Healthcare Bankruptcies Trend Down, Not Up During Pandemic

September 08, 2021 - Labor Day signals an end to the summer but not the coronavirus as back-to-school begins in earnest.

Moderna Submits Data for COVID-19 Vaccine Booster

Moderna recently submitted initial data to the FDA to evaluate a booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine, mRNA-1263, at the 50 microgram dose level. The company will submit data to the European Medicines Agency and other regulatory authorities worldwide in the near future.

Moderna’s data from the Phase 2 study of mRNA-1263 showed that a booster dose of the vaccine at the 50 microgram dose level boosted neutralizing antibody titers across all age groups, notably in older adults aged 65 and older.

The safety profile following dose three was similar to that observed previously for dose two of the vaccine. And an additional analysis also found that a booster dose of mRNA-1273 at the same dosage level elicited robust antibody response and substantially increased geometric mean titers for all variants of concern. READ MORE

Medication Adherence Hinges on Drug Costs, Provider Communication

Drug costs, patient education, and patient-provider communication are leading factors in poor medication adherence, according to new data published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Particularly, about two-thirds of adults with non-ventricular atrial fibrillation said healthcare costs were the leading factor behind their poor medication adherence, according to researchers from the University of California Los Angeles and San Diego.

For patients with AFib, taking direct-acting oral coagulants can help managing illness, but currently medication adherence rates leave much to be desired. The researchers noted that medication non-adherence for DAOC runs anywhere between 26 and 45 percent. And rarely are the reasons behind that non-adherence patient refusal or non-compliance. Rather, a survey of 42 patients with a mean age of about 70 years old showed a number of patient engagement issues contributing to low medication adherence. READ MORE

Pandemic Not Leading to Increase in Healthcare Bankruptcies

Healthcare bankruptcies made an unprecedented decline this past quarter despite ongoing operational and financial pressures from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, according to the newest Polsinelli-TrBK Distress Indices Report from AM law 100 firm Polsinelli.

The Indices Report determines an industry’s distress level based on Chapter 11 filing data for bankruptcies with more than $1 million in assets. It specifically tracks the healthcare and real estate industries.

The firm found that the Health Care Services Distress Index fell by more than 333 points during the second quarter of 2021. Additionally, the index fell below 100 points to just 63.33 points for the first time in over 13 quarters, the firm reported. Two other indices tracked in the report also declined: Real Estate Distress Research Index by just over one point and Chapter 11 Distress Research Index by over 17 points. The indices now stand at 22.24 and 66.24, respectively. READ MORE

Mayo’s RPM Model Key to Acute COVID-19 Treatment

Mayo Clinic expanded its multi-state RPM program during the pandemic to treat infected patients at home, employing a strategy that many healthcare organizations have been using to reduce hospital congestion and give patients a chance to recover at home instead of in a hospital ward.

The team implemented the RPM program at Mayo Clinic campuses in Arizona, Florida, and Minnesota, with the help of hospital and ambulatory care staff. A total of 7,074 patients across 41 states participated in one of two RPM models, depending on their risk factors, between March and November 2020. Both RPM programs produced high patient engagement levels, low hospitalization rates, and low 30-day mortality rates.

The midwestern health system’s original RPM program helps patients with chronic care management for conditions like congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but experts from the Mayo Clinic Center for Digital Health worked with COVID-19 physicians to adapt the RPM program to support COVID-19 patients. READ MORE

Centene Consolidates Medicare Offerings Under Wellcare Brand

Wellcare has announced that Centene and Wellcare will consolidate their Medicare offerings under the Wellcare brand name.

This strategy will bring Centene Medicare products like Allwell, Health Net, Fidelis Care, and TexanPlus under the same Wellcare name. Wellcare’s history spans over two decades of offering Medicare products such as Medicare Advantage plans and prescription drug plans. Wellcare is considered a wholly-owned subsidiary of Centene.

Since January 2020, Centene and Wellcare have expanded their reach across 33 states and they serve at least over a million Medicare Advantage members. Centene began its acquisition of Wellcare in 2019. READ MORE

Deep Learning Aids Identification of Genetic Syndromes in Kids

Children’s National Hospital researchers developed a machine learning tool that offers rapid genetic screening, potentially accelerating the diagnosis of genetic syndromes in children.

The deep learning technology was trained with data from 2,800 pediatric patients from 28 countries. Additionally, the technology also considers variables related to sex, age, racial, and ethnic backgrounds. The technology can indicate the presence of a genetic syndrome from a facial photograph captured at a point-of-care, such as in pediatrician offices, maternity wards, and general practitioner clinics.

According to the researchers, introducing the technology to pediatricians, neonatologists, and family physicians for pediatric evaluation, especially in areas with limited access to specialized care, could be a step forward in democratizing health resources for genetic screening. READ MORE