Today’s NewsStand

Today’s NewsStand

By siglerr|
|February 27, 2023

Iowa news

Iowa public health officials announce end to mandatory COVID-19 reporting, weekly reports.

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services announced that effective April 1, the state will no longer require that positive COVID-19 tests be reported to public health officials. Iowa’s weekly COVID-19 reports, which have served as the predominant source of information about the spread of coronavirus in the state, also will end. Beginning April 1, new COVID-19 data will instead be incorporated into respiratory virus surveillance reports published weekly by HHS officials, aligning coronavirus monitoring with the standard for other respiratory viruses. (Des Moines Register)

BetterCaths coalition helps Rep. Turek design Better Caths for Iowa Act to remove harmful Phthalate chemical DEHP from urological catheters

In support of the disability community, Iowa State Rep. Josh Turek has introduced the Better Caths for Iowa Act to review the use and reimbursement of certain catheters under the Medicaid program — specifically urinary catheters made with the harmful chemical DEHP.  The act is the first piece of legislation in the country that aims to lower the bladder cancer mortality rate for people whose lives depend on using urological catheters. Representatives from supporting organizations and the BetterCaths health education team will give statements in support of the act when the bill is reviewed by an Iowa House health subcommittee. (Americus Times-Recorder)

AARP Iowa joins calls for insulin price caps

AARP Iowa is calling on the Iowa Legislature to cap insulin prices for people on state-regulated health-insurance plans that have no limits on the drug. The Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act capped insulin costs at $35 per month for people on Medicare, but only for those who buy Part D plans that help cover drug costs. AARP Iowa State Director Brad Anderson said that leaves 245,000 Iowans who need insulin vulnerable to huge price spikes. (Public News Service)

National news

Medicaid to cut 14 million Americans from health coverage

Medicaid will cut 14 million Americans from health coverage as states crack down on eligibility for the first time in three years. Over the next 12 months, each state will ask its residents on Medicaid to re-enroll in the program to see if they still qualify. Those who don’t will likely be redirected to the Affordable Care Act marketplace to pick a different health insurance. (Internewscast)

IDRs resume certain payment determinations under No Surprises Act

Certified independent dispute resolution entities have resumed issuing payment determinations for payment disputes involving out-of-network services and items furnished before Oct. 25, 2022. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said independent dispute resolution entities will hold issuance of payment determinations for items or services furnished on or after Oct. 25, 2022, until the departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury issue further guidance. CMS has posted guidance for certified independent dispute resolution entities issuing payment determinations for items and services furnished before Oct. 25, 2022. (American Hospital Association)

Nasal COVID-19 vaccine shows promise in early clinical trial

An experimental nasal vaccine provided strong protection against COVID-19 infection, according to preliminary results from a Phase 1 clinical trial. The vaccine was found to reduce the risk of symptomatic COVID-19 infections by 86% for three months in people who received it as a booster dose. The results from the clinical trial offer an early but tantalizing glimpse at how a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine could be more effective at stopping the coronavirus in its tracks. (NBC News)

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