate drug therapy and nutrition and insufficient blood infusion, the FDA said, leading to serious harm and death.”

From the judicial front,

  • Fierce Healthcare tells us,
    • “The leading organization representing pharmacy benefit manager companies is now also suing Arkansas officials over its new law banning PBMs from owning pharmacies. 
    • “Joining the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) in the lawsuit as a plaintiff is alternative PBM and founding member of TransparencyRx, Navitus Health Solutions. The lawsuit was filed in the Eastern District of Arkansas against the Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy.”
    • “Express Scripts and CVS Health had sued state officials at the end of May.”

From the public health and medical research front,

  • The Wall Street Journal reports,
    • “Health officials are investigating a salmonella outbreak linked to eggs from August Egg Co. and sold under several brands.
    • “As of June 5, 79 people had been reported infected with the outbreak strain, with at least 21 hospitalizations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
    • “The CDC, the Food and Drug Administration and state officials are investigating.
    • “August Egg, of Hilmar, Calif., recalled 1.7 million dozen brown cage-free and brown certified organic eggs.
    • “The eggs were distributed at stores including Walmart, Ralphs, Safeway, Save Mart, FoodMaxx, Lucky, Smart & Final, Raleys and Food 4 Less. Brands include Clover, First Street, Nulaid, O Organics, Marketside, Raleys, Simple Truth, Sun Harvest and Sunnyside.
    • “The eggs were available from various retailers in California and Nevada. Additionally, they were sold at Walmart locations in Washington, Arizona, Wyoming, New Mexico, Nebraska, Indiana and Illinois.”
  • The American Medical Association lets us know what doctors wish their patients knew about myocarditis.
  • Beckers Hospital Review shares information from an “American Cancer Society [study that] used data from the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries to calculate incidence rates per 100,000 people for each state and each cancer type” over the period 2017 through 2021. Kentucky had the highest incidence rate.
  • MedPage Today points out,
    • “Participation in a cervical cancer screening program in a safety-net health system more than doubled when patients received at-home test kits by mail rather than just a telephone reminder to get screened, a randomized trial showed.
    • “Six months after initial contact, 17.4% of patients invited by telephone to attend a clinic-based screening had participated in the program as compared with 41.1% of those who had an at-home test for human papillomavirus (HPV) mailed to them. The participation rate increased to almost 50% among patients who received the home test kit and a follow-up phone call from a patient navigator. More than 80% of screening participants in the two self-collection groups, returned the home test kit as opposed to being tested in a clinic.
    • “The results suggest that use of self-collection test kits could be considered in safety-net settings with low participation in cervical cancer screening programs, reported Jane R. Montealegre, PhD, of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and co-authors in JAMA Internal Medicineopens in a new tab or window.
    • “Too many women, especially those who are uninsured, live in rural areas, or come from marginalized and underserved communities, aren’t getting screened for cervical cancer,” Montealegre said in a statement. “These results show that self-collection testing could be a solution to increasing access to screening and, in turn, reducing the burden of cervical cancer in the U.S.”
  • and
    • “More widespread and consistent use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has the potential to dramatically reduce the incidence of HIV in the U.S., but substantial barriers to PrEP remain, particularly access, stigma, and non-HIV specialist physicians’ knowledge of the growing slate of options.
    • “New PrEP options on the horizon may help alleviate some of these barriers as physician awareness also increases. 
    • “There’s data from contraception [studies] that if you have more choice, the uptake is higher overall,” Matthew Spinelli, MD, of the University of California San Francisco, told MedPage Today. “PrEP is highly effective, and if the populations that need it had access to it, we would see the end of the HIV epidemic.” 
  • The Wall Street Journal relates,
    • “For patients with a rare type of blood cancer, treatment might finally be coming out of the Dark Ages.
    • “People with the chronic condition polycythemia vera make too many red blood cells, thickening their blood and increasing the risk for clots, heart attacks or strokes. The main treatment consists of regular blood draws—essentially bloodletting—to keep the disease in check.
    • “But a new drug from Protagonist Therapeutics and Takeda can slow down a patient’s production of red blood cells and nearly eliminates the need for phlebotomies, new data show, potentially reducing patients’ fatigue and other consequences of routine blood draws.
    • “I think that this drug would really be groundbreaking for patients,” said Dr. Bart Scott, a professor at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, who treats patients with polycythemia vera and had some who enrolled in the drugmakers’ trial. “The time for leeches is over.” * * *
    • “The 52-week [trial] data is expected around the spring of 2026, and Takeda plans to file for Food and Drug Administration approval after that, said Dr. Phuong Khanh Morrow, head of the oncology therapeutic area at Takeda.”
  • Per BioPharma Dive,
    • “An experimental cholesterol-lowering pill from Merck & Co. succeeded in a pair of late-stage studies, the company said Monday [June 9, 2025].
    • “In one study, Merck’s drug, enlicitide, was tested against a placebo in people already taking statins and who have either an inherited condition that causes high cholesterol or are at risk of atherosclerosis. The second trial evaluated enlicitide against other oral therapies, such as ezetimibe, in people on statins and with abnormally high levels of fats in the blood.
    • “Merck didn’t provide specifics but said in both cases enlicitide met all of its study objectives and demonstrated “statistically significant and clinically meaningful reductions” in LDL-C, or “bad” cholesterol, without any important differences in the number of adverse events. Details will be presented at a future medical meeting. Company shares climbed 2% in early trading Monday.”

From the U.S. healthcare business front,

  • Healthcare Dive reports,
    • “The healthcare industry added 62,000 jobs in May, exceeding the sector’s average monthly gain of 44,000 workers over the past year, according to a new report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released Friday [June 6, 2025]. 
    • “Employers added 30,000 hospital jobs, 29,000 ambulatory healthcare services roles and 6,000 skilled nursing positions last month, according to the report. 
    • “The monthly jobs data demonstrates continued strong demand for healthcare workers, despite broader economic uncertainty and reports of some health systems freezing hiring or implementing layoffs.”
  • Beckers Payer Issues notes, “Many insurers are asking for double-digit rate increases in 2026 for the individual and small group exchange markets as they face a potential expiration of enhanced premium tax credits and rising costs.”
  • Modern Healthcare reports,
    • “Dr. Bobby Mukkamala’s is tapping into decades of medical experience, as well as his recent time as a patient with a brain tumor, as he begins his one-year term as American Medical Association president.
    • “Healthcare runs in the family. His father is a retired radiologist, his mother a retired pediatrician and his wife is a obstetrician-gynecologist.
    • “In an interview, the Flint, Michigan-based otolaryngologist said he plans to focus on physician shortages related to burnout and the uptick in non-physician caregivers. He also plans to address the hoops most patients have to jump through to receive adequate care, an experience made clear to him late last year when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Most of the tumor was removed in surgery and he is receiving treatment for the residual 10%.”
  • Beckers Hospital Review informs us,
    • Detroit-based Henry Ford Health recorded an operating income of $77.5 million (2.4% operating margin) in the first quarter of 2025, down from an operating income of $98.5 million (4.5% margin) during the same quarter in 2024, according to its May 28 financial report.  
  • and
    • Pittsburgh-based Allegheny Health Network recorded an operating income of $7.7 million (0.6% operating margin) in the first quarter of 2025, up from an operating loss of $31.3 million (-2.5% margin) during the same period last year, according to its May 29 financial report. 
  • and also
    • lists “seven drug new shortages and discontinuations, according to drug supply databases from the FDA and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.” 

Weekend update

David Ermer–Congress, Generative AI, Medical / Rx research, Mental health care, Obesity, OPM, SCOTUS, U.S. Healthcare–

From Washington, DC,

  • The Senate maintains a daily Executive Calendar. There are now eight nominees whose names were reported to the Senate floor before Scott Kupor. According to the unanimous consent resolution page in the front of the calendar, the Senate will consider tomorrow the nominations of the earliest reported nominee David Fotouhi (March 13) and two nominees reported in May after Mr. Kupor (April 9). The FEHBlog think that this is the pattern that the Senate leadership is following, which means that the Senate is likely to take up Mr. Kupor’s nomination later this month. 
  • Roll Call summarizes expected Congressional activities for this week here.
    • As Senate committees continue to release their proposals for the House-passed reconciliation package this week, the House plans to vote on President Donald Trump’s proposals to rescind foreign aid and other spending, including for public broadcasting.
    • “The rescissions request sent to Congress by the Trump Administration takes the federal government in a new direction where we actually cut waste, fraud, and abuse and hold agencies accountable to the American people,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said in a statement.
  • The Supreme Court will be issuing another batch of opinions this coming Thursday.
  • Last Thursday, HR Dive tells us,
    • “A federal appeals court’s “background circumstances” requirement for majority-group plaintiffs who seek to prove job discrimination cuts against both Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and U.S. Supreme Court precedent, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote for a unanimous SCOTUS on Thursday.
    • “The court reversed the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, which had dismissed a heterosexual woman’s claim that she was unlawfully passed over for a promotion in favor of a lesbian woman and subsequently demoted, after which a gay man was hired to fill her original role. The plaintiff alleged that those decisions constituted illegal discrimination on the basis of her sexual orientation, which the Supreme Court has said is a form of sex-based discrimination under Title VII.
    • “The 6th Circuit held that the plaintiff could not show background circumstances to support her suspicion that her employer discriminated against her on the basis of her status as a member of a majority group.
    • “Justice Jackson, however, wrote that such requirements flout the Supreme Court’s case law, which “makes clear that the standard for proving disparate treatment under Title VII does not vary based on whether or not the plaintiff is a member of a majority group.”
    • “The court vacated and remanded the case to the 6th Circuit for further proceedings.”
  • Federal News Network interviews Tammy Flanagan about “what retiring feds need to know about their benefits in transition.”
    • “Timing is everything when thinking about when to drop your retirement paperwork. Understanding what happens to your leave balances, health insurance, and survivor benefits can inform that decision. Hear with more on those key considerations is the Founder and Principal Retirement specialist at Retire Federal, Tammy Flanagan.”

From the public health and medical research front,

  • The University of Minnesota’s CIDRAP informs us,
    • “A new gene-tracking study in Nature shows that mpox spread among people in Nigeria for 8 years before it sparked a global outbreak in 2022.
    • “Using genomic tracing, researchers from Nigeria, the United States, Cameroon, Ethiopia, and Belgium estimate that the ancestor of the clade 2 mpox virus (mpxv) that ignited an international outbreak beginning in May 2022 first emerged in southern Nigeria in August 2014 and spread to 11 Nigerian states before human infections were detected in 2017. 
    • “In light of the findings, the authors write, “We need improved surveillance in the wildlife population in the forest systems to better understand the transmission and maintenance of MPXV in animal hosts,” as well as better human surveillance.
    • “We could have very easily prevented the 2022 multi-country outbreak if countries in Africa were given better access to therapeutics, vaccines, and surveillance technologies,” says first author Edyth Parker, PhD, MPhil, a researcher with the Institute of Genomics and Global Health and with the International Biosecurity and Biosafety Initiative for Science, in a Scripps Research news release. “In a vulnerably connected world, we cannot neglect epidemics until they get exported to the Global North.”
  • Medscape offers these reports from the recent American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) 2025 Annual Meeting.
    • Changing the prescribing protocol for low-dose aspirin (LDA) for preeclampsia prevention from risk-based to universal significantly increased aspirin use in pregnant patients, based on new data presented at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) 2025 Annual Meeting.
    • The use of LDA to reduce the risk for preeclampsia has been well established as an inexpensive and simple intervention, but it has remained underutilized nationwide, said lead author Meryl Y. Grimaldi, MD, of SBH Health System, New York City, in an interview.
    • “Many of the patients we care for at SBH Health are at high risk for preeclampsia, but we wanted to ensure that our eligible patients received the benefits of this intervention,” said Grimaldi, who presented the study at the meeting.
  • and
    • “Clinicians need to discuss and offer all patients a variety of pain management options for in-office gynecologic procedures ranging from intrauterine device (IUD) insertion to biopsies, according to new guidance published by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). The guidelines, published on May 15, are the first formal ones from ACOG to not only acknowledge the range of pain experiences that can be associated with different procedures but also to explicitly lay out recommendations for the conversations providers should have with their patients about what pain management options are available.
    • “This guidance speaks to more than just Ob/Gyns,” Co-Author Genevieve Hofmann, DNP, women’s health nurse practitioner and assistant professor of Ob/Gyn at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora, Colorado, said during a discussion with the press on May 17 at American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Annual Meeting in Minneapolis. “It speaks to any physician who’s providing these types of services and certainly to advanced practice registered nurses who work in women’s health and provide these services.”
  • Medscape adds,
    • Regeneron said on Monday [June 2, 2025,] its experimental drug helped patients preserve up to 51% of lean mass and lose more fat when used in combination with Novo Nordisk’s popular obesity drug Wegovy in a mid-stage trial. 
    • In the 599-patient study, those on Wegovy alone lost about 7.9 pounds of muscle, while those on a combination of Regeneron’s trevogrumab and Wegovy lost up to 4.2 pounds. 
    • The combination helped patients shed up to 11.3% of their body weight compared with 10.4% for those on only Wegovy. 
    • The results mark an early win for Regeneron in the race against nearly a dozen companies to develop obesity treatments that preserve muscle, as they vie for a share of the potential $150 billion weight-loss drug market. 

From the U.S. healthcare business front,

  • Medical Economics “spoke with Mark McClellan, M.D., Ph.D., director, Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy, and a former administrator at CMS, about why value-based care hasn’t been adopted more quickly.” and let us know that “New Marit Health data from May, 2025, reveal that physicians feel most satisfied where compensation aligns with cost of living, practice expectations and quality of life. These 10 states show that perceived fairness matters just as much as raw earnings.”
  • The Wall Street Journal reports,
    • Unexpected healthcare costs can arise in retirement, such as uncovered drugs, isolation and concierge care.
    • Medicare Part D may not cover all drugs, potentially leading to high out-of-pocket expenses for uncovered medications.
    • Retirees may face unexpected travel costs for medical care based on retirement location or feel compelled to pay for concierge medical care.
  • All PSHB plans and Most FEHB plans offer Medicare Part D plans which are integrated with the regular plan formulary, thereby reducing one of the Journal’s identified risks.
  • Per BioPharma Dive,
    • “Hiroyuki Okuzawa holds an enviable position. The veteran Daiichi Sankyo executive took over as the Japanese drugmaker’s new CEO two months ago and inherited a company whose cancer medicines have, over the past half-decade, won it three of the pharmaceutical industry’s largest licensing deals.
    • “One of those medicines, the antibody-drug conjugate Enhertu, again took the spotlight at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual meeting here, showing potential to become part of standard therapy for the frontline treatment of advanced breast cancer. It did the same in 2022 and 2024.
    • “Okuzawa can point to Enhertu and four other antibody-drug conjugates Daiichi Sankyo’s developing with AstraZeneca and Merck & Co. as proof of the strength of its research laboratories. By 2030, the company plansto have these five “ADCs” approved across more than 30 tumor types, which would allow it to treat nearly 400,000 cancer patients each year.
    • “We’d like to become one of the most important players in oncology,” said Okuzawa, noting aspirations to crack the top 10 companies by cancer drug sales. “Our senior leaders are now talking about not only top 10, but maybe top 5. We’re very much confident in our ADCs.”
  • Per Fierce Healthcare,
    • Neuroscience technology company Brooklyn Health is using artificial intelligence to target a fundamental problem in neurology and psychiatry: the flawed approach to mental health outcomes measurement.
    • The startup aims to modernize mental health measurement and scoring in central nervous system (CNS) drug development, an area of CNS research that faces limitations in objectivity and standardization. 
    • “Clinical interviews, the standard for symptom assessment, are fundamentally unreliable and imprecise,” said Anzar Abbas, Ph.D., a neuroscientist and founder of Brooklyn Health, in an interview.
    • “Brooklyn’s platform uses AI and digital phenotyping methods it developed to evaluate the quality and scoring of clinical interviews in real time.” * * *
    • “Brooklyn’s current focus in on drug development and central nervous system clinical trials to improve outcome measurement, essentially, how well a drug is working. But the company has ambitions beyond clinical trials to support outcome measurement across all forms of behavioral health delivery, including in-clinic psychiatric care and virtual mental health platforms.” 
  • The Washington Post reports on a smartphone app Death Clock AI that predicts how many years a user has left before beginning to push daisies as they day.

Cybersecurity Saturday

David Ermer–Cybersecurity, Generative AI–

From the cybersecurity policy and law enforcement front,

  • Yesterday, the President issued a cybersecurity executive order. Here is a link to related fact sheet.
  • Federal News Network adds,
    • “President Donald Trump has signed a new cybersecurity executive order that continues many of the policies of his predecessors, while also marking out some key changes in the approach to software security, digital identity and more.
    • “The new executive order, “Sustaining Select Efforts to Strengthen the Nation’s Cybersecurity,” modifies many aspects of a cyber EO signed by President Joe Biden in January. It also makes changes to executive orders signed by President Barack Obama to focus federal cybersecurity law enforcement efforts on foreign nationals.
    • “But Trump’s new EO continues key aspects Biden directives, including an effort to strengthen the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s role in defending civilian federal networks.” * * *
    • “The latest cybersecurity executive order also maintains federal efforts around post-quantum cryptography, Border Gateway Protocol, and advanced encryption.
    • “But it eliminates the January order’s directive for agencies to require federal software vendors to provide evidence of following secure development practices.
    • “Instead, Trump directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology to establish a new consortium with industry “that demonstrates the implementation of secure software development, security, and operations practices” based on NIST’s Secure Software Development Framework.”
  • Per Cybersecurity Dive,
    • “Trump’s elimination of Biden’s software security requirements for federal contractors represents a significant government reversal on cyber regulation. Following years of major cyberattacks linked to insecure software, the Biden administration sought to use federal procurement power to improve the software industry’s practices. That effort began with Biden’s 2021 cyber order and gained strength in 2024, and then Biden officials tried to add teeth to the initiative before leaving office in January. But as it eliminated that project on Friday, the Trump administration castigated Biden’s efforts as “imposing unproven and burdensome software accounting processes that prioritized compliance checklists over genuine security investments.”
    • “Trump’s order eliminates provisions from Biden’s directive that would have required federal contractors to submit “secure software development attestations,” along with technical data to back up those attestations. Also now eradicated are provisions that would have required the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to verify vendors’ attestations, required the Office of the National Cyber Director to publish the results of those reviews and encouraged ONCD to refer companies whose attestations fail a review to the Justice Department “for action as appropriate.”
  • Cyberscoop reports,
    • “Sean Cairncross laid out his vision to senators Thursday for the Office of the National Cyber Director if he is confirmed to lead it.
    • “A goal of mine is to make sure this office sits at the place that this committee and I believe Congress intended in the statute, and that is to lead cyber policy coordination across the federal government,” he told the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee at his confirmation hearing.
    • “In doing that, working with our interagency partners is vital,” he said. “We’ve been empowered to work with [the Office of Management and Budget] to ensure that budget alignment among the interagency aligns with administration policy, and I think those tools have to be leveraged, and relationships between us and the interagency — it’s making sure that it is monitored and enforced.”
  • Cybersecurity Dive adds,
    • “Two coalitions of cybersecurity companies, professional associations and experts have endorsed Sean Plankey and Sean Cairncross, President Donald Trump’s nominees to serve as director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and national cyber director, respectively.
    • “Plankey and Cairncross’s backers include executives at cybersecurity firms, former senior government officials from administrations of both parties and leaders of trade groups and think tanks.”
  • Per Bleeping Computer,
    • “The U.S. Department of State has announced a reward of up to $10 million for any information on government-sponsored hackers with ties to the RedLine infostealer malware operation and its suspected creator, Russian national Maxim Alexandrovich Rudometov.
    • “The same bounty covers leads on state hackers’ use of this malware in cyber operations targeting critical infrastructure organizations in the United States.
    • “This bounty is posted as part of the Department of State’s Rewards for Justice program established by the 1984 Act to Combat International Terrorism, which rewards informants for tips that help identify or locate foreign government threat actors behind cyberattacks against U.S. entities.”
  • Per Cyberscoop,
    • “Federal authorities on Thursday [June 5, 2025] said they seized $7.74 million from North Korean nationals as they attempted to launder cryptocurrency obtained by IT workers who gained illegal employment and funneled the wages to the North Korean regime.
    • “The allegedly illegally obtained funds were linked to Sim Hyon Sop, a representative of North Korean Foreign Trade Bank, and Kim Sang Man, CEO of Chinyong, an outfit associated with North Korea’s Ministry of Defense, the Justice Department said. Both North Korean nationals were added to the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control’s list of sanctioned individuals in 2023.
    • “The cryptocurrency seizure marks another action in a series of long-running law enforcement efforts to identify and prevent North Korean operatives from gaining employment at companies, evading U.S. sanctions, and sending payroll back to the North Korean government.”
  • Per Security Week,
    • “German authorities have named Russian national Vitaly Nikolaevich Kovalev as the founder and leader of the TrickBot cybercrime gang.”
    • “Established in 2016, the TrickBot group is believed to have infected millions of computers worldwide, exfiltrating sensitive information such as credentials, banking and credit card details, and personal information, while also enabling the deployment of other malware, such as ransomware.
    • “Authorities targeted TrickBot’s infrastructure in takedown attempts in 2020 and 2024 and announced charges and sanctions against over a dozen group members in 2023, including Kovalev, believed at the time to be a senior figure within the cybercrime ring.”

From the cybersecurity vulnerabilities and breaches front,

  • CISA added nine known exploited vulnerabilities to its catalog this week.
  • Bleeping Computer tells us,
    • “A threat actor has re-released data from a 2021 AT&T breach affecting 70 million customers, this time combining previously separate files to directly link Social Security numbers and birth dates to individual users.
    • “AT&T told BleepingComputer that they are investigating the data but also believe it originates from the known breach and was repackaged into a new leak.
    • “It is not uncommon for cybercriminals to repackage previously disclosed data for financial gain. We just learned about claims that AT&T data is being made available for sale on dark web forums, and we are conducting a full investigation,” AT&T told BleepingComputer.”
  • andD
    • “Cisco has released patches to address three vulnerabilities with public exploit code in its Identity Services Engine (ISE) and Customer Collaboration Platform (CCP) solutions.
    • “The most severe of the three is a critical static credential vulnerability tracked as CVE-2025-20286, found by GMO Cybersecurity’s Kentaro Kawane in Cisco ISE. This identity-based policy enforcement software provides endpoint access control and network device administration in enterprise environments.
    • “The vulnerability is due to improperly generated credentials when deploying Cisco ISE on cloud platforms, resulting in shared credentials across different deployments.”
  • Dark Reading informs us,
    • “ClickFix campaigns are gaining steam according to various security researchers, with recent campaigns spotted across the globe from a wide swath of cyberattackers. The increasingly popular tactic represents a significant new evolution for social engineering, researchers say — and enterprises need to take note.
    • “ClickFix activity has been snowballing: Darktrace said yesterday that it recently identified multiple ClickFix attacks across customer environments in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), and in the United States; while SlashNext, in a separate report, detailed an unusual version of the attack vector that impersonates Cloudflare Turnstile, which is the Web protection company’s CAPTCHA-like Turing test. Also, this week, Cofense outlined a campaign that spoofed Booking.com CAPTCHAs, targeting hotel chains with remote access Trojans (RATs) and infostealers.”
  • and
    • The Federal Burau of Investigation (FBI) warned that cybercriminals are compromising Internet of Things (IoT) devices connected to home networks through the BADBOX 2.0 botnet.
    • The BADBOX 2.0 botnet was discovered several months ago after the original BADBOX campaign was disrupted in 2024. Human Security’s Satori Threat Intelligence and Research team, alongside Google, Trend Micro, the Shadowserver Foundation, and others, were able to partially disrupt the “complex and expansive” BADBOX 2.0 operation, noting that it remains the largest botnet of infected connected TV (CTV) devices ever uncovered.
  • Per Cybersecurity Dive,
    • “A financially motivated hacker group has been targeting Salesforce instances for months in a campaign that uses voice phishing to engage in data theft and follow-on extortion attempts, according to Google Threat Intelligence Group. 
    • “The hackers, whom Google tracks as UNC6040, impersonated IT workers and tricked employees at often English-speaking branches of multinational companies into sharing sensitive credentials that were then used to access the organizations’ Salesforce data, Google said in a blog post published Wednesday.
    • “As part of the social engineering campaign, the hackers tricked workers at these companies into visiting the Salesforce-connected app setup page, at which point the attackers used an unauthorized, malicious version of the Salesforce Data Loader app to access and steal sensitive information from the customers’ Salesforce environments. 
    • “Beyond the immediate data thefts, the hackers were able to move laterally within target networks, accessing victims’ other cloud services and moving into internal corporate networks.”

From the ransomware front,

  • The American Hospital Association warns,
    • “The FBI, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and Australian Cyber Security Centre June 4 released an advisory on updated actions and tactics used by the Play ransomware group. The group, active since 2022, has impacted a wide range of businesses and critical infrastructure in North America, South America and Europe. As of May, the FBI was aware of about 900 victims allegedly exploited by the group’s efforts.
    • “The threat actors are presumed to be a closed group, designed to “guarantee the secrecy of deals,” according to a statement on the group’s data leak website. They employ a double-extortion model that encrypts systems after exfiltrating data. Their ransom notes do not include an initial ransom demand or payment instructions. Instead, victims are instructed to contact the threat actors via email.
    • “Play ransomware was among the most active cyberthreat groups in 2024,” said Scott Gee, AHA deputy national advisor for cybersecurity and risk. “This report highlights their evolving tactics, and health care cybersecurity teams should be aware of the changes.  As threat actors shift tactics, it is critical that network defenders keep pace. The double-layered extortion model and encryption of systems, as well as theft of data, pose a serious potential risk to hospitals and the delivery of health care.”
  • Cybersecurity Dive adds,
    • “Since mid-January, multiple ransomware groups, including initial access brokers affiliated with Play, have targeted vulnerabilities in a remote support tool called SimpleHelp. Researchers disclosed those flaws in January.  
    • “The new advisory updates the government’s original December 2023 warning about the Play ransomware group, which is also known as PlayCrypt. The hackers have previously been blamed for attacks targeting ConnectWise ScreenConnect and Rackspace. 
    • “The recent attacks exploiting SimpleHelp involve three flaws discovered by security firm Horizon3.ai.”
  • Bleeping Computer lets us know,
    • “Healthcare giant Kettering Health, which manages 14 medical centers in Ohio, confirmed that the Interlock ransomware group breached its network and stole data in a May cyberattack.
    • “Kettering Health operates over 120 outpatient facilities and employs over 15,000 people, including over 1,800 physicians.
    • “The healthcare network noted in a Thursday statement that its network devices have been secured, and its team is now working on re-establishing communication channels with patients disrupted by the outage triggered by last month’s ransomware attack.”
  • Security Week adds,
    • “American media company Lee Enterprises revealed this week that the disruptive cyberattack it dealt with earlier this year resulted in a data breach impacting nearly 40,000 individuals.
    • “Lee Enterprises owns 350 weekly and specialty publications across 25 states, and dozens of them suffered disruptions in February as a result of a ransomware attack that involved the encryption of critical applications and the theft of files.
    • “The company informed the Maine Attorney General’s Office this week that it recently completed its investigation into the incident and determined that personal information was compromised.
    • “According to Lee Enterprises, the attackers may have obtained the information of 39,779 people, including their names and Social Security numbers.
    • “Affected individuals are being offered 12 months of free credit monitoring and identity protection services.”
  • Honeywell lets us know,
    • “In a growing wave of sophisticated cyber threats against the industrial sector, ransomware attacks jumped by 46% from Q4 2024 to Q1 2025, according to Honeywell’s new 2025 Cybersecurity Threat Report. The research also found that both malware and ransomware increased significantly in this period and included a 3,000% spike in the use of one trojan designed to steal credentials from industrial operators.”
    • “To learn more and download the full report, visit our website.”

From the cybersecurity business and defenses front,

  • Cybersecurity Dive reports,
    • “Microsoft and CrowdStrike will lead a cooperative effort to map out the overlapping web of hacker groups that their researchers have disclosed and named, the companies said on Monday. 
    • “Palo Alto Networks and Google and its Mandiant unit have also agreed to join the collaborative effort on streamlining threat group taxonomy.
    • “For years, the companies’ different naming conventions for various criminal and state-linked threat groups have created unnecessary confusion and delays in the sharing of threat intelligence.
    • “Microsoft and CrowdStrike released an initial version of their threat actor matrix on Monday, listing the groups they track and each one’s corresponding aliases from other researchers.
    • “Palo Alto Networks and Google and its Mandiant unit are joining the collaborative effort on streamlining threat group taxonomy.”
  • The Wall Street Journal reports,
    • “CrowdStrike swung to a loss in the fiscal first quarter and posted a lower-than-expected outlook, as the costs of its outage last summer continue to weigh on results.
    • “The cybersecurity company said Tuesday its revenue is still being hurt by an incentive program it launched last year to try to retain customers after a widespread software outage in July.
    • “CrowdStrike had implemented a customer-commitment program, which let customers try some products for free, and was weighing on its subscription revenue. The program wrapped up at the end of fiscal-year 2025, but its effects are lingering.”
  • Dark Reading tells us,
    • “F5 this week announced the acquisition of Fletch, a San Francisco-based startup with agent-based artificial intelligence (AI) technology that analyzes massive amounts of threat intelligence data and remediates the most severe vulnerabilities in real time.
    • “Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but most of Fletch’s 15 employees have joined F5, which was seeking the technology and expertise to bring agentic AI capabilities to the recently introduced F5 Application Delivery and Security Platform (ADSP).”
  • Help Net Security points out,
    • “Cybersecurity leaders and consultants identified AI-driven automation and cost optimization as top organizational priorities, according to Wipro. 
    • “30% of respondents are investing in AI automation to enhance their cybersecurity operations. AI-driven automation can help in detecting and responding to threatsmore quickly and accurately, thereby reducing the need for extensive manual intervention. 
    • ‘26% of respondents are focusing on tools rationalization. This approach involves evaluating and consolidating duplicate security tools across platforms to eliminate redundancies and improve efficiency while reducing costs. 
    • “Another significant area is security and risk management process optimization, with 23% of organizations targeting this for cost savings. Streamlining these processes can lead to more effective risk management and better allocation of resources. Apart from these priorities, 20% are focusing on simplifying operating models to achieve better visibility and faster response across reduced attack surfaces.”
  • Here is a link to Dark Reading’s CISO Corner.

Friday report

David Ermer–AHRQ, CDC, Congress, COVID-19, Employee Wellness Programs, FDA, Medical / Rx research, Mental health care, OPM, Patient safety, Rx coverage, U.S. Healthcare–
Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

From Washington, DC

  • The American Hospital Association (AHA) News reports,
    • “Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Andy Kim, D-N.J., June 5 reintroduced the SEPSIS Act, legislation which would task the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with continuing its efforts addressing sepsis care. The agency’s work would include an education campaign about addressing sepsis in hospitals, improving pediatric sepsis data collection, sharing information with the Department of Health and Human Services on data collection, and developing and implementing a sepsis outcome measure.
    • “The bill would also require a report on a sepsis outcome measure and a congressional briefing on the CDC’s sepsis activities. Additionally, the legislation includes a voluntary recognition program for hospitals that maintain effective sepsis programs or improve their programs over time.”
  • and
    • “The House June 4 passed the AHA-supported SUPPORT Act (H.R. 2483) by a 366-57 vote. The legislation reauthorizes key prevention, treatment and recovery programs for patients with substance use disorder, including programs to support the behavioral health workforce.”
  • Federal News Network tells us,
    • “More federal employees filed retirement papers with the Office of Personnel Management in May than in the last three months. OPM said it received more than 15,000 claims last month, driving the backlog up over 21,000. The processing time for these retirement claims remain consistent at 49 days on average in May and 52 days on average for the entire 2025. The increase in applications comes as OPM is requiring agencies to send retirement paperwork only in digital formats by July 15. OPM launched two new tools this week to improve the retirement services process. One is a new platform for agency HR and payroll providers and another to modernize the Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF) platform.”
  • CMS shared “Federal Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) Technical Assistance for Certified IDR Entities and Disputing Parties –June 2025 — Topic: Errors Identified After Dispute Closure.”
  • BenefitFocus discusses “Health Care Transparency 2.0 – What Might We See in Forthcoming Transparency Regulations.”

From the Food and Drug Administration front,

  • Per BioPharma Dive, “FDA meeting gives window into gene therapy field’s angst. Gene therapy experts and advocates warning of the sector’s many challenges found a receptive audience in FDA leadership at a regulatory forum Thursday.”
  • Per MedTech Dive,
    • “Medtronic is recalling certain tracheostomy tubes because of the risk that the devices could dislodge, causing an emergency where the patient cannot breathe or their airway is blocked, according to a Thursday Class I recall notice from the Food and Drug Administration. 
    • “The company sent a notice to customers on Feb. 26 asking them to quarantine and return all unused tubes from the affected lot. The recall applies to the Shiley adult flexible tracheostomy tube with taperguard cuff reusable inner cannula.
    • “Medtronic began the recall after receiving reports from customers that the flange used to secure the device may become disconnected. Patient harm was reported in some cases, but no deaths have been reported to date, a company spokesperson wrote in an email Thursday.”
  • BioPharma Dive relates,
    • “Vera Therapeutics lost nearly a third of its market value Friday after Otsuka Pharmaceutical presented late-stage study data on a rival drug it’s developing for the kidney disease IgA nephropathy. At a medical meeting, Otsuka said its therapy, sibeprenlimab, led to a 51% reduction in proteinuria, a key marker of kidney health, after nine months of treatment. Though cross-trial comparisons can be misleading, Vera’s therapy led to a 42% reduction in proteinuria compared to placebo at a similar timepoint in its own Phase 3 study, causing investors to sell off company shares. Still, some analysts defended Vera. Jefferies’ Farzin Haque cautioned not to “overinterpret the data” and argued the two datasets “are not clinically or statistically different for commercial uptake.” The Food and Drug Administration could approve Otsuka’s drug by Nov. 28. On Monday, Vera said it intends to file an accelerated approval application in the fourth quarter.”

From the judicial front,

  • Beckers Hospital Review informs us,
    • “The CEO of a healthcare software company was convicted by a federal jury for his role in operating a platform that generated fraudulent physicians’ orders to defraud Medicare and other payers out of more than $1 billion.
    • “Gary Cox, 79, of Maricopa County, Ariz., was the CEO of Power Mobility Doctor Rx (DMERx), an internet-based platform that generated fraudulent orders for unnecessary orthotic braces, pain creams and other items, according to a June 3 Justice Department news release.”

From the public health and medical research front,

  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced today,
    • Seasonal influenza, COVID-19, and RSV activity is low.
    • COVID-19
      • COVID-19 wastewater activity is low and emergency department visits and laboratory percent positivity are at very low levels.
    • Influenza
    • RSV
      • RSV activity has declined to low levels.
  • The AHA News lets us know,
    • “There have been 1,168 confirmed cases of measles across 33 states as of June 6 this year, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This year’s figure is more than four times higher than the 2024 total of 285 cases. There have been 17 outbreaks this year, and 89% of confirmed cases (1,040 of 1,168) are outbreak-associated. The vaccination status of 95% of all cases is classified as “unvaccinated or unknown.” 
  • Of note, Health Day warns us,
    • “An afternoon snooze might seem appealing to middle-aged folks and seniors, but these naps could carry a high cost.
    • “People with certain types of napping patterns have a greater risk of an early death, researchers are slated to report at an upcoming meeting of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM).
    • “People who slept longer during the day, had irregular daytime sleep patterns, or slept more around midday and early afternoon were at greater risk, even after accounting for health and lifestyle factors,” lead researcher Chenlu Gao, a postdoctoral research fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, said in a news release.
    • “The findings call into question the whole concept of the “power nap.”
  • HHS’s AHRQ posted a report about “Management of Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Youth: A Systematic Review.”
  • Per HR Dive,
    • “Work can either fuel employee well-being or become a source of strain for employees already stressed out by economic volatility and political tension, according to a May 12 survey of employee mental health by Inmar Intelligence.
    • “Of the 1,000 U.S. full- and part-time employees who responded to the May 12 survey, 34% said their job positively impacts their mental health, while 33% reported a negative impact, Inmar found.
    • “This near-even split reinforces the importance of thoughtful leadership and inclusive workplace design to support the full spectrum of employee needs,” the business technology firm stated in a May 29 post.”
  • Cardiovascular Business reports,
    • “Heart surgeons with the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute have made a bit of history, performing the world’s first robotic explant of a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) device and subsequent aortic valve replacement.
    • “The group already has plenty of experience breaking new ground in the field of robotic-assisted surgery. They developed a robotic aortic valve replacement (RAVR) technique that is now being used all over the world and performed the world’s first robotic aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass (RAVCAB) procedure in 2024.
    • “This latest breakthrough started when Thelma Hyer, a 67-year-old female patient, presented with a failing TAVR valve in addition a leaky mitral valve. She had received her TAVR valve just four years prior, but premature structural valve degeneration had already made a full replacement necessary.
    • “Vinay Badhwar, MD, executive chair of the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute, initially recommended open-heart surgery to remove the failing TAVR valve and then replace her aortic and mitral valves. However, Hyer and her family had hesitations due to her history of scoliosis and arthritis. Badhwar then proposed using robotics as an alternative. 
    • “The technology had never been used in this exact way before, but Badhwar was confident in the abilities of both his team and the robotic surgery platform. The group developed a plan, talked it over with the patient, and went forward with the robotic procedure in late May. 
    • “The operation—including the TAVR explant and the replacement of both heart valves—appears to have been a success. Hyer was discharged after less than a full week of observation.”

From the U.S. healthcare business front,

  • The Wall Street Journal reports,
    • “Omada Health shares jumped after the company made its public-market debut, propelled by Americans’ renewed focus on how weight affects physical health.
    • “Shares of the virtual healthcare platform climbed 35% to $25 on Friday, at one point hitting a high of $28, above the initial offering price of $19. The price gives it a market valuation of around $1.4 billion.
    • “The gains are a sign investors are willing to invest in newly public companies after a volatile stock market pushed some companies like payments platform Klarna to delay its IPO filing. Stablecoin issuer Circle opened on Thursday at $69, more than double its offering price, and was recently trading at $119.15. Hinge Health HNGE 0.83%increase; green up pointing triangle, another digital health company, opened in May at $39 after offering a $32 price.
    • “Omada is trading publicly after 14 years of providing support to patients with weight-related chronic illnesses. Leadership sees the current moment as the perfect time for an IPO, as GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro have sparked renewed focus on health problems that can stem from obesity, President Wei-Li Shao said.
    • “We’re entering this unique moment in time where there’s a convergence between what we’ve been working on for over a decade, and then also what society is increasingly caring about,” Shao said.”
  • Becker Hospital Review discusses ten key transactions that created Ascension 2.0.
    • “Over the last 16 months, St. Louis-based Ascension has sold or consolidated about 35 hospitals across the country as it revamps its hospital portfolio, operating model and overall financial performance.
    • “Despite reporting a $466 million operating loss (a -2.4% margin) for the nine months ending March 31, 2025, the Catholic nonprofit system has made notable strides in improving its liquidity position. That progress is largely attributed to the successful collection of accounts receivable that had temporarily spiked due to two major cybersecurity incidents — the May 2024 ransomware attack and the February 2024 Change Healthcare cyberattack.
    • “Since the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024 — the three months ending June 30, 2024 — Ascension has improved recurring operating performance by $1.4 billion, while increasing patient volumes and same-facility revenue.”
  • Beckers Health IT tells us,
    • “California-based Stanford Health Care is piloting an internally developed, AI-backed software designed to revolutionize clinician interaction with the EHR.
    • “Nigam Shah, MBBS, PhD, chief data science officer at Stanford Health Care, is leading the development team for ChatEHR, which allows clinicians to ask questions, request summaries and pull specific information from a patient’s medical record. ChatEHR is built directly into Stanford’s EHR to maximize clinical workflow.
    • “The pilot is available to a small cohort of 33 physicians, nurses and physician assistants. The technology is secure and designed for information gathering; not medical advice.
    • “ChatEHR, which has been in development since 2023, facilitates a more streamlined and efficient way for clinicians to interact with patient records.
    • “This is a unique instance of integrating [large language model] capabilities directly into clinicians’ practice and workflow,” said Michael Pfeffer, MD, chief information and digital officer at Stanford Health Care and School of Medicine, in a news release. “We’re thrilled to bring this to the workforce at Stanford Health Care.”
  • Drug Store News informs us,
    • “Walmart has become the first retailer to scale its drone delivery to five states with its recently announced service expansion in Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Orlando and Tampa. The new service will launch at 100 stores throughout Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Texas, in addition to current operations in Northwest Arkansas and the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
    • “As we look ahead, drone delivery will remain a key part of our commitment to redefining retail,” said Greg Cathey, SVP, Walmart U.S. transformation and innovation. “We’re pushing the boundaries of convenience to better serve our customers, making shopping faster and easier than ever before.”
    • “Continued Cathey: “This expansion of our drone delivery service marks a significant milestone in that journey. As the first retailer to scale drone delivery, Walmart is once again demonstrating its commitment to leveraging technology to enhance our delivery offerings with a focus on speed.” 

Thursday Report

David Ermer–Congress, COVID-19 testing, Federal employment benefits, Medical / Rx research, Mental health care, Obesity, OPM, U.S. Healthcare–
Photo by Josh Mills on Unsplash

From Washington, DC

  • Modern Healthcare reports,
    • “Senate Republicans are considering cuts to Medicare spending to help pay for Donald Trump’s signature legislative package.
    • “The GOP lawmakers are proceeding cautiously as they expand their search for savings to a popular health insurance program nearly all Americans rely upon in retirement, presenting the move as an effort to root out waste, fraud and abuse. That includes cutting payments to health insurance companies that run private Medicare plans.”
  • The Wall Street Journal adds,
    • “Humana, the second-biggest Medicare insurer, has told congressional staffers that it will support moves that would curtail billing practices worth billions in extra payments to the industry, according to staffers and a document viewed by The Wall Street Journal.
    • “The stance by a leader in the Medicare Advantage business—in which insurers offer privately run Medicare plans—represents an important development in a growing debate over how the companies are paid in the $460 billion program.
    • “Insurers get paid more for covering sicker patients in Medicare Advantage, giving companies an incentive to record more diagnoses. Humana has told congressional staffers that it is willing to back new limits on lucrative payments insurers can gain from diagnoses recorded by nurse practitioners who visit millions of enrollees in their homes, according to a one-page policy overview shared with congressional staffers.
    • “After the Journal published this article Thursday morning, the biggest Medicare insurer, UnitedHealth Group, posted a statement saying that it too would support a new limit on the use of diagnoses from home visits.”
  • Healio points out,
    • HHS has ended a government-funded program that distributed free COVID-19 tests to community organizations, a department spokesperson confirmed to Healio.
    • “With COVID-19 behaving more like the seasonal flu — rising and falling through the year — and tests widely available at retail stores nationwide, continued federal distribution is a significant waste of taxpayers’ dollars,” the spokesperson said. “The COVID-19 pandemic is over.” * * *
    • “The program differed from the mail-based program that was started and stopped several times throughout the pandemic and provided U.S. residents the opportunity to get free COVID-19 tests delivered directly to their homes.”
    • “HHS is in the process of purchasing a supply of tests that can distinguish between COVID-19 and influenza to have on hand for emergencies.”
  • Tammy Flanagan, writing in Govexec, discusses “Should you stay, or should you go? 10 tips for navigating your federal retirement decision. What to consider—financially and emotionally—before leaving government service.”

From the public health and medical research front,

  • Chief Healthcare Executive tells us,
    • Two years ago, the American Diabetes Association and The Leapfrog Group announced that they were joining forces to recognize hospitals for providing excellent care to patients with diabetes.
    • Now, the groups are announcing honors for a second batch of recipients, and they’re recognizing more than twice as many hospitals.
    • The American Diabetes Association and the Leapfrog Group have announced 36 hospitals as 2025 Recognized Leaders in Caring for People Living with Diabetes. A year ago, the groups recognized 17 hospitals [which are listed in the article].
    • The organizations say they want to give public recognition to hospitals, but they are also highlighting the importance of providing proper care for patients with diabetes.
    • Nearly one-third of patients admitted to hospitals (30%) are diagnosed with diabetes. Some of those are patients that are being treated in the hospital for another illness or injury.
  • The New York Times reports,
    • “The technology that powered Covid vaccines may also lead scientists to a cure for H.I.V. Using mRNA, Australian researchers said they were able to trick the virus to come out of hiding, a crucial step in ridding the body of it entirely.
    • “The research, published last week in Nature Communications, is still preliminary, and so far, has been shown to be successful only in a lab. But it suggests that mRNA has potential far beyond its use in vaccines as a means to deliver therapies against stubborn adversaries.
    • “Short for messenger RNA, mRNA is a set of instructions for a gene. In the case of Covid vaccines, the instructions were for a piece of the coronavirus. In the new study, they are for molecules key to targeting H.I.V.
    • “Dr. Sharon Lewin, director of the Cumming Global Center for Pandemic Therapeutics in Melbourne, who led the study, called mRNA a “miraculous” tool “to deliver things that you want into places that were not possible before.”
  • STAT News adds,
    • “People with diabetes who were taking GLP-1 drugs had a low but elevated risk of an age-related eye disease that can sometimes lead to blindness, a new observational study concludes, adding to a short list of concerns about eye health in people taking the powerful medications.
    • “The research, published Thursday in JAMA Ophthalmology, found that after one year, more than twice as many people on GLP-1 drugs developed neovascular age-related macular degeneration compared to similar people who were not taking the drugs. The risk was 0.2% in people taking GLP-1s and 0.1% in those who didn’t. Participants, drawn from health records of nearly 140,000 patients in Canada, were matched for socioeconomic status and a long list of conditions in addition to diabetes.” * * *
    • “Seeing such a clear signal in our study was striking,” co-author Reut Shor of the University of Toronto told STAT. “The absolute risk remains low, but the advanced form of AMD is a condition with serious implications for vision and quality of life. So a doubling of risk is clinically meaningful, particularly for vulnerable populations like older adults who may already be at elevated baseline risk.”
  • Per Health Day,
    • “A quality improvement strategy can improve electronic health record-based screening for depression and anxiety in people with epilepsy, according to a study published online April 16 in the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science.
    • “Heidi M. Munger Clary, M.D., M.P.H., from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and colleagues developed an implementation strategy for anxiety and depression screening among people treated at an epilepsy center. Implementation outcomes were evaluated five months postimplementation compared to two three-month preimplementation time frames.”
  • and
    • Dietary patterns seem to be associated with depressive symptoms, according to a study published online June 3 in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health.
    • Gabriella Menniti, M.D., from Unity Health Toronto, and colleagues conducted a cross-sectional study using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007 to 2018 data to examine the association between restrictive dietary patterns and depressive symptoms stratified by sex and body mass index.
  • Per MedPage Today,
    • High blood pressure (BP) awareness increasingly slipped under the radar since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to nationally representative health data.
    • Results from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cycles, spanning the years 2013 to 2023, showed no improvement in the proportion of adults having hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol who self-reported being unaware and never diagnosed. In fact, hypertension awareness stood out for trending significantly in the wrong direction:
      • Adults with hypertension not realizing it: 14.6% in 2013-2014 to 17.8% in 2021-2023
      • Adults with diabetes not realizing it: 27.5% to 28.9%
      • Adults with high total cholesterol not realizing it: 11.5% to 11.9%
    • “Given declining cardiometabolic health in young adults, it is concerning that approximately one in three with hypertension, two in five with diabetes, and one in four with a high cholesterol level are unaware of having these conditions. Policy efforts to address these gaps in awareness are needed to prevent future cardiovascular events,” wrote Rishi Wadhera, MD, MPP, MPhil, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, and colleagues in JAMA Cardiology“

From the U.S. healthcare business front,

  • Beckers Hospital Review informs us,
    • “Nonprofit hospitals are seeing margins improve as patient demand for care soars, according to Kaufman Hall’s “National Hospital Flash Report” released June 5.
    • “Kaufman Hall, a Vizient company, analyzed data from 1,300 hospitals collected by Strata Decision Technology for its monthly report.
    • “Hospital performance from January to April outpaced the first four months of 2024, largely driven by patient volume and hospital efficiency,” said Erik Swanson, managing director and group leader, data and analytics, at Kaufman Hall. “Operating room minutes, ED visits and inpatient revenue are trending upward, demonstrating a strong demand for services. A decline in average length of stay indicates that hospitals are triaging, treating, and discharging patients effectively and appropriately.”
  • Modern Healthcare reports,
    • “Nineteen critical access hospitals in Nebraska have formed a clinically integrated network, the third coalition of its kind created over the past three months.
    • “The Nebraska High Value Network aims to give rural hospitals the scale to lower costs, invest in new technology, improve treatment and expand value-based contracts while remaining independent. The network, announced Thursday, follows similar alliances in Montana, Ohio, Minnesota and North Dakota.” * * *
    • “Cibolo Health, the rural health advisory firm that helped launch these hospital collaborations, will manage daily operations of the Nebraska High Value Network. The network will include clinical and business integration committees led by member hospital executives who will oversee quality and administrative initiatives.”
  • Beckers Clinical Leadership lets us know,
    • “The District of Columbia has the most physicians per 100,000 population, while Idaho has the fewest specialist physicians and Nevada has the fewest primary care physicians per 100,000, KFF data found.
    • “KFF used data from Redi-Data to find the number of MD and DO active state-licensed physicians as of April 2025. Becker’s used Census data from 2025 to find the population of each state.
    • “There are 535,542 primary care physicians and 570,655 specialist physicians in the U.S. this year.
    • “[The article includes a chart with] the number of primary care and specialist physicians per 100,000 people in each state and the District of Columbia.”
  • Per MedTech Dive,
    • “Johnson & Johnson CFO Joseph Wolk, at the Bernstein investor conference last week, tempered the company’s expectation that it would suffer a $400 million tariff impact this year.
    • “Wolk gave the update after the U.S. and China reached a temporary agreement to pause escalating tariff rates between the two countries for 90 days.
    • “Weeks before the pause, J&J had predicted on an April’s earnings call that it would incur tariff-related costs of about $400 million this year, primarily affecting its medtech business.
    • “But Wolk, at the Bernstein conference, suggested the forecasted tariff hit could change in the future.
    • “Just based on the retaliatory China tariffs that we had in our $400 million assessment, that probably cuts the $400 million down to $200 million,” Wolk said, responding to a question about the shifting tariffs landscape. That does not include any impact that could result from the Trump administration’s Section 232 investigations, he said. The Trump administration has launched special investigations into the pharmaceutical and semiconductor industries that could lead to tariffs.
    • “In addition, Wolk noted, tariffs between the U.S. and Europe remain in flux.” 

Midweek Report

David Ermer–Congress, FDA, HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules, Medical / Rx research, NIH, Obesity, Rx coverage, U.S. Healthcare–
Thanks to Aaron Burden for sharing their work on Unsplash.

From Washington, DC

  • The American Hospital Association News tells us,
    • “A Congressional Budget Office report released June 4 found that enactment of the fiscal year 2025 budget reconciliation bill, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1), would lead to 10.9 million people becoming uninsured in 2034 due to significant changes to the Medicaid program and Affordable Care Act coverage. A follow-up letter from the CBO provides more detail on how these changes would impact the number of uninsured. The CBO also estimated that the bill would lower gross benchmark premiums for marketplace plans under the ACA by an average of 12.2%.”
  • Per a Senate news release,
    • On Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at 10:15 am the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing titled “23 and You, the Privacy and National Security Implications of the 23 and Me Bankruptcy.”
  • STAT News reports,
    • In a boost for Merck, a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office panel agreed to reconsider a patent granted to another company that could affect plans to broaden use of its franchise product, the Keytruda cancer treatment.
    • “The dispute with Halozyme Therapeutics occurs as Merck plans to sell a new injectable version of Keytruda that the company is betting will sustain a medicine that has accounted for nearly half of its sales. Patent protection for the treatment, which is currently administered intravenously and generated $29.5 billion in revenue last year, lapses in 2028.
    • “At issue before the PTO are certain enzymes called Mdase that Halozyme developed to enable the administration of drugs by injection. Last November, Merck petitioned the PTO to reconsider seven patents that were awarded to Halozyme, arguing they were overly broad and should not have been granted. The filing came a few months after the PTO granted one patent in particular.
    • “Patent challenges are almost a daily feature of behind-the-scenes jockeying in the pharmaceutical industry, but the battle over Keytruda is more closely watched than most since the stakes are so high for Merck. In March, the company asked the Food and Drug Administration to approve the injectable version, which would cut treatment time in half, and a decision is expected in September.”
  • Per an HHS new release,
    • “The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”), Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) announces the appointment of Paula M. Stannard as Director of the Office for Civil Rights. In this role, Director Stannard is the Department’s chief officer and adviser to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. concerning the implementation, compliance, and enforcement of Federal health information privacy, security, and breach notification rules under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) as well as Federal civil rights, conscience, and religious freedom laws in HHS’ jurisdiction.
    • “I’m proud to welcome Paula back to HHS,” said Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “She’s a proven public servant who delivered results during her time at HHS under both President Trump and President George W. Bush. Paula brings deep institutional knowledge, relentless focus, and an unwavering commitment to civil rights. Under her leadership, the Office for Civil Rights will drive forward President Trump’s bold civil rights agenda with clarity, energy, and purpose.”

From the Food and Drug Administration front,

  • Bloomberg Law reports,
    • “Moderna Inc. has agreed to do a placebo-controlled trial of its new Covid vaccine that was recently approved by US regulators, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Tuesday.
    • “In a post on X, Kennedy said he wanted to “address those of you who have anxieties” about the Food and Drug Administration’s limited approval of Moderna’s vaccine, which was cleared for a narrower segment of the population than prior shots. 
    • “Moderna declined to comment. As a condition for approving the new shot, the FDA required a future placebo-controlled study in adults ages 50 to 64 without high-risk conditions, according to agency documents.
    • “Kennedy said that “the FDA will monitor and collect data throughout the trial for every adverse outcome” and “scrutinize every aspect of the trial.”
  • Per a press release,
    • Hyperfine, Inc. (Nasdaq: HYPR), the groundbreaking health technology company that has redefined brain imaging with the first FDA-cleared AI-powered portable MRI system for the brain—the Swoop® system—announced today FDA clearance of its most significant technological advancement to date. The clearance includes an entirely new portable MRI scanner powered by the proprietary Optive AI™ software. This new system delivers the highest level of image quality, functionality, and usability to date, unlocking a new brain imaging paradigm for clinicians and their patients.
  • Per FiercePharma,
    • “Bayer has taken another step toward achieving its €3 billion peak sales estimate for androgen receptor inhibitor Nubeqa, scoring an FDA approval to expand its use to all patients with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC), also known as metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC).
    • “The label expansion comes three years after the FDA signed off on Nubeqa in combination with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and the chemotherapy docetaxel to treat patients with mCSPC. The new nod allows Nubeqa to be used along with ADT by those who can’t tolerate chemo.
    • “The FDA endorsement was based on results of a phase 3 trial, ARANOTE, which showed that Nubeqa significantly extended the time before tumor progression or death in patients with mCSPC compared with ADT alone. In the study of 669 patients who were randomized 2 to 1 to receive 600 mg of Nubeqa plus ADT or placebo plus ADT, Nubeqa reduced the risk of radiographic progression or death (rPFS) by 46%, allowing the trial to achieve its primary endpoint.”
  • Per BioPharma Dive,
    • “The Food and Drug Administration has awarded Sarepta Therapeutics a new kind of fast pass that could help speed the reviews of certain gene therapy applications it brings to the regulator in the future.
    • “The so-called platform technology designation issued to Sarepta is meant to streamline the development and evaluation process for gene therapies using a specific delivery tool, a viral vector dubbed rAAVrh74. That component is part of multiple Sarepta programs, among them the already approved Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy Elevidys.
    • “According to Sarepta, the designation is one of the first given to a drug program since the initiative was launched by the FDA. It enables Sarepta to use evidence previously gathered from studies involving the vector in future applications, though differences in how some of its newer gene therapies are manufactured may limit its usefulness.”
  • Per MedTech Dive,
    • “Smiths Medical has recalled infusion pumps to update the instructions to address three problems that could lead to serious injury or death. The devices are staying on the market. 
    • “The Food and Drug Administration, which published Class I notices about the recalls Tuesday, said issues with some CADD-Solis Ambulatory Infusion Pumps and CADD-Solis VIP Ambulatory Infusion Pumps could interrupt or delay treatment. Smiths has not reported any serious injuries or deaths related to the issues, but the FDA sees a risk of harm.” 

From the public health and medical research front,

  • STAT News reports,
    • “KJ Muldoon, the first infant treated with a personalized gene-editing drug, has been discharged from the hospital for the first time in his life, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia announced Tuesday. After 307 days at CHOP, KJ was dressed in what early studies suggest are the world’s smallest and cutest graduation cap-and-gown before leaving.
    • “It’s a promising sign for KJ, his family, and the therapy researchers built in just 6 months. Born with an ultra-rare disease that prevented his liver from breaking down ammonia, he was rushed to CHOP, where specialists kept him under strict monitoring to prevent ammonia from flaring and doing long-term damage. Typically, he would receive a liver transplant. Instead, scientists across the country teamed to devise a gene-editing treatment.
    • “KJ received the first of three doses at six months old. He’s now 10 months old. The hope is that, while not cured, he has been left with a far more mild version of his disease. Meanwhile, researchers are working on ways to scale his treatment for thousands of others.”
  • and
    • “Circulating tumor DNA blood tests are rapidly gaining popularity among oncologists for their potential to detect cancer recurrence and treatment resistance earlier than traditional imaging. But despite their promise, data presented at the annual ASCO meeting this week suggest that the clinical value of ctDNA tests is still unproven.
    • “While some trials hint at benefits, others lack conclusive survival outcomes — which raises concern about whether early interventions based on ctDNA actually improve patients’ lives.
    • “We need evidence to know the true value of these tests,” University of Pennsylvania cancer researcher Angela DeMichelle told STAT’s Angus Chen. “They have incredible potential to help people, but if we don’t do the studies and don’t do them the right way, we can hurt people.”
  • The American Journal of Managed Care adds,
    • A blood-based circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) test detected colorectal cancer (CRC) with 79.2% sensitivity and 91.5% specificity, according to a recent prospective study. These findings suggest the investigational test may be a viable noninvasive screening option, although its ability to detect advanced precancerous lesions remains limited.
    • The population-based, observational study is published in JAMA.
    • “This study was designed as a large, prospective diagnostic accuracy evaluation of a blood-based CRC screening test, with blinded comparison to colonoscopy in an average-risk screening population,” wrote the researchers of the study. “It enrolled a geographically and demographically diverse cohort across 201 sites, approximating the racial and ethnic distribution of the US.”
    • “CRC is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, with more than 1.9 million new cases and 930,000 deaths estimated in 2020 alone. Increased access to screening options—including stool-based tests, visual exams, and emerging blood-based tests—can help detect CRC at its most treatable stages and reduce both incidence and mortality.”
  • Per Reuters,
    • “American teens are increasingly turning to the weight-loss drug Wegovy as more families and their doctors gain confidence in its use for young people with obesity, new data shared with Reuters shows.
    • “The average rate of teens beginning treatment with the highly effective Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO), opens new tab drug grew 50% last year to 14.8 prescriptions per 100,000 adolescents, according to an analysis by health data firm Truveta.”
  • Per Healio,
    • “Enrollment in a patient-delivered intervention allowed adults with overweight or obesity to better maintain weight loss than those receiving standard of care, according to trial findings published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
    • “In the CHAMPS randomized controlled trial, adults with overweight or obesity who previously lost at least 5% of their body weight with lifestyle intervention were randomly assigned to a weight-loss maintenance intervention led by fellow patients who previously lost weight or to standard of care weight maintenance led by a physician. Adults participating in the patient-led intervention were more successful at maintaining their body weight.”
  • Medscape notes,
    • “As part of treating the overall well-being of your patients, it may be beneficial to recommend nutritional counseling. More insurance carriers are providing this service as a benefit.
    • “When patients have conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or obesity, suggesting nutritional counseling could help your patients become more informed about making healthier choices. More health insurance plans cover nutritional counseling, although some may only provide coverage for specific conditions.
    • “Integrating nutritional counseling into routine clinical practice is essential and necessary to achieving optimal health outcomes,” said Scott Isaacs, MD, adjunct assistant professor of medicine, Emory University, and president of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology, who is based in Atlanta. “By ensuring that nutritional counseling is accessible, personalized, and supported by insurance, we empower our patients to prevent disease, effectively manage chronic conditions, and improve both quality of live and longevity.”
  • The Wall Street Journal reports,
    • “New research is helping to answer an important question about ultra-processed foods: Which ones might be healthier? 
    • “One reason many ultra–processed foods often lead us to eat big meals and heavy snacks is because of their texture, which makes them go down easily and quickly, according to a new study presented this week at a conference in Orlando, Fla., of the American Society for Nutrition.
    • “But some diets filled with ultra-processed foods don’t cause us to eat as much. People in the study who had a diet of slower-to-eat ultra-processed foods such as crunchy breakfast cereal and multigrain buns consumed an average of 369 fewer calories a day than when they were eating quick-to-eat ultra-processed foods such as commercially made smoothies and soft breads.
    • “Meals that are equally satisfying were eaten in different ways purely as a function of the way they’re textured,” said Ciarán Forde, a professor at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, who led the study.”
  • Per an NIH press release,
    • Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have identified which brain circuits are vital for visual acuity and how they are affected by damaged retinal cells. While vision restoration therapies, such as stem-cell and gene therapies, aim to replace or repair damaged cells in the eye, it is critical to understand how brain circuits involved in vision are affected by retinal cell loss. Study results suggest that targeting these circuits may be necessary to achieve optimal recovery of visual function, and have significant implications for the development of future vision restoration therapies that address visual pathways beyond the retina. The study published today in The Journal of Neuroscience.
    • “A huge amount of progress has been made in repairing the eye, however little attention has been paid to the functional consequences beyond the eye,” said the study’s lead investigator, Farran Briggs, Ph.D., senior investigator at NIH’s National Eye Institute (NEI). “Brain circuits downstream of damaged or dying retinal cells in the eye may also undergo some loss of function following changes to their retinal inputs.”

From the U.S. healthcare business front,

  • Beckers Health IT lets us know about six things concerning “CVS Health’s $20B bet on integrated, tech-enabled care,” and five details about Mark Cuban’s pharmacy network.
  • Modern Healthcare reports,
    • “Despite tight budgets and other operational challenges, health systems are increasingly investing in replacement hospitals and sustainability, while maintaining a strong focus on outpatient facilities in construction and design projects.
    • “More than 53% of the construction and design firms that responded to Modern Healthcare’s 2025 Construction and Design Survey said the industry is growing, even as it faces financial headwinds such as funding limitations, inflation and recent tariffs.”
  • Per BioPharma Dive,
    • “Looking to defend its giant cardiometabolic health franchise, Eli Lilly is licensing a technology from Swedish biotechnology firm Camurus that promises to produce longer-acting medications.
    • “Camurus’ FluidCrystal technology is designed to methodically release a therapeutic drug substance into the body over a period of days or months. After an injection, the solution interacts with bodily fluids to transform into a liquid crystalline gel. The gel holds the active ingredient and then slowly degrades, releasing medicine.
    • “The deal includes an unspecified upfront payment as part of an initial package that may be worth as much as $290 million, Camurus said Tuesday. That figure also includes payments for reaching certain development and regulatory milestones. Another $580 million could be available for meeting sales goals, along with mid-single digit royalties for successful products.”
  • BioPharma Dive summarizes its reporters’ takeaways from the ASCO conference which ended yesterday.
  • Fierce Healthcare relates,
    • “DispatchHealth and Medically Home closed their merger deal on Wednesday, combining the forces of at-home care and hospital-at-home leaders.   
    • “Operating under the DispatchHealth brand, the combined company will provide three core service lines. Its hospital-alternative care service, also called hospital at home, provides inpatient hospital-level care at home. The company also provides emergency-level care, when appropriate, to help patients avoid ED visits. 
    • “The merger was announced in mid-March. In the coming months, the company will integrate Medically Home’s technology platform and clinical command center for use nationwide, the company said.
    • “The two leadership teams have combined. Jennifer Webster will continue as the CEO of DispatchHealth. Graham Barnes, who took over as CEO of Medically Home in August 2024, is departing to pursue new opportunities. Pippa Shulman, D.O., has assumed the role of chief medical officer, according to a press release.”