Literature Review

Aetna forecasts higher Medicare Advantage costsModern Healthcare, by Lauren Berryman; 2/7/24CVS Health has downgraded its 2024 earnings guidance as its Aetna health insurance subsidiary contends with higher-than-expected Medicare Advantage costs and a looming federal rate cut, the company announced Wednesday.

Large study ties OCD to greater risk of death from any causeJAMA, by Emily Harris; 2/7/24Previous research on the mortality risk of people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has shown mixed results and hasn’t gone into specific causes of death. Now, results from a large cohort study published in The BMJ suggests they have an 82% higher risk of dying from all causes.

Amazon cuts jobs in healthcare divisionsBecker's Health IT, by Naomi Diaz; 2/6/24Amazon is eliminating a few hundred roles at One Medical and in its online pharmacy unit Amazon Pharmacy...

Patient navigator intervention to improve palliative care outcomes for Hispanic patients with serious non-cancer illness a randomized clinical trial JAMA Intern. Med, by Stacy M. Fischer, MD; Sung-Joon Min, PhD; Danielle M. Kline, MS; et al; 2/212/24Importance: Disparities persist across the trajectory of serious illness, including at the end of life. Patient navigation has been shown to reduce disparities and improve outcomes for underserved populations.Objective: To determine the effectiveness of a lay patient navigator intervention, Apoyo con Cariño, in improving palliative care outcomes among Hispanic patients.

8 C-suite roles to watchBecker's Hospital Review, by Alexis Kayser, 2/8/24In the past year, more than 40 health systems have taken a closer look at their leadership teams — adding, subtracting, redesigning and combining roles to position their C-suites for the future. [Click on the title's link for] eight evolving executive positions Becker's is tracking.

Bill to legalize medical aid in dying for eligible, terminally ill Virginians passes state SenateABC 8 News WRIC - Capital Connection, by Ryan Nadeau; updated 2/11/24A bill that would allow eligible terminally ill patients in Virginia the option of medically-assisted death, or “medical aid in dying,” has passed the state Senate along a narrow margin. ... SB 280 would “[allow] an adult diagnosed with a terminal condition to request and an attending health care provider to prescribe a self-administered controlled substance for the purpose of ending the patient’s life,” according to its text.

Cigna doubles down on growing Evernorth Health ServicesModern Healthcare, by Lauren Berryman; 2/2/24Two days after announcing it would sell its Medicare business, Cigna Group outlined plans to double down on growth opportunities for its Evernorth Health Services unit... It also expects to benefit from the continued growth of Medicare Advantage, despite its pending exit, by offering pharmacy benefits to these plans... Evernorth provides pharmacy, care delivery and benefits solutions to health plans, employers, government entities and providers. It also houses its Express Scripts pharmacy benefit manager, which is one of the top three largest pharmacy benefit managers by market share.

Google Health seeks clinical health equity expertBecker's Health IT, by Laura Dyrda; 2/8/24Google Health has a job opening for a health equity clinical specialist to serve as the company's expert in health equity and social determinants of health. The tech giant wants to bring on a physician with experience in public health and health equity to advise on research and product teams, integrate health equity into products and mitigate risks for increasing the gap in disparities and health outcome metrics.

Medicare Advantage provider, benefit cuts may follow rate reductionModern Healthcare, by Nona Tepper; 2/6/24Medicare Advantage insurers are likely to respond to a modest rate cut next year by adjusting premiums, benefits, provider reimbursements and other factors to emphasize profitability, financial analysts said. Although the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has downplayed the effects of its proposed 0.16% reduction in the Medicare Advantage benchmark rate for 2025, the rule issued last Wednesday is the latest in a string of policies that has Medicare insurers and their investors wary about the program.

How the funeral industry got the FTC to hide bad actorsWall Street Journal, by Dominique Mosbergen; 2/5/24Mortuaries that violate fair-practices rules are allowed to take a remedial training program that shields their names from public scrutiny; WSJ investigation reveals more than 500 homes. Unethical funeral homes have exploited grieving customers for decades. What consumers don’t know is that many of the industry’s bad actors have been hidden from the public thanks to a sweetheart deal struck between the Federal Trade Commission and the funeral industry more than 25 years ago.

The most common cancers for men and women in 2024Becker's Hospital Review, by Mariah Taylor; 2/5/24Of all cancer cases in men in 2024, 48% are predicted to be prostate, lung and colon and rectum and 51% of all new cases in women are expected to be from breast, lung and colon and rectum cancers, researchers from the American Cancer Society found.

'Be a game-changer': Insights on leadership for Black History MonthBecker's Hospital Review, by Kelly Gooch; 2/8/24In honor of Black History Month in February, Becker's Hospital Review asked what it means to be a Black leader in healthcare. Here, Black healthcare leaders share how their heritage and culture infuses their leadership philosophies and adds purpose to their roles.