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Posted on May 17, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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The US COVID death toll officially reached 1 million, an amount greater than the combined populations of Boston and Orlando. Coming three months after the country reached 900,000 deaths and less than two and a half years after the first recorded US cases. It’s a reminder that despite dropped mask mandates and summer months approaching, the virus continues to be a threat.
New Omicron sub-variants that appear adept at eluding immunity from prior infections have caused yet another spike in reported cases and hospitalizations. US cases have jumped 60% over the past two weeks, to an average of 90,000 new cases every day.
That figure is far short of the real infection rate, as states have shuttered many large testing sites, and cases discovered from at-home tests often go unreported.
Posted on May 13, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
It’s Friday the 13th
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The IRS destroyed data for an estimated 30 million filers in March 2021, according to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. The decision, prompted by a backlog of paper filings, has sparked anger in the tax community. “It just further damages the IRS’ reputation in the business community and in the public,” said Larry Harris, director of tax services at Parsec Financial.
More than $200 billion has been wiped off the cryptocurrency market today alone, as investors are sent into a panic. Ethereum, the world’s second largest digital currency plummeted by 20% in the space of 24 hours. Bitcoin, the original cryptocurrency started in 2009, dropped by 9%, but overall it is down 50% since its all time high in November. Chaos on the market has seen other currencies such as Shiba Inu and Dogecoin losing 30% and 25%, respectively. Meanwhile Terra Luna, which was among the top 10 most valuable cryptocurrencies had 98% of its value wiped out overnight, falling to below one dollar per coin.
Immediately after becoming the interim CEO of Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX), Howard Schultz suspended the company’s share-repurchase program. “This decision will allow us to invest more into our people and our stores — the only way to create long-term value for all stakeholders,” he said in a press release.
Snowflake, Meta, Microsoft and Uber — are all down from 20% to as much as 60% year to date. The technology stock sector, especially unprofitable firms and richly valued software names, have been hit the hardest as of late. The NASDAQ Composite slid more than 13% in April, dropping almost 30% from its all-time high.
President Biden, anticipating the milestone of one million American lives lost to Covid-19, said in a formal statement on Thursday that the United States must stay committed to fighting a virus that has “forever changed” the country.
Finally, Microsoft founder Bill Gatessaid on Tuesday that he tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms. In a series of tweets, the billionaire shared that he was “lucky to be vaccinated” and will be isolating until he’s healthy again.
Posted on May 9, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
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By Staff Reporters
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• 108,700 additional physicians became employees of hospitals or other corporate entities – 83,000 of that shift occurred after the onset of COVID-19. • Hospital and other corporate entities acquired 36,200 additional physician practices over the three-year period, resulting in a 38% increase in the percentage of corporate owned practices. • 58,200 additional physicians become hospital employees – 51,000 of that shift occurred after the onset of COVID-19. • 50,500 additional physicians became employees of corporate entities – 32,000 of that shift occurred after the onset of COVID-19.
Posted on May 7, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
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Markets: All three indexes closed lower (the Dow’s sixth-straight week) following the FOMC’s guidance on future interest rate hikes. Peloton shares fell to a record low yesterday with new CEO Barry McCarthy’s revival plan not inspiring confidence.
Economy: The April jobs report showed a labor market that continues to chug along. US employers added a more-than-expected 428,000 jobs and the unemployment rate remained low at 3.6%. The economy has recovered almost 95% of the jobs lost due to Covid pandemic.
Posted on May 3, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
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By Staff Reporters
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Markets: Stocks rallied very late in the day to close in the positive green. It may be the start of a turnaround or just a rest before they resume their decline.
Bonds: Over in the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury note touched 3% for the first time since 2018, continuing an upward trend that coincides with the Fed’s move to raise interest rates and shrink its balance sheet.
Economy: The US economy is projected to recover all of the 22 million jobs it lost at the beginning of COVID by this summer, according to Fitch Ratings. Back in the fall of 2020, Moody’s warned that the US wouldn’t recoup all of those jobs until 2024.
Posted on April 21, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Markets: Yesterday was a tale of two markets. The Dow, which is home to blue-chip corporations like P&G, gained, while the NASDAQ, comprised of tech stocks, fell. Netflix is now the worst performing stock in the S&P this year.
Covid: The DOJ appealed a judge’s ruling that overturned a federal mask mandate for transportation. The move came at the suggestion of the CDC, which determined that people should still wear masks in indoor public transportation settings.
Homes: The median existing-home price in the US hit an all-time high of $375,300 in March, up 15% from the year before. With surging mortgage rates and higher home prices, the average borrower is paying ~38% more than they would have for the same home a year ago, according to Realtor.com.
Posted on April 20, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
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Q: What is the plan for a future with COVID? A: A new 136-page report written by dozens of experts provides a comprehensive roadmap to the next normal both to address the pandemic and protect against future biosecurity threats. The group identified 12 key areas of focus, including long COVID, equity, and vaccines. The report also addressed concerns about how the end of the pandemic will disrupt the U.S. health care system when policies introduced during the public health emergency come to an end.
I was recently interviewed by Millennial Investors podcast. They sent me questions ahead of time that they wanted to ask me “on the air”. I found some of the questions very interesting and wanted to explore deeper. Thus, I ended up writing answers to them (I think through writing). You can listen to the podcast here.
By the way, I often get asked how I find time to write. Do I even do investment research? Considering how much content I’ve been spewing out lately, I can understand these questions. In short – I write two hours a day, early in the morning (usually from 5–7am), every single day. I don’t have time-draining hobbies like golf. I rarely watch sports. I have a great team at IMA, and I delegate a lot. I spend the bulk of my day on research because I love doing it.
This is not the first time I was asked these questions. If you’d like to adapt some of my daily hacks in your life, read this essay.
Posted on April 12, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Today’s consumer price index [CPI] reading is expected to show that March prices surged 8.4% over last year.
Treasury yields rose and stocks dropped in anticipation of higher interest rates and a cooling economy. The tech-heavy NASDAQ lost more than $1 trillion in market value in just the past five trading sessions.
US average gas prices sank to their lowest level in more than a month, at $4.11 a gallon. The easing is likely a reaction to the White House’s big release of crude reserves and lock-downs in China reducing overall demand for fuel.
US digital health company investment financing experienced a dip in Q1 of 2022, dropping to $6 billion from the $6.7 billion invested in Q1 2021. In addition, the average size of each investment deal dropped from $46 million last year to just shy of $33 million.
Posted on April 11, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Last week was a bit rudderless with anecdotal stories in the stock market — like Elon Musk buying a big chunk of Twitter (TWTR) — pushing and pulling market sentiment.
But, as with the heart of any earnings season, the big banks will be among the first to put up Q1 numbers. According to Zacks Director of Research Sheraz Mian in his latest Earnings Trends piece this week, all the big banks, including JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Bank of America (BAC), Citigroup (C) and Wells Fargo (WFC), have seen lower revisions ahead of the reports. This is especially true with Citi, which has higher exposure to Russia.
And, global venture funding dropped 19% from Q4 2021 to the first quarter of this year—the steepest drop in at least four years, according to CB Insights. The number of companies that nabbed “unicorn” status (a valuation of at least $1 billion) fell to a five-quarter low.
Finally, the average number of US COVID-19 cases has hit its highest level in a month, but due to the draw-down in testing centers and the uptick of at-home tests, experts assume that many cases are going unreported. Dr. Fauci opined that we must assess our own risk levels, which reflects the US’ shift in strategy to treat Covid like an endemic disease.
Posted on April 6, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
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Update on COVID-19 booster shots
In case you missed it: If you or a loved one are 50 or older, or are moderately or severely immunocompromised, you can get an additional Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 booster shot at no cost to you.
The CDC recommends an additional booster shot for certain individuals to increase protection from severe disease from COVID-19. People over the age of 50, or who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, can get an additional booster of Pfizer or Moderna 4 months after their last dose.
This is especially important for those 65 and older who are at higher risk from severe disease and most likely to benefit from getting an additional booster.
Learn More: Remember: Medicare covers the COVID-19 vaccine, including booster shots, at no cost to you. Find a COVID-19 vaccine location near you.
Posted on March 11, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
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By Staff Reporters
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Markets: Wednesday’s surge was brief as stocks sank yet again following failed peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials. RIVIAN investors lost about $117 billion in market capitalization in the last four months due to concerns around its production capabilities.
Government: The Senate approved a $1.5 trillion spending bill that will fund the government for the current fiscal year and provide $13.6 billion in aid for Ukraine.
WHO: In the US…March 25th, the day Hawaii—the only remaining state with an indoor mask mandate—lifts its mask requirements and April 18th, when the CDC’s loosened guidance for mask mandates on public transportation is expected to take effect. These moves would mean virtually all Covid restrictions would be lifted, marking the unofficial end of the pandemic in the states. Globally…the WHO has been meeting every three months to decide whether or not to continue calling Covid a “pandemic.” The group is expected to keep the label through April—and most likely June as well—and with it, a number of programs that directly help low-income countries. But if the WHO removes the label, then projects like Covax to help vaccinate low-income nations and pledges from drug companies to leave patents off Covid drugs could disappear. And, Harvard epidemiologist Caroline Buckee told Science that the ultimate decision to end the pandemic would come down to “an opinion-based consensus” from within the the WHO.
Posted on February 23, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
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By Staff Reporters
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MARKETS: The S&P 500 fell into a correction for the first time in two years, joining the NASDAQ Composite, as Russia sent troops into pro-Russian regions in Ukraine. The S&P 500 index ended down 1% at 4,304.76, below the correction level at 4,316.91, which would represent a 10% drop from its January 3rd record close. A correction is commonly defined by market technicians as a fall of at least 10% (but not greater than 20%) from a recent peak. The last time the S&P 500 entered a correction was February 27th 2020, when the market was being whipsawed by fears about the outbreak of the COVID pandemic.
And, this bearish market isn’t sparing 2021 winners like Home Depot, which fell the most in nearly two years after supply-chain bottlenecks squeezed its margins. HD was the Dow’s biggest gainer last year.
IRS: According to a news release issued by the IRS, taxpayers now have the option to verify their identities during live, virtual interviews with agents. The agency stresses that no bio-metric data will be required for those interviews.
However, taxpayers once again have the option to verify their identity using ID.me’s facial recognition services. Addressing privacy concerns, the IRS says new requirements are in place to ensure that images provided will be deleted upon verification. That would apply to any new IRS accounts created and those where selfies have already been collected.
Posted on February 23, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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33.6% of COVID Infections Were in Unvaccinated Persons
According to a recent CDC study. Among 422,966 reported SARS-CoV-2 infections in LAC residents aged ≥18 years during November 7, 2021–January 8, 2022:
• 33.6% were in unvaccinated persons • 13.3% were in fully vaccinated persons with a booster • 53.2% were in fully vaccinated persons without a booster • Unvaccinated persons were most likely to be hospitalized, representing 2.8% of COVID infections • Unvaccinated persons were most likely to be admitted to an ICU, or 0.5% of COVID infections • Unvaccinated persons were most likely to be require intubation for mechanical ventilation, or 0.2% of COVID infections.
Posted on February 11, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Endemic: A constant presence and/or usual prevalence of a disease or infection, such as the Corona virus, within a geographic area. (Hyperendemic is a situation in which there are persistent high levels of disease occurrence.)
Posted on February 7, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Markets: Major stock market indexes, the S&P 500 and NASDAQ posted their best week so far this year. And, potential buyers for Peloton include Amazon, Nike, Apple, Google, Netflix, Microsoft, or a private equity firm.
Inflation: The monthly inflation report will drop on Thursday, and consumer prices are projected to have jumped 0.5% from the previous month and 7.3% over the past year—the biggest increase since 1982.
Earnings: From Snap’s 59% gain to Meta’s 26% wipeout. the companies reporting this week—Pfizer, Disney, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Twitter and Zillow know that any small stain on their financials could lead to a stock plunge.
Oil: The big news is that US oil prices topped $90 for the first time since 2014, despite attempts by the Biden administration to keep them down. Gas prices are back up to their highest levels in more than seven years.
Covid: The US death toll from Covid-19 has now surpassed 900,000. And, Omicron has gotten more people around the world sick at the same time than at any point since the 1918–1919 flu pandemic, the WSJ points out.
Economy: The jobs report stunned experts by adding 467,000 jobs last month, far more than expected and a sign of an extraordinarily strong labor market.
Posted on February 2, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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STOCK MARKET: Alphabet Inc., announced a 20-for-1 stock split in the form of a one-time special stock dividend, aiming to draw a wider audience for its shares.
Covid: Pfizer asked the FDA to authorize its two-dose Covid shot for children under 5 years old. Those 19 million children represent the only age group that isn’t currently eligible to get a Covid vaccine.
NHTSA: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has cited more reckless driving since the pandemic began, including drivers not wearing seat belts and blowing through speed limits.
Posted on January 30, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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StocksMarkets: The stock indexes surged higher—and the Dow [DJIA] had its best day of 2022. Just how volatile was the market this week? The S&P swung at least 2.25% every single day…and ended up on Friday afternoon around where it will start today Monday morning.
Economy: New data showed that overall compensation climbed 4% annually last quarter, the biggest jump in two decades. That’s still not enough to keep up with inflation, which is climbing at its fastest pace since 1983.
PANDEMIC: Americans are not OK during the pandemic. According to the General Social Survey, the share of people who said they were “very happy” plunged from 31% in 2018 to 19% in 2021, while the share of people who were “not too happy” surged from 13% to 24%. Over the past few decades, the very happy people had outnumbered the not-too-happies by about three to-one.
Stock Markets: US stocks staged a big afternoon comeback for the second day in a row … but still not big enough to close in the green. American Express was the top performer in both the S&P and the Dow after the company reported its highest billings volume ever in Q4. And, enthusiasm over meme stocks more broadly appears to be dwindling along with cryptos. And, while NASDAQ took a hit, Microsoft reported quarterly sales of more than $50 billion for the first time ever.
Economy: The weight of the financial world is on Jerome Powell’s shoulders today. The Federal Reserve chair will provide an update on the central bank’s views on sky-high inflation and its plan for interest rate hikes this year (though none are expected until March).
Pandemic: Pfizer and BioNTech started clinical trials for an Omicron-specific vaccine yesterday. The results will help the pharma partners decide whether to replace their current jab formula with one that targets the most dominant Covid variant. The new vaccine is being tested both as a three-shot series for un-vaccinated participants and as a booster for the already vaccinated.
Posted on January 21, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Markets: The S&P 500 closed below 4,500 points for the first time since October after a heavy sell-off in the final hour of the trading day. Netflix stock tumbled in after-hours trading when it revealed slowing subscriber growth for the prior and current quarters.
Economy: The number of people filing jobless claims took an unexpectedly big jump last week after a period of historically low readings. The pop is likely a sign of Omicron disruptions hitting the labor market, and economists expect it to be temporary.
Posted on January 18, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
Telemedicine: Fraud and Abuse During the COVID Pandemic
By Susan Walberg
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it huge challenges for people all over the world; not only the obvious health-related concerns but also shutdowns, unemployment, financial difficulties, and a variety of lifestyle changes as a result.
When the COVID pandemic struck, CMS quickly recognized that access to care would be an issue, with healthcare resources strained and many providers or suppliers shutting down their offices or drastically limiting availability. Patients who needed routine care or follow-up visits were at risk for not receiving services during a time when healthcare providers were scrambling to enhance infection control measures and implement other new safety standards to protect patients and healthcare workers.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has responded by easing restrictions and regulatory burdens in order to allow patients to receive the healthcare services they need without undue access challenges. One key area that has changed is the restrictions related to telehealth services, which were previously only paid by Medicare under certain circumstances, such as patients living in remote areas.
Among the changes and waivers CMS has offered, telemedicine reimbursement is among the more significant. Telemedicine services, which includes office visits and ‘check ins’ are now allowed and reimbursed by Medicare. In addition to reimbursement changes, CMS has also relaxed the HIPAA privacy and information security enforcement standards, paving the way for providers to adopt a new model of providing services electronically.
You can also listen to a professional narration of this article on iTunes, Google & online.
Mr. Market was less than kind to our portfolio over the last few months, and especially the last few weeks. I cannot tell you how little it worries us what Mr. Market thinks about our stocks at any particular point in time. We love* our portfolio even if the Mr. Market doesn’t fancy it today.
Also, before we take Mr. Market seriously, let us tell you about the rationality of Mr. Market lately. The World Health Organization (WHO) names each variant of the Covid virus by going to the next letter of the Greek alphabet. After Delta, which is currently the most predominant variant of the virus ravaging the world, there must have been nine others that were not important enough because we never heard of them. Why nine? Because when the latest variant of concern was found in South Africa, it emerged that the letter Nu was supposed to be applied to it. But Nu sounds a lot like new. WHO didn’t want to confuse people, so it skipped to the next letter in the Greek Alphabet, which is Xi – oops, that’s the Chinese supreme dictator. So, for the sake of global political stability, that letter was skipped, too.
This brings us to Omicron, the name of the latest variant.
This is where this story gets a bit more interesting.
The one disruption that really puzzles me is the labor shortage. There are millions of jobs going unfilled today. I hear stories of Starbucks stores being closed due to a lack of workers. Every service that has a heavy labor component has gotten worse – be it restaurants, ride-sharing, or pharmacies. There happens to be a cryptocurrency, one of thousands, that is also named Omicron. I still cannot grasp the logic behind it, but that cryptocurrency was up 900% on the day the South African variant was christened. There must have been a trading algorithm or a lot of bored investors looking for the next gamble, to drive something seemingly worthless up 900%.
That is the drunken Mr. Market that is pricing our stocks today.
I am going to repeat what you will find me saying several times in the letter: We own businesses that are priced, not valued, by Mr. Market thousands of times a day. We have done a lot of work on each company in the portfolio, and through diligent research we have reached the conclusion that each is worth more than the price it is changing hands at today. Are we going to be right about each and every stock? Of course not. This is a numbers game. But we use a time-tested methodology centered on common sense and the cash flows these businesses generate. Also, this is not our first rodeo. We’ll go on making small tweaks, taking advantage of Mr. Market’s manic-depressive moods, at least when it comes to anything that generates cash flows.
Of course, we could change our investment process and load up on the cryptocurrency called Pi Coin, which happens to take its name from the letter in the Greek alphabet that follows Omicron. But I think we all agree we should stick to our knitting, buying high-quality businesses that are significantly undervalued. (Anyway we already loaded up on pie during Thanksgiving.)
Our advice – enjoy this holiday season. Spend time with your loved ones; don’t look at your portfolio. Let us worry about it – after all, we own the same stocks you do.
Posted on January 17, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
WHO KNEW?
By Staff Reporters
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According to Wikipedia, in economics, inflation refers to a general progressive increase in prices of goods and services in an economy.[1] When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, inflation corresponds to a reduction in the purchasing power of money.[2][3] The opposite of inflation is deflation, a sustained decrease in the general price level of goods and services. The common measure of inflation is the inflation rate, the annualised percentage change in a general price index.[4]
Healthcare Not a Part of the US Inflation Surge: Who Knew?
However, according to Jeff Goldsmith, overall health spending has only risen by 4.4% since January of 2020, and the percentage of GDP devoted to health has fallen by more than half a percent, from 18.1% pre-pandemic to 17.5% in October. This is despite four surges of COVID hospitalizations, overflowing ICUs and ERs, labor shortages, and other COVID-related stresses. Health system staffing levels are still nearly a half-million lower than they were pre-pandemic. Had the federal government not stepped in through the CARES Act, FEMA funding, and temporary suspensions of Medicare rate cuts, the nations’ hospitals would have been seriously damaged by COVID-related financial stresses, which are far from being over.
Posted on January 13, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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COVID-19 Prevention and Treatment
The majority of COVID-19 patients being treated in hospitals are unvaccinated or have not received a booster dose of the vaccine. These hospitalizations show how vaccines work and highlight the importance of continued vaccination efforts. President Biden has emphasized that vaccines, boosters, and therapeutic drugs have lessened the danger of COVID-19 for vaccinated people.
Vaccine Recommendations: A new recommendation from the CDC says that people who were initially immunized with the Pfizer vaccine should now receive their booster dose after five months, down from six. Some people with weakened immune systems will soon be eligible for a fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and an Omicron specific vaccine could be ready by March.
Vaccine Mandates:The Supreme Court is weighing the Biden administration’s requirement that workers get vaccinated or be tested regularly for COVID-19. Many states and cities have created their own vaccine rules and employers are left confused about what to do next during the legal battles and the current rise in cases.
At-Home Testing Shortage: There is a shortage of COVID-19 at-home test kits and kit prices are rising as are reports of price gouging. The White House announced a policy to make at-home tests freely available to Americans. Learn more about at-home tests and their accuracy here.
Antiviral Pills:Doctors express concern that the limited supply of antiviral drugs is unlikely to ameliorate the strain hospitals are experiencing. The U.S. doubled its order for Pfizer’s COVID pill so there’s enough for 20 million people.
Posted on January 13, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
BY STAFF REPORTERS
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Stock Markets: An inflation report couldn’t stop stocks from pushing higher yesterday, likely because it wasn’t worse than expected. Biogen shares tumbled after Medicare said it would limit coverage of its controversial $28,000 Alzheimer’s drug, Aduhelm; as the ME-P has noted.
Covid Pandemic: The current Omicron wave is projected to peak by January 19th in the US, according to an influential model from the University of Washington. Then, cases are expected to plummet “simply because everybody who could be infected will be infected,” Washington professor Ali Mokdad told the AP. Cases appear to have already peaked in Britain.
Posted on January 3, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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StockMarkets: The three major equity indexes begin 2022 near record highs after closing out their best 3-year performance since 1999. The top-performing S&P sectors: Energy, whose 48% annual gain was its best ever (thank you, soaring oil prices). Real estate was the second-best performing sector at 42%, while tech and financials both rose 33%. The biggest winner in the S&P was Devon Energy, which gained nearly 190%. Ford, Moderna, and nine others in the index more than doubled their stock price. Microsoft rose 51%, and Apple’s 34% gain has it sitting close to a $3 trillion market capitalization.
Covid Medicine: Omicron has caused a rapid explosion of Covid cases in the US—the 7-day rolling average of nearly 400,000 new cases on Saturday was more than double the number from one week before. With hospitalizations also ticking higher, officials are warning that health systems will be overloaded before the Omicron wave is expected to peak in mid-January. And, Dr. Anthony Fauci said yesterday that health officials are looking at adding a negative test requirement after five days of quarantine. Under existing guidance, you can emerge from isolation without showing a negative test.
Posted on December 31, 2021 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
The Common Bridge
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Entering the Last Chapter of Covid, From Omicron and Beyond – With Dr. James R. Baker, Jr., M.D.
Richard Helppie welcomes back University of Michigan Professor Emeritus of Internal Medicine, and Virologist, Dr. James R. Baker, Jr., M.D., who brings words of both encouragement and warning as the world comes to what he feels is the beginning of the final throws of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr. Baker has been a valued guest on the Common Bridge since the beginnings of the coronavirus over a year ago, and brings thoughtful, scientific, data-driven analysis to the most significant health issue of our lifetime.
Posted on December 24, 2021 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
BY STAFF REPORTERS
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Markets: The stock market will enjoy a well-deserved day off on Christmas Eve after the S&P closed at an all-time high yesterday. Crocs suffered its worst trading day since April 2020 after its announced $2.5 billion acquisition of the footwear label Hey Dude got a thumbs down from investors.
Covid: The FDA approved Merck’s Covid pill for adults at high risk for severe disease, just one day after they greenlit Pfizer’s pill. And the CDC shortened the required isolation time for health workers who test positive to combat potential employee shortages during the Omicron wave.
Posted on December 23, 2021 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By staff reporters
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StockMarkets: Stocks gained for the second straight day as a mini “Santa Clause Rally” picks up steam. Tesla made its grand return to the $1 trillion market cap club after Elon Musk said he was “almost done” selling 10% of his stake.
Economy: Consumer confidence rose this month to its highest level since July, showing that Omicron and inflation concerns are no match for the formidable American shopper.
Posted on December 22, 2021 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
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Markets: Down big one day, up big the next—that’s the Omicron-era stock market for you. Stocks surged yesterday following a 3-day losing streak, with travel companies leading the way.
Covid: The FDA is set to authorize Covid pills from Pfizer and Merck this week, Bloomberg reports. These treatments, which are intended to be taken by vulnerable people shortly after they are infected, could significantly reduce the burden on strained hospitals. Experts say the pills are a pandemic medical milestone second only to vaccines.
Posted on December 17, 2021 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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The Federal Reserve announced that it will stop buying bonds about three months earlier than initially planned. The Fed now plans to trim its monthly Treasury and mortgage-backed security purchases by $30 billion a month starting next month. The new pace is expected to put an end to bond buying by March.
The Fed also announced that it would leave interest rates unchanged at near-zero percent. The announcement paves the way for three interest rate hikes by the end of 2022, which could weigh on tech and growth stocks.
Markets: Stocks reversed their post-Federal Reserve announcement rally with a stinker of a day—especially tech stocks. Semiconductor companies like AMD and Nvidia got particularly thwacked.
Covid: The CDC recommended adults use Moderna’s and Pfizer’s Covid vaccines over J&J’s due to the risk of developing rare but serious blood clots.
Posted on December 9, 2021 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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Markets: The S&P posted its third straight day of gains, as fears of widespread Omicron-induced lock-downs continue to fade. Roku stock popped 18% after it reached a deal with Google to keep YouTube and YouTube TV on its platform.
Economy: Great Resignation update—still going strong. 4.2 million people quit their jobs in October, a historically high number but 205,000 lower than the previous month.
Posted on December 8, 2021 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
TOPICS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED ON THE ME-P
By Staff Reporters
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Markets: Omicron who? Fed tapering what? Stocks continued to roar back from their post-Thanksgiving hangover, with tech shares leading the way. The NASDAQ had its best day since March.
Covid: Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine is less effective, but still provides some protection, against the Omicron variant, an early study from South Africa showed.
US Government: Congress had a busy evening. Lawmakers reached a deal to raise the country’s debt ceiling, and the House passed a $768 billion defense policy bill that increases pay for service members.
Posted on December 4, 2021 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
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WHAT A WEEK!
Markets: Stocks ended a topsy-turvy week with another stinker yesterday, dragged netherward (big word alert) by the tech sector. Meta shares nearly entered a bear market, falling almost 20% from a closing record in September. Still, the S&P was down less than 1% for the week.
Covid: The first bits of solid Omicron data are starting to trickle out. One study from South Africa showed that the new variant may cause a higher rate of reinfection in people who already got Covid. Critical information on the effectiveness of current vaccines against Omicron could come in a few days, a WHO scientist said.
Posted on November 29, 2021 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
By Staff Reporters
Markets: Stocks dropped sharply in the post-Thanksgiving trading session on Friday due to concerns over the new Covid variant, Omicron. The Dow fell 2.5% for its worst day of the year, and the S&P also tumbled 2.3%. Oil prices and travel stocks also got rocked given fresh worries over travel demand, while “stay-at-home” names like Peloton and Zoom got a boost.
Economy: It’s still way too early to know the impact of Omicron on economic growth. As we laid out last week, the Fed is under pressure to accelerate the winding down of its stimulus measures in order to battle inflation, but the new variant could change the calculus. Investors dialed back their expectations of a sooner-than-expected rate increase on Friday.
It has been well documented that the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in unprecedented increases in telemedicine utilization across the U.S. However, rural providers and patients, as evidenced by their lower rates of telemedicine usage during this time, have not been able to take advantage of the opportunities provided by telemedicine to the same extent as urban providers.
On August 18, 2021, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the latest attempt to ameliorate this issue – the distribution of nearly $20 million to 36 recipients for the purpose of strengthening telehealth services in rural and underserved communities and expanding innovation and quality. (Read more…)
Posted on September 13, 2021 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™
ABOUT NOSE SWAB KITS
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BY. DR. DAVID EDWARD MARCINKO MBA
What is an at-home Covid test?
There are two types of tests for COVID-19. Viral tests tell you if you have a current infection, and antibody tests tell you if you’ve been previously infected.
If you’re experiencing symptoms or think you’ve been exposed to COVID-19, contact your health care provider or your state or local public health department to find out where you can get tested. Tests are available at many health centers and some pharmacies. Call in advance to see if an appointment is required. The testing process and timeline for results vary by location.
But – Rather than having a doctor or health professional get all up in your nostrils, you can swab yourself and get the results in less than an hour. At-home rapid tests (known as “antigen” tests) are less reliable than the lab-based PCR [polymerase chain reaction] test, but experts say they can be an extremely useful tool for allowing life to proceed semi-normally.
NOTE: PCR means polymerase chain reaction. It’s a test to detect genetic material from a specific organism, such as a virus. The test detects the presence of a virus if you have the virus at the time of the test. The test could also detect fragments of the virus even after you are no longer infected.
Problem is, in the US over-the-counter rapid tests are expensive and scarce.
Abbott Laboratories sells a two-pack for $24, and Quidel’s QuickVue sells a test for $15. But even if you are willing to shell out for one, good luck finding a rapid test on pharmacy store shelves or on e-commerce websites, where they’re often sold out.
A recent study from Physicians Advocacy Institute (PAI), prepared by Avalere Health, associated the growing number of both physician practice acquisitions and employed physicians between 2019 and 2021 with the COVID-19 pandemic.
To study COVID-19’s impact on physician employment trends, the June 2021 study evaluated the IQVIA OneKey database that contains physician practice and health system ownership information.
To assess these trends at a national and regional level, Avalere researchers studied the two-year period from January 1, 2019 to January 1, 2021. (Read more…)