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NEWS: Insurance, Health and Medical Care

Posted on December 20, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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Supermarket chain Kroger is moving into primary care for seniors. The company is partnering with Better Health Group to test out a value-based, primary care model at eight of its in-store clinics in Atlanta.

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As the Artificial Intelligence race heats up, Google unveiled this week new AI models called MedLM purpose-built for healthcare use cases like summarizing patient-doctor interactions. HCA Healthcare is already testing out the technology.

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And … Cigna is attracting plenty of interest for the rumored sale of its Medicare Advantage business, Bloomberg reported, here: who’s competing to scoop up the MA segment.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/082610254

CVS, Oscar Health and Geisinger join 25 other payers, providers to sign AI safety pledge

Finally, more than two dozen healthcare payers and providers are making voluntary safety, security and transparency commitments to the White House regarding the use of artificial intelligence.

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PODCAST: US Primary Medical Care V. Other Industrialized Nations

Posted on December 18, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Eric Bricker MD

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DAILY UPDATE: Economy Modest, Sickle Cell CRISPR Therapy Approved and Stock Markets Rise

Posted on December 9, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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SPONSOR: http://www.MarcinkoAssociates.com

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According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s November economic outlook report, global growth is on track to stay modest this year and into 2024. And, while gross domestic product growth has been stronger than anticipated in 2023 so far, it’s now “moderating on the back of tighter financial conditions, weak trade growth and lower business and consumer confidence,” the report’s authors noted. The OECD anticipates global GDP growth of 2.9% in 2023, and a dip to 2.7% in 2024. 2025 looks better, with predicted global growth of 3%.

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The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved a powerful treatment for sickle cell disease, a devastating illness that affects more than 100,000 Americans, the majority of whom are Black. The therapy, called Casgevy, from Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics, is the first medicine to be approved in the United States.

CRISPR: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2022/08/06/crispr-play-by-play-of-an-experiment/

Here is where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500® Index (SPX) was up 0.41% at 4,604.46, up marginally for the week; the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) was up 130 points (0.36%) at 36,247.87, up marginally for the week; the NASDAQ Composite® (COMP) was up 63.98 points (0.45%) at 14,403.97, up 0.7% for the week.The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) was up 10 basis points at 4.235%. The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) was down 5.44% at 12.35.

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CVS PHARMACY: Rx Drug Price Overhaul

Posted on December 8, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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CVS is overhauling how it prices prescription drugs

In a recent announcement, the company CVS promised that its new model would be more transparent than the current setup, which prices drugs based on complex reimbursement formulas that can make the costs of prescriptions confusing for consumers.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/082610254

The new model, called CVS CostVantage, is based on a simple equation: Drugs will cost what CVS paid for them, plus a limited markup and a flat fee to cover the services of fulfilling the prescriptions. That’s similar to a plan proposed by billionaire Mark Cuban, founder of Cost Plus Drugs, to bring accountability to drug pricing in the US.

MORE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2022/06/23/mark-cubans-cost-plus-drugs-com/

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PODCAST: “Open Enrollment” Best Practices

Posted on December 5, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Eric Bricker MD

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DAILY UPDATE: Stock Markets Rally and IPOs

Posted on December 3, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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SPONSOR: http://www.MarcinkoAssociates.com

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As we reported, the S&P 500 had its best day of the year on Friday as stocks kept their November rally rolling right into December. Pfizer, however, fell to its lowest since March 2020 after announcing that it’s pulling the plug on its experimental twice-a-day weight loss pill because it caused too many negative side effects even as pharmaceutical companies are rushing to serve the growing weight loss market.

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And, Panera Bread filed IPO paperwork, the Financial Times reported. And it’s not the only household name that’s anticipated to hit brokerage apps next year as more companies are once again considering going public. The past two years have been an IPO stale mate as rising interest rates led to a tepid market for newcomers. Last year, Panera itself aborted a public listing it was planning via a special purpose acquisition company [SPAC] due to harsh market conditions.

CITE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2022/06/13/spac-v-direct-listing-v-ipo/

But, things might be different in 2024. Fast-fashion behemoth Shein also recently filed paperwork for what could be a blockbuster IPO that raises as much as $90 billion, per Bloomberg. The publication says that more companies are rumored to be thinking about joining the potential IPO bonanza. For example:

Kim Kardashian might list her $4 billion undergarment brand, Skims.
Reddit is supposedly flirting with the idea of going public. It would be the first major social media IPO in years, and it’s been in the offing since last year, when Reddit was valued at $15 billion.

However, all IPOs have not done well:

The Birkenstock and Instacart IPOs fell short of expectations according to investment data from Dealogic
Three out of four companies that IPOed this year were trading below their offer prices as of the middle of last month.
Companies debuting on the public markets raised a meager $20 billion so far this year, a slight rebound from 2022 but a ~90% decline from 2021.

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MEDICARE [dis] ADVANTAGE Plans?

Posted on December 3, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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Leading hospital trade groups are accusing some Medicare Advantage plans, including giant UnitedHealthcare, of flaunting coverage requirements recently codified by CMS. The American Hospital Association is now petitioning the Biden administration to crack down.

However … the Medicare Advantage market is booming but investment in cancer care continues to lag.

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HEALTHCARE Innovation and Practice Management on the Move

Posted on December 1, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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Online therapy company Talkspace will provide free virtual mental health services to more than 400,000 adolescents and teens in New York City after inking a deal with the city. The new program, dubbed TeenSpace, will connect teens to a licensed therapist through phone, video and text.

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The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has announced funding awards of $80.5 million to support four new studies focused on disparities in maternal health. They will take into account clinical and social factors that contribute to inequities and will compare interventions in various settings.

And … Ayble Health, a digital health platform for patients with chronic gastrointestinal conditions, is working with the Mayo Clinic Complex Care Program to offer a hybrid care model that matches patients with the appropriate virtual and in-person care based on acuity and need.

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DAILY UPDATE: Apple Credit Card, Drug Prices and the Modest Stock Markets

Posted on November 29, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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SPONSOR: http://www.MarcinkoAssociates.com

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Apple is pulling the plug on its credit card partnership with Goldman Sachs Group, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. The tech giant recently sent a proposal to the Wall Street bank to exit the contract in the next 12 to 15 months, the report said, citing people briefed on the matter.

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Senators Elizabeth Warren (Democrat) and Mike Braun (Republican) sent a letter to the US Department of Health and Human Services last week, asking it to investigate whether large insurance companies are hiking prescription drug prices at pharmacies they own

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Here is where the major benchmarks ended:

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500® index (SPX) was up 4.46 points (0.1%) at 4,554.89; the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 83.51 points (0.2%) at 35,416.98; the NASDAQ Composite® (COMP) was up 40.73 points (0.3%) at 14,281.76.
The 10-year Treasury yield was down about 6 basis points at 4.33%.
The CBOE® Volatility Index (VIX) was little-changed at 12.69.

Semiconductor and transportation shares were among the weakest performers Tuesday, and regional banks were also under pressure. Small cap stocks also lagged. The Russell 2000® Index (RUT) fell about 0.4% for its lowest close in a week.

Retailers and utilities were among the firmest sectors. In other markets, the U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) weakened to its lowest level since mid-August, reflecting expectations that U.S. interest rates have peaked.

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DAILY UPDATE: Thanksgiving Travel Gas Prices Down – Narrow Traffic Lanes Safer – Walgreens Pharmacies Closed as the Stock Markets Roar

Posted on November 23, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Thanksgiving is a trading holiday. Both the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq are closed. Black Friday, one of the biggest shopping days of the year, is a half day for the stock market. Both stock exchanges close at 1:00 p.m. ET, with eligible options trading until 1:15 p.m. Normal trading hours resume on the Monday after Thanksgiving, also known as Cyber Monday, when many online retailers host major sales.

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Thanks to plummeting prices at the pump, US drivers will save a collective $1.2 billion this Thanksgiving travel period, and day, compared to last year, according to GasBuddy. The average price per gallon is down nearly 46 cents from a year ago, and more than 50,000 stations now show gas prices at $2.99/gallon or less.

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Narrow traffic lanes are safer than wide ones. Researchers at Johns Hopkins analyzed more than 1,000 streets in seven major cities across the US and found that narrower roads mitigated traffic collisions in certain conditions. The study did not find a significant difference between roads 9-feet wide and those 10- or 11-feet wide, but it did conclude that traffic accidents increase 1.5x when a road widens from 9 feet to 12 feet. Traffic fatalities are the leading cause of death for Americans aged 1–54.

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Walgreens will close most of its pharmacies and stores on Thanksgiving Day for the first time in the company’s history, executives said last Thursday. The move to close more than 8,700 stores for the federal holiday comes as some Walgreens workers staged a three-day walkout this fall to push for improved working conditions and increased staffing numbers, Reuters reported.

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Here is where the major benchmarks ended on Wednesday:

The S&P 500 Index was up 18.43 points (0.4%) at 4,556.62, near a four-month high close; the Dow Jones Industrial Average^®(DJI) was up 184.74 points (0.5%) at 35,273.03; the NASDAQ Composite was up 65.88 points (0.5%) at 14,265.86.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) was down about 1 basis point at 4.41%, after earlier dropping to a two-month low under 4.37%.
CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) was down 0.50 at 12.85.

Communications services and technology were among the strongest performers Wednesday. Food and beverage companies were also firm. Energy shares were among the weakest performers Wednesday behind a drop of over 1% in WTI Crude Oil futures (/CL). ), which fell following reports OPEC delayed a weekend meeting until November 30th, a possible reflection of cartel members struggling to reach consensus over production cuts. WTI crude ended just under $77 a barrel, down 19% from a 2023 high above $95 in late October.

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DAILY UPDATE: Microsoft and Strong Technology Stock Market Gains

Posted on November 21, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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SPONSOR: http://www.MarcinkoAssociates.com

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Stocks started the short trading week by ticking upward yesterday. Microsoft climbed to its highest in a year after appearing to be the winner in OpenAI’s Sam Altman drama.

Read: Recommendations on books, classes, and music from Bill Gates. (GatesNotes)

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Here is where the major US stock market benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 Index was up 33.36 points (0.7%) at 4,547.38; the Dow Jones^® Industrial Average (DJI) was up 203.76 points (0.6%) at 35,151.04; the NASDAQ Composite® was up 159.05 points (1.1%) at 14,284.53.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) was down about 2 basis points at 4.42%.
CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) was down 0.39 at 13.41.

Strength in technology was illustrated by the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX), which jumped almost 2% and neared a four-month high. Communications services shares were also strong, as were energy companies, helped by a second-straight day of sharp gains in crude oil futures.

The small-cap focused Russell 2000 Index (RUT) rose 0.5% to a two-month high, following last week’s 5.4% rally that outpaced its large-cap counterparts.

And, Bayer’s stock had its worst day ever, dropping the company’s value by ~$8 billion, after a US jury ordered it to pay $1.56 billion over claims its Roundup weedkiller caused cancer and the company had to stop the trial for its top drug candidate because it wasn’t working.

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PODCAST: How PBMs Work -OR- Don’t Work?

Posted on November 15, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

“PRIOR AUTHORIZATION“

By Eric Bricker MD

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DAILY UPDATE: ChatGPT Anniversary

Posted on November 12, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

SPONSOR: http://www.MARCINKOASSOCIATES.com

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ChatGPT was launched nearly a year ago, in November 2022. Powered by a large language model trained on 570 gigabytes of internet data (300 billion words), the chatbot can generate text that eerily mimics human speech—but with far more information at its disposal than an actual person. Amazon is not the only company using AI to create theoretically better ads.

Meta announced its version of an ad generator last month, promising advertisers “a new era of creativity that maximizes the productivity, personalization, and performance” of campaigns.
Google says its product will allow the future of advertising to evolve.
TikTok has Creative Assistant, which “draws information from a wealth of TikTok-focused creative knowledge, providing you with the most relevant responses for when you’re creating ads.”

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But, ChatGPT is not the same for mental health. Experts are warning that while chatbots can offer basic mental health support, they’re not equipped to provide clinical support and can raise thorny issues.

Ethics: Therapists are trained and licensed and must maintain a certain standard of care; a chatbot isn’t and doesn’t.
Privacy: When you ask a chatbot a question, you could be putting sensitive information on the internet.
Safety: A chatbot can give false information (more on that below) or provide harmful instructions.

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ChatGPT in Education:

The bar exam: GPT-4 was in the 90th percentile with a score of 298 out of 400. GPT-3.5 came in the 10th percentile.
The SAT: GPT-4 scored 1400 out of 1600, ranking in the 89th percentile of test-takers. GPT-3.5 scored 1260.
AP exams: GPT-4 received a 5 on Art History, Biology, Environmental Science, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Psychology, Statistics, US Government, and US History, according to OpenAI. GPT-3.5 received a 5 only on Art History and Psychology.
Sommelier exams: GPT-4 has also passed the Introductory Sommelier, Certified Sommelier, and Advanced Sommelier exams with scores of 92%, 86%, and 77%, respectively. GPT-3.5 had a less discerning palate, earning marks of 80%, 58%, and 46%.

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HEALTHCARE: Business News

Posted on November 8, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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House Democrats want CMS to better monitor Medicare Advantage plans’ use of AI tools to ensure they don’t allow an unusually high level of restrictive and repeated denials.

Kaiser Permanente continues to rebound from a rough 2022 and pulled in $239 million in net income in Q3. That marks a dramatic turnaround from the $1.5 billion net loss the integrated system had seen a year prior.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

And … during the Milken Institute’s Future of Health Summit Monday, former HHS Secretary Alex Azar and current department chief Xavier Becerra sparred over the Biden administration’s approach to negotiating Medicare drug prices.

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Finally, family physicians utilizing value-based payment (VBP) models reported burnout relief in a study from EHR company Elation Health and the American Academy of Family Physicians. Burnout among providers decreased once practices passed a threshold of 75% financial investment in VBP models.

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PEPFAR’s Uncertain Future for AIDS Relief

Posted on November 6, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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An impactful government program is facing an uncertain future. PEPFAR—an acronym for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief—was created by former President George W. Bush in 2003 and is credited with saving 25 million lives around the world. Through the program, the US government has invested more than $100 billion in treatment for HIV-AIDS and related illnesses by providing training, medical infrastructure, and antiretroviral drugs. PEPFAR remains the largest commitment by a country to confront a single disease, according to KFF.

Since its inception, PEPFAR has been renewed every five years with bipartisan support. But that wasn’t the case in 2023, as lawmakers let the program expire at the end of September.

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23andMe: Transitioning to a Healthcare Company

Posted on November 4, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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23andMe is rolling out a $1,188-per-year tool to identify users’ genetic vulnerabilities as part of its broader transition from a DNA-testing service into a healthcare company.

READ MORE HERE: HACKED: 23andMe

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HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS: Employer Sponsored Shares Up

Posted on November 2, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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The average cost of a health insurance plan offered through an employer rose 7% this year, to $23,968 for family plans and $8,435 for individuals, according to a new survey from the private health foundation KFF.

The jump—the highest since 2011—was driven by inflation, as well as higher wages for healthcare workers and hospital system mergers, health policy experts say. Here’s what it means for employers and the 150+ million Americans who get insurance through work:

The increase amounted to ~$500 more out of pocket for family plan-holders, and $75 more for solo riders—further squeezing consumer spending power, which is already constrained by wages that haven’t caught up to high inflation.
Employers often bear the brunt of increased health spending because, in the interest of staying competitive, they’re wary of offloading too much of the rising costs onto their workers. That’s likely why deductibles haven’t grown much in the past five years.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

But things might get worse: 1 in 4 companies surveyed by KFF said they plan to increase employees’ premium contributions in the next two years

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PODCAST: The Elon Musk Algorithm Applied to Healthcare

Posted on November 1, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Eric Bricker MD

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President Bidens Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence

Posted on October 30, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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Biden will issue sweeping executive order on A.I. Today

The Biden administration just released an executive order today to regulate AI technology. The directive aims to leverage the government’s role as a leading technology customer by requiring advanced AI models to undergo assessments before they can be used by federal employees. It would also ease barriers to immigration for highly skilled workers in an attempt to boost the US’ technological edge.

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MORE Fierce Healthcare NEWS

The Biden administration has proposed a new rule refining several aspects of the healthcare services billing process in response to criticisms levied from all sides of the industry.

The federal government is rolling back a pandemic-era waiver that lowered the bar for 340B hospitals to dispense discounted drugs across some outpatient clinics. Hospitals argue the decision will “stifle” future efforts to expand access to under served communities.

And … Amazon Pharmacy is focused on making it faster and more convenient for patients to get prescription medications. The company’s moves come as brick-and-mortar drugstores are limiting pharmacy hours and even closing locations.

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DAILY UPDATE: Amazon Up, Capital One Bank Down as BioTech Hubs Are In

Posted on October 30, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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Statistic: 13%. That’s how much Amazon’s revenue grew last quarter. The behemoth saw business picking up after a tough 2022 and cost-saving measures taking effect to boost the bottom line. The company also said it had its “biggest ever” Prime day sale this past quarter. (CNBC)

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In 2019, Capital One bank was hit by a cyber attack that resulted in the exposure of millions of its customers’ data. The incident led to a collective complaint against the bank by its customers. After a long legal process, Capital One agreed to pay $190 million in compensation to the 98 million affected customers.

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The Biden administration announced this week the creation of 10 biotech hubs across the US under its Tech Hubs program, with each hub eligible to apply for up to $75 million to invest in areas like research and development and job creation. The hubs are spread across the US, primarily in rural areas, and are part of a $500 million investment from the Biden administration that’s intended to boost the tech industry’s growth beyond the coasts.

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AMAZON in Healthcare

Posted on October 27, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By The Medical Futurist

Amazon In Healthcare: Disruption, Data Nightmares And Digital Health Dreams

Amazon’s healthcare ventures present a double-edged sword. On one hand, there’s undeniable promise, but the flip side paints a cautionary tale.

READ: https://tinyurl.com/ydtbvahx

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WEIGHT LOSS DRUGS FOR KIDS: Stocks for Adults?

Posted on October 24, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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The already booming market for weight loss treatments like Ozempic might get even bigger as drug companies seek to make them available for children. The CDC estimates that ~20% of kids 6+ in the US have obesity, and manufacturers are working to make their weight loss drugs available for that age group.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

According to Bloomberg, Novo Nordisk is testing its Saxenda in kids as young as six, and Eli Lilly is getting ready for similar trials of Mounjaro. That could give the companies lifelong customers since the drugs only keep weight off as long as people take them—and Goldman Sachs’s recent estimate that the drug category would make $100 billion by 2030 didn’t even take sales to children into account.

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MICROSOFT A.I. New Tools to Help Doctors Deliver Better Patient Care

Posted on October 19, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Bertalan Mesko MD PhD

“The Medical Futurist”

Microsoft introduced new tools in Microsoft Fabric and Azure AI for healthcare organizations.

These can combine data from sources such as electronic health records, images, lab systems, medical devices, and claims systems so organizations can standardize it and access it in the same place.

HACKED: 23andMe

Posted on October 15, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

More than 7 million 23andMe customers were the victims of a data breach, with the hackers specifically targeting users of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry. The data includes users’ names, profile photos, genetic ancestry results, date of birth, and geographical location. The hackers are attempting to sell the data, asking for between $1 and $10 per account, depending on how many accounts a buyer wants to purchase.

How’d they do it? By “credential stuffing”—acquiring the login credentials from one site and using them on other sites in order to gain access to sensitive information. 23andMe reported the incident to law enforcement and is asking all customers to change their passwords and use two-factor authentication.

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EARNINGS SEASON: Consumer Spending

Posted on October 12, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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Markets: Stocks notched their fourth winning day in a row yesterday as investors digested the news that the Fed was split about future rate hikes at its last meeting while waiting for this morning’s report on how much consumer prices rose last month.
Ozempic continues eating into investors’ appetites for other industries. Its maker, Novo Nordisk, rose on the news that the diabetes drug may help treat kidney failure, but dialysis providers DaVita and Fresenius Medical Care plunged.

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Earnings season is back: PepsiCo, Delta, Dominos, and big banks headline the start of earnings season, one that will have investors looking at how slowing inflation has affected the ability of companies to pad their profit margins. Pepsi’s report will be closely watched as its snack division, Frito-Lay, could be tested by the increasing popularity of weight-loss drugs like Wegovy. Major banks like JPMorgan are expected to post strong results.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

US consumer spending: Has remained surprisingly strong despite rising interest rates, and a senior spending spree could explain it. According to the Department of Labor, Americans aged 65 and older accounted for 22% of consumer spending last year, the highest percentage since records began in 1972. It also helps that 17.7% of the US population is 65 and older, the highest on record dating to 1920. Better health, longer lifespans, and changes in attitude toward saving for a rainy day after the pandemic have boomers feeling OK about their finances.

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WALGREENS: Pharmacists Walk-Off Job

Posted on October 10, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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Pharmacy employees at Walgreens across the country walked off the job yesterday, citing harsh working conditions created by undersized staff that leave them unable to safely fill prescriptions while meeting the demands of a busy vaccine season. The three-day walkout was organized entirely via social media, as the group lacks a centralized labor union like the WGA and UAW.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

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DAILY UPDATE: Walgreen’s Downsizing, COVID-19 Threat and the Stock Markets

Posted on October 10, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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Walgreens’ corporate management have announced that they would be closing 150 of its nearly 9,000 stores in the United States by the end of August 2024 as profits have declined. In an earnings call the Chief Financial Officer James Kehoe said that earnings sunk from $289 million to $118 million from the year prior in the third quarter, CEO Rosalind Brewer said.

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Hospitalizations from COVID-19 pose a “continued public health threat”, particularly to those adults aged 65 and above. This is the warning of a study by researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which analyzed hospitalizations between January and August this year.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

Markets: Investors will be focused on the outbreak of war in Israel and Gaza, which could lead to volatility in global stock markets and oil prices, depending on the escalation of the conflict. US oil futures jumped. Later in the week, the consumer price index report will give an update on the Fed’s fight against inflation.

Here is where the major benchmarks ended (the bond market was closed for Columbus Day):

The S&P 500 Index was up 27.16 points (0.6%) at 4,335.66; the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) was up 197.07 points (0.6%) at 33,604.65; the NASDAQ Composite was up 52.90 points (0.4%) at 13,484.24.
CBOE’s Volatility Index (VIX) was up 0.25 at 17.70.

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DAILY UPDATE: Medicare Drug Price Negotiations as the Markets DROP

Posted on October 4, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

President Joe Biden announced yesterday that the manufacturers of all of the first 10 prescription drugs selected for Medicare’s first price negotiations have agreed to participate, clearing the way for talks that could lower their costs in coming years and give him a potential political win heading into next year’s election.

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Wall Street SANK Tuesday as it focuses on the downside of a surprisingly strong job market. The S&P 500 was 1.5% lower in late trading and nearly back to where it was in May. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 475 points, or 1.4%, at 32,957 and wiped out the last of its gains made for the year so far. The NASDAQ composite was leading the market lower with a 2% drop as Big Tech stocks were among the market’s biggest losers.

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The 16-year high on 10-year yields is probably the biggest factor weighing on equities. So, here is where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 Index was down 58.94 points (1.4%) at 4,229.45; the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 430.97 points (1.3%) at 33,002.38; the NASDAQ Composite was down 248.31 points (1.9%) at 13,059.47.
The 10-year Treasury note yield was up about 11 basis points at 4.791%.
CBOE’s Volatility Index was up 2.17 at 19.78.

Energy shares were among the few gainers, as WTI crude oil futures rose for the first time in four sessions after dropping sharply from a 13-month high above $95 a barrel. The U.S. dollar index (DXY) strengthened for a third-straight day, touching its highest level since November, reflecting expectations that rates will remain high.

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2023 NOBEL PRIZE: MEDICINE Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman PHYSICS Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz and Anne L’Huillier

Posted on October 3, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICINE: By Staff Reporters

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Dr. Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman MD PhD just received the Nobel Prize in medicine. Their study of mRNA led to the development of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Oiginally from Hungary, Kariko joined the University of Pennsylvania as a research assistant professor in 1989 to study mRNA. Her grant proposals were constantly rejected, while the rest of the scientific community was slow to catch on to her groundbreaking research. She was never paid more than $60,000 a year. And it was only through a chance encounter at the photocopier that she began to work with Weissman, currently the director of the Penn Institute for RNA Innovation.

The two made the discovery of a lifetime in 2005—that mRNA can be manipulated and injected into the body to activate an immune response. The major academic journals Science and Nature rejected their paper, which received little fanfare even after being published in a less prestigious journal.

So, in 2013, Karikó left Penn for a job at BioNTech where she still works today. And, of course, their breakthrough came in handy during the global pandemic.

Thanks largely to Karikó and Weissman, mRNA vaccine technology, Moderna and BioNTech are working on mRNA vaccines for RSV, HIV, Zika, malaria, shingles, flu, and cancer.

RSV Tests: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2023/09/25/rsv-vaccine-cdc-oks-pfizer-maternal-shots/

DNA: Testing: https://wordpress.com/post/medicalexecutivepost.com/395273

DANGER: DNA Self-Testing: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2021/04/25/the-potential-dangers-of-testing-your-own-dna/

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PHYSICS: By Staff Reporters

And, three scientists won the Nobel Prize in physics yesterday for their work on how electrons move around the atom during the tiniest fractions of seconds, a field that could one day lead to better electronics or disease diagnoses.

The award went to Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz and Anne L’Huillier for their study of the tiny part of each atom that races around the center and that is fundamental to virtually everything: chemistry, physics, our bodies and our gadgets.

The movements of electrons inside atoms and molecules are so rapid that they are measured in attoseconds – an almost incomprehensibly short unit of time. “An attosecond is to one second as one second is to the age of the universe,” the committee explained.

“They were able to, in a sense, provide an illumination tool that allows us to watch the assembly of molecules: how things come together to make a molecule,” Bob Rosner, president of the American Physical Society and a professor at the University of Chicago, told CNN.

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HOSPITALS: Price Discrepancies Exposed!

Posted on October 3, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Health Capital Consultants, LLC

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On September 18, 2023, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a study comparing online hospital pricing and pricing given over the telephone for shoppable hospital services. Hospitals in the U.S. are required to post pricing online for specified services, but it was unknown whether or not hospitals quoted the same prices to telephone callers as they posted online.

This Health Capital Topics article will discuss the topic of price discrepancy and the difficulties with cost comparison. (Read more…)

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DAILY UPDATE: The Markets, US Budget and Carmot Therapeutics Mulling IPO?

Posted on October 2, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

The stock markets ended Q3 last week with a whimper despite new data showing that the Fed’s favorite CPI inflation measure cooled in August. September was the worst month of the year for the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ. But Blue Apron soared on the news that it’s being bought by Wonder Group, a food delivery startup helmed by a former Walmart exec.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

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America’s debt today stands at $33 trillion, a figure some politicians, finance mavens and everyday citizens find astonishingly high.

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Carmot Therapeutics, which is developing drugs for diabetes and weight-loss, is reportedly mulling an IPO or possible sale to a large pharmaceutical company at a valuation of at least $1B. The biotech company has two injectable GLP-1 drug candidates in Phase 2 development for type 1 and type 2 diabetes, according to the company’s website.

Carmot enlisted JP Morgan and Bank of America as underwriters on an IPO, which could come as early as this year if market conditions are favorable. The company has also received “takeover interest” from large drug makers at a valuation of over $1B, according to a Bloomberg report. Carmot had a post-money valuation of $1.25B following a $150M funding round in May, Bloomberg added.

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NATIONAL COFFEE & WORLD HEART DAY: Today!

Posted on September 29, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

Today is National Coffee Day

To celebrate, enjoy a free coffee from a breakfast chain, and while you wait for it to cool, reflect on the fact that the cup of coffee in your hand is one of about 3 billion being consumed around the world just today—a number that has nearly doubled over the past three decades and is expected to double again by 2050, per the Financial Times.

BTW: Over the next two years, Starbucks is on pace to open a new store in China every nine hours.

NOTE: Key differences between a latte and coffee include:

Brew method: Lattes are made with an espresso base, while coffee is brewed with hot water.
Taste: Lattes are sweeter and creamier than coffee.
Caffeine: Lattes are less caffeinated than coffee.
Calories: Coffee is lower in calories than a latte.
Price: Lattes are typically more expensive than coffee due to the espresso base and the addition of milk.

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Today is World Heart Day

Today is also World Heart Day, a reminder for patients to not miss a (heart) beat and check in on their cardiovascular health. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly, and not smoking can help lower your risk for heart disease, the CDC found.

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The “New” Dental Support Organization Business Model

Posted on September 29, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Maia Anderson and Staff Reporters

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Watch out, private practice ownership. According to HealthcareBrew, Dental Support Organizations (DSOs) are the hot new business model for dentistry.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

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DSOs are companies that take on all the business-related tasks necessary to run a dental practice, like IT support, accounting and billing, marketing, and facility maintenance, Lisa Ward, VP of communications at industry trade group the Association of Dental Support Organizations, told Healthcare Brew.

A DSO can own the dental practice it operates, or a private practice can contract with a DSO. Some DSOs are owned by a group of dentists, but private equity firms own many large DSOs, according to the Academy of General Dentistry.

The idea behind a DSO is that the “dentist can focus on patient care and not have to worry so much about the business side,” Ward said.

The DSO business model was created in 1975 but didn’t become popular until the 1990s, as dentists graduated with piles of student debt and found it hard to open their own practice, according to Huron Consulting Group.

Today, 10.3% of dentists are affiliated with a DSO, per investment banker Harris Williams. In 2020, 30% of dental school seniors said they planned to join a DSO-affiliated practice, compared to 12% in 2015, a survey from the American Dental Education Association found.

The rise in popularity of DSOs has brought about the decline of private practice ownership. In 2021, the number of dentists who owned their practices fell to 73%, according to research from the ADA.

Maia at anderson@morningbrew.com.

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MORE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2022/11/30/the-benefits-of-dentistry-unhurried/

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UBER Health: Rx Drug Delivery Service

Posted on September 28, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

“Uber Health is foraying deeper into healthcare with a new feature that allows providers to order prescriptions to be dropped off at patients homes same-day. The same-day prescription delivery is meant to help patients adhere to a medication schedule.”

According to Rebecca Pifer of HealthCareDive:

Uber Health is foraying deeper into healthcare with a new feature that allows providers to order prescriptions to be dropped off at patients homes same-day.
The same-day prescription delivery is meant to help patients adhere to a medication schedule. The service is made possible through an integration of Uber Health’s dashboard with ScriptDrop, a tech platform connecting patients and pharmacies with couriers nationwide.
The company also said it expects to soon launch delivery of healthy food and over-the-counter medicine for patients, including Medicare Advantage and Medicaid beneficiaries.
CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/0826102549

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DAILY UPDATE: McKinsey & Company Pays as Markets Slightly Rise

Posted on September 28, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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Consulting firm McKinsey & Co has agreed to pay $230 million to resolve lawsuits by hundreds of U.S. local governments and school districts alleging it fueled an epidemic of opioid addiction through its work for bankrupt OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and other drug companies.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

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Here is where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 Index was up about 1 point (0.02%) at 4,274.51; the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 69 points (0.20%) to 33,550.27; the NASDAQ gained 29 points (0.22%) to 13,092.85.
The 10-year Treasury note yield was up 7 basis points at 4.613%.
CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) fell half a point to 18.42.

Energy stocks were among the best performers Wednesday, with the S&P 500 Energy Sector rising 2.5%. The U.S. Dollar Index (DXY), which has been rising since July as investors digested the likelihood of “higher-for-longer” interest rates, remained at its highest level so far this year.

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PHARMACISTS: Stage CVS Health Walk-Out?

Posted on September 25, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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Nearly two dozen pharmacists at the nation’s largest retail pharmacy chain staged a walkout in the Kansas City metro area this week over working conditions they say put CVS Health pharmacists and patients at risk.

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The walkout began Thursday and continued into Friday. Organizers said they had shuttered numerous pharmacies across the metro area, which covers a portion of eastern Kansas and western Missouri. Some pharmacies outside the metro area also have joined. They estimated at least 22 locations had closed.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

While the group’s specific complaints focus on store staffing and quotas, the walkout reflects a rising outcry from pharmacists at several national pharmacy chains. They say their work requirements leave them unable to safely fill and verify prescriptions, putting patients at risk of serious harm or even death.

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RSV VACCINE: CDC OK’s Pfizer Maternal Shots

Posted on September 25, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), also called human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) and human orthopneumovirus, is a common, contagious virus that causes infections of the respiratory tract. It is a negative-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. Its name is derived from the large cells known as syncytia that form when infected cells fuse.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

CDC panel backs Pfizer’s maternal RSV vaccine

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory committee yesterday recommended administering the vaccine to pregnant people during the third trimester to prevent infants from contracting the virus.

The vaccine is already available, and another RSV vaccine made by AstraZeneca and Sanofi, which is given directly to babies, also won approval recently. RSV sends ~80,000 children under five to US hospitals annually, according to the CDC, and it’s the second leading cause of death for under-one-year-olds globally.

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FQHC: Medicaid Renewal Barriers

Posted on September 24, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Saff Reporters

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For almost 60 years, federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) have played a key role in providing medically underserved populations and areas with affordable and quality care, regardless of a person’s ability to pay.

Now these nonprofit community health centers are on the front line as states work through a three-year backlog of Medicaid eligibility determinations—a process that was put on hold during the Covid-19 pandemic after the federal government offered states higher reimbursements in exchange for keeping recipients enrolled in Medicaid programs.

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As many as 17 million people could lose Medicaid coverage due to ineligibility or other renewal barriers during the unwinding period, which began April 1, according to KFF estimates. At least 5.4 million people have lost Medicaid coverage as of August 23rd according to data from 45 states and Washington, DC, KFF reported.

With FQHCs caring for an estimated one in six Medicaid recipients, community health centers across the US have beefed up their efforts to help patients through the transition and brace for any potential fallout. About 86.8 million people were enrolled in Medicaid nationwide as of the end of May, according to federal estimates.

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DENTAL CLINIC: NYC Health and Bellevue Hospitals Expansion

Posted on September 22, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue is seeking approval to expand its outpatient dental clinic, according to Healthcare Brew and plans filed with the state this week.

The $830,000+ renovation of Bellevue’s clinical space would double the number of dental chairs from three to six, and allow the Manhattan public hospital to “meet the existing demand for dental services, meet the training requirements of the dental general practice residency program, and allow for additional growth to meet the oral health needs of the under served and uninsured population in the community,” according to the application.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

Bellevue reported that each of its dental chairs has an average annual utilization rate of 2,000 visits, or about 6,000 total visits a year. According to the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center, “most safety net dentists see 2,500–3,200 patient visits per year, with the yearly national average coming in at 2,600.”

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RITE AID: Gets it Financially Wrong?

Posted on September 20, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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Last quarter, interest expense grew to $65 million from $48 million last year, contributing to Rite Aid reporting a net loss of $306.7 million despite sales of $5.6 billion. Management forecasts a net loss of between $650 million and $680 million for the full fiscal year 2024. Rite Aid’s losses leave it with little financial wiggle room to navigate two significant headwinds: a looming lawsuit and increasing losses from theft.

RISK MANAGEMENT: https://www.routledge.com/Risk-Management-Liability-Insurance-and-Asset-Protection-Strategies-for/Marcinko-Hetico/p/book/9781498725989

In March, for example, the Department of Justice filed a civil suit against Rite Aid, claiming pharmacists “repeatedly filled prescriptions for controlled substances with obvious red flags” and alleging it “intentionally deleted internal notes about suspicious prescribers.”

The lawsuit continues a string of high-profile cases brought against companies contributing to the spread of the opioid epidemic. Opioid drugmakers Purdue Pharma, Endo Pharmaceuticals, and Mallinckrodt have already declared bankruptcy because of lawsuits. Walgreens and CVS Health have inked opioid settlements valued at $5.7 billion and $4.9 billion over the past year.

How much Rite Aid would need to pay to settle its suit remains to be seen, but a billion-dollar price tag isn’t unfathomable, given Walgreens and CVS’ outcomes.

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MEDICARE PART B: Dental Care

Posted on September 19, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

Medicare enrollees could save $500+ per year in out-of-pocket spending if federal lawmakers expand parts of the program to include dental services, according to a report released last week.

The Urban Institute analysis—aided by funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation—examined the implications of expanding Medicare Part B, which covers medically necessary and preventive services, to include dental care. The proposed coverage would be subject to Part B deductibles and 20% cost-sharing, and it could lower out-of-pocket expenses by 80%, or $530 per person annually, the report found.

Katherine Hempstead, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation senior policy advisor, said the proposed expansion is “an opportunity to increase equity and close long-standing gaps in access to dental services.” Low-income older adults currently “bear the brunt” of Medicare’s lack of dental coverage, she added.

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Filed under: "Doctors Only", Breaking News, Drugs and Pharma, Ethics, Experts Invited, Health Economics, Health Insurance, Health Law & Policy, Healthcare Finance, Industry Indignation Index, LifeStyle, Managed Care | Tagged: DDS, dental care, dentistry, DMD, medicare denal care, Medicare Part B, Part B dental care, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Rx MDMA

Posted on September 17, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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A psychedelic drug could be an effective treatment for PTSD, according to research published in Nature Medicine this week.

MDMA, aka “ecstasy” or “molly,” combined with therapy, was shown to produce a “clinically meaningful” improvement for almost 90% of treated patients with moderate and severe PTSD.

MORE: https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/mdma-ecstasy-abuse/what-mdma

The encouraging results put the currently illicit substance on a path to becoming a prescription drug if US regulators approve it for widespread clinical use.

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Filed under: "Doctors Only", Alternative Investments, Drugs and Pharma, Ethics | Tagged: DEA, Drugs, ectasy, illicit drugs, MDMA, molly, Nature Medicine, psychedelic drug, PTSD | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Medicare B & D and the DOWN Markets

Posted on September 16, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

Medicare Part B and D are likely increasing in 2024

Due to a new Alzheimer’s treatment coming to the market (Leqembi, from pharmaceutical companies Eisai and Biogen), Medicare beneficiaries are expected to pick up the cost. Therefore, Medicare Part B prices are expected to increase in 2024. The costs are projected to go up from the current $164.90 to $174.80, a nearly $10 increase per month.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

While you may not see a huge difference in the amount you’re paying for Medicare Part D, it still could be slightly lower. The average total monthly Part D premium is projected to decrease from $56.49 in 2023 to $55.50 in 2024, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). That’s nearly $10 each month.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

MORE Citations:

Medicare.gov. (2022). Medicare & You 2023.
Medicare.gov. (2022). When does Medicare coverage start?
Kaiser Family Foundation. (2019, Aug 9). Data Note: Prescription Drugs and Older Adults.
Medicare.gov. (2022). How to get prescription drug coverage.

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Here is where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 Index was down 54.78 points (1.2%) at 4,450.32, down 0.2% for the week; the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) was down 288.87 points (0.8%) at 34,618.24, up 0.1% for the week; the NASDAQ Composite was down 217.72 points (1.6%) at 13,708.33, down 0.4% for the week.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) was up about 4 basis points at 4.332%.
CBOE’s Volatility Index (VIX) was up 0.97 at 13.79.

Technology shares were among the market’s weakest performers Friday after Reuters reported Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) had told its major suppliers to delay delivery of high-end chipmaking equipment because of concerns over demand.

The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) sank more than 3% to a four-week low. Most market sectors were under pressure, including energy, despite crude oil futures extending a climb above $90 a barrel.

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Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Alerts Sign-Up, Drugs and Pharma, Financial Planning, Funding Basics, Health Economics, Health Insurance, Health Law & Policy, Healthcare Finance, Investing | Tagged: Alzheimer's disease, Biogen, CBOE, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMS, DJIA, DOW, Eisai, fed, FOMC, inflation, Leqembi, medicare, Medicare B, Medicare D, NASDAQ, oil, Russell 2000, S&P 500, SOX, TSMC, VIX | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Social Security COLA, Illegal Drugs and the Markets

Posted on September 15, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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The forecast for next year’s Social Security increase rose to 3.2% from 3% on Wednesday after the government said inflation ticked up in August. Annual inflation in August rose to 3.7%, from 3.2% in July but off a 40-year high of 9.1% in June 2022. Without the volatile food and energy sectors, the so-called “core” inflation rate was 4.3%, down from July’s 4.7%.

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Illegal drugs are expected to be one of the biggest threats to national security in 2024 as overdose deaths topped 100,000 in the last year, according to the Department of Homeland Security’s annual threat study. In its report released Thursday, DHS said it expects illegal drugs produced in Mexico and sold in the United States will continue to kill more Americans than any other threat.

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U.S. stocks ended sharply higher and the greenback jumped on Thursday as robust economic data failed to budge expectations that the Federal Reserve will leave its key interest rate unchanged next week. The rally boosted a broad array of assets. All three major stock indexes ended higher, as did all 11 major sectors of the S&P 500. The dollar jumped to a six-month high, 10-year Treasury yields rose, and crude oil futures hit their highest this year, helping energy stocks outperform the broader market.

A spate of economic data released before the opening bell showed energy prices, specifically gasoline, were largely responsible for a hotter-than-expected producer prices print and a consensus-beating retail sales reading.

***

Here is where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 Index was up 37.66 points (0.8%) at 4,505.10; the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 331.58 points (1.0%) at 34,907.11; the NASDAQ Composite (COMP) was up 112.47 points (0.8%) at 13,926.05.The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) was up about 4 basis points at 4.286%. CBOE’s Volatility Index (VIX) was down 0.69 at 12.79.

Retailers were among the market’s strongest sectors Thursday in the wake of stronger-than-expected August retail sales reported by the Commerce Department. Energy companies also climbed as crude oil futures extended a rally and topped $90 a barrel for the first time since mid-November. Small-cap stocks joined the upswing, with the Russell 2000 Index (RUT) rising nearly 1.5% and ended at a one-week high. Volatility based on the VIX fell under 13.00 and near pre-pandemic levels of early 2020.

***

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Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Alternative Investments, Drugs and Pharma, Financial Planning, Funding Basics, iMBA, Inc. | Tagged: CBOE, COLA, Core Inflation, CPI, crude, DHS, DJIA, DOW, drug deaths, gas, heroin, illegal drugs, inflation, NASDAQ, national security, oil, overdose, retail sales, Russell 2000, S&P 500, social security, Social Security COLA, SS Cola, stock markets, Synthetic Fentanyl, TNX, Treasury yields, VIX | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Healthy Aging Month

Posted on September 14, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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September is Healthy Aging Month. Some health systems like Mount Sinai in New York are already preparing to treat the aging US population via its Align program, which aims to reduce geriatric emergency room visits.

MORE: https://www.dhs.gov/employee-resources/blog/2020/09/24/september-healthy-aging-month

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ORDER: https://www.routledge.com/Comprehensive-Financial-Planning-Strategies-for-Doctors-and-Advisors-Best/Marcinko-Hetico/p/book/9781482240283

***

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Filed under: Alerts Sign-Up, Drugs and Pharma, Ethics, Experts Invited, Health Economics, Health Insurance, Health Law & Policy, LifeStyle | Tagged: Health Aging Month September, Healthy Aging Month, September | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: America’s Health Insurance Plans, Auto Insurance and New Car Costs & the Markets

Posted on September 14, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

Yesterday was the first day of trade group America’s Health Insurance Plans 2023 Consumer Experience & Digital Health Forum, a two-day conference focused on emerging digital health innovations and how they’re changing the consumer experience of the US healthcare system.

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RISK MANAGEMENT: https://www.routledge.com/Risk-Management-Liability-Insurance-and-Asset-Protection-Strategies-for/Marcinko-Hetico/p/book/9781498725989

***

According to Bankrate’s extensive research, the average cost of auto insurance in the U.S. is $2,014 per year. Minimum coverage, on the other hand, has an average annual cost of $622. However, car insurance is like a fingerprint. Although your circumstances may seem similar, your personalized rating factors will cause your premium to vary from that of friends, family and the national average. Still, knowing the average cost of car insurance might give you the information you need to ensure you’re not overpaying for this necessary financial protection.

***

The average cost of new cars is now well over $48,000—up almost $6,000 from two years ago and about $10,000 from September 2020, according to Kelley Blue Book.

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Here is where the major benchmarks ended:

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Filed under: "Advisors Only", "Doctors Only", Accounting, Breaking News, Career Development, Drugs and Pharma, Ethics, Events-Planner, Experts Invited, Health Economics, Health Insurance, Health Law & Policy, Healthcare Finance, Insurance Matters, Investing, Taxation | Tagged: auto insurance, Bankrate, car insurance, CBOE, DJIA, DOW, gas, Health Insurance, health insurance plans, inflation, Kelley Blue Book, NASDAQ, new auto prices., new autos, new car, oil, Russell 2000, S&P 500, SPX, TNX, VIX | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: FDA Approves COVID Booster while Sonders Speaks about the Markets

Posted on September 12, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized and approved updated COVID boosters on Monday amid rising cases and hospitalizations across the country. The boosters made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, were formulated to target variants that are currently circulating, which are related to XBB – an offshoot of the omicron variant.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

***

The US economy is in a “rolling recession” and a full-blown downturn looms, Liz Ann Sonders says.
Weakness in consumer goods and manufacturing is being offset by strength in services, she noted.
Charles Schwab’s chief investment strategist doesn’t expect a bunch of interest—rate cuts in 2024.

***

Here is where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 Index was up 29.97 points (0.7%) at 4,487.46; the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) was up 87.13 points (0.3%) at 34,663.72; the NASDAQ Composite was up 156.37 points (1.1%) at 13,917.89.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) was up about 3 basis points at 4.29%.
CBOE’s Volatility Index (VIX) was down 0.03 at 13.81.

The consumer discretionary sector, which includes stocks like Tesla and Amazon (AMZN), gained nearly 3% and ended at an eight-week high. Health care and utilities were also higher. Energy shares dropped as crude oil futures eased, but oil prices remained near 10-month highs.

***
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Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Alerts Sign-Up, Drugs and Pharma, Ethics, Health Economics, Health Insurance, Health Law & Policy, iMBA, Inc., Investing | Tagged: AMZN, BioNTech, CBOE, covid, covid booster, DJIA, DOW, FDA, Food Drug Administration, Liz Ann Sonders, Moderna, NASDAQ, omicron, Pfizer, recession, rolling recession, Russell 2000, S&P 500, stock markets, TNX, VIX, XBB | Leave a comment »

PODCAST: The Future of Healthcare Profits

Posted on September 12, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Eric Bricker MD

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CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

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Filed under: "Doctors Only", Accounting, Career Development, Drugs and Pharma, Experts Invited, Health Economics, Health Insurance, Healthcare Finance, Information Technology, Videos | Tagged: Drugs, Eric Bricker, healthcare investments, healthcare profits, HIT, IT, pharmacy, UHC, United Health Care | Leave a comment »

September is National Prostate Health Month

Posted on September 11, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

What it is?

[By Staff Reporters]

National Prostate Health Month (NPHM) is observed every September in the United States by health experts, health advocates, and individuals concerned with men’s prostate health.

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***

Purpose

Designating a month for the issue serves the purpose of:

Increasing public awareness of the importance of prostate health
Providing easily accessible prostate health screenings
Educating about risk factors and symptoms of prostate related diseases and
Advocating for further research on prostate health issues.

[A light blue ribbon is the symbol for prostate cancer]

Assessment

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Prostate_Health_Month
Goodnight Dr. Gleason
Senators push for research into prostate cancer
Two U.S. senators have just proposed a bill to support research into prostate cancer, calling for “a national strategy to combat prostate cancer.”

Conclusion

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Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Medical Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

OUR OTHER PRINT BOOKS AND RELATED INFORMATION SOURCES:

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Filed under: Drugs and Pharma, Events-Planner, LifeStyle, Op-Editorials, Quality Initiatives, Risk Management | Tagged: Donald Gleason MD, National Prostate Health Month, prostate cancer, PSA | Leave a comment »

NARCAN: OTC Naloxone Hydrochloride

Posted on September 10, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

NARCAN

By Staff Reporters

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According to Morning Brew, for the first time, people across the US will be able to purchase an overdose-reversal drug that’s as easy to administer as Flonase, without a prescription. Next week, nationwide chains like Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, and Rite Aid will begin selling two-dose boxes of Narcan, a naloxone nasal spray that saves people from opioid overdose, in stores and online.

Making naloxone widely accessible has long been a goal for public health experts because Fentanyl-laced drugs can kill people before paramedics arrive, but some now worry that over-the-counter Narcan’s $45 retail price could be too high for those who need it most.

That’s where insurance comes in:

Medicaid and Medicare already cover prescription naloxone, and so far, Missouri, California, Massachusetts, Washington, Rhode Island, and Oregon Medicaid programs said they’ll cover OTC Narcan, too.
While private health plans often restrict OTC drug coverage, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts said it’ll fully cover nonprescription Narcan.

But this won’t help the one-fifth of people with opioid use disorder who are uninsured. Some government and harm reduction programs give out Narcan for free—and those groups can now order two-dose boxes in bulk at a discounted $41 per box, according to manufacturer Emergent BioSolutions.

PODCAST BALTIMORE NOD: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2022/08/31/what-is-the-baltimore-nod/

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MORE: https://www.routledge.com/Risk-Management-Liability-Insurance-and-Asset-Protection-Strategies-for/Marcinko-Hetico/p/book/9781498725989

***

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Filed under: "Doctors Only", Breaking News, Drugs and Pharma, Ethics, Experts Invited, Health Insurance, Risk Management | Tagged: Baltimore nod, CVs, DEA, Drugs, emergent biosolotions, health insurance drugs, Medicaid, medicare, Morning Brew, naloxone, narcan, otc drugs, Rite Aid, walgreens, Walmart | Leave a comment »

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