Medicare Advantage Plans Face Scrutiny, Biden Secures COVID-19 Boosters
Senator Ron Wyden is looking into Medicare Advantage marketing practices that may be misleading consumers, and the Biden Administration is preparing for a fall COVID-19 wave with new boosters.
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By - Chair of the Senate Finance Committee Senator Ron Wyden is digging into Medicare Advantage marketing practices that may target consumers with misleading and harmful tactics. The Senator sent letters to Insurance Commissioners from 15 states across the country in his hunt for companies taking advantage of consumers.
Meanwhile, the White House and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), having secured 171 million COVID-19 boosters, are preparing for a fall wave of Omicron subvariant cases.
5,000 Reported Healthcare Data Breaches Since 2009
Researchers at Comparitech — a tech research firm —analyzed data breaches from 2009 to 2022 and found that nearly 5,000 healthcare data breaches have resulted in 342 million exposed health records. Almost 20% of all breaches observed during the 13-year study period occurred during 2020, indicating a rise in data breaches since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. California was targeted most frequently, making up 10% of all breaches, followed by Texas, Florida, New York, and Illinois. READ MORE.
Biden Administration Secures Fall COVID-19 Boosters
HHS is purchasing 171 million COVID-19 variant-specific booster shots to prepare for a potential Omicron surge this fall. The shots designed by Pfizer and Moderna are intended to protect against BA.4 and BA.5 subvariant infection, which currently dominate United States coronavirus strains. If the FDA approves the modified vaccinations, people age 12 and older could begin receiving them by the end of this month. READ MORE.
Federal Judge Rules Against Major Pharmacy Retailers in Opioid Case
CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart are being ordered to pay $650.5 million to two Ohio Counties after Judge Dan A. Polster found the companies responsible for overdistributing opioids in Lake and Trumbull counties. Last November, a jury found all three companies guilty of excessively dispensing prescription painkillers, which led to an addiction crisis. As a part of the verdict, the companies must also monitor and report their opioid dispensing methods for 15 years to identify any new issues with the overuse of the drugs. READ MORE.
FDA Approves Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids
The FDA approved the sale of over-the-counter hearing aids this month, expanding access to millions of Americans and decreasing costs. The decision will support those with mild to moderate impairments who otherwise may not be able to afford a medical exam, prescription, or audiologist examination.
“Reducing health care costs in America has been a priority of mine since Day One and this rule is expected to help us achieve quality, affordable health care access for millions of Americans in need,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. READ MORE.
Senator Investigates Deceptive Medicare Advantage Plans
Last week, Democratic Senator from Oregon and Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden requested information involving Medicare Advantage complaints from 15 state insurance commissioners and state health insurance assistance programs. Senator Wyden’s letter is requesting that regulators send any instances of deceptive marketing concerning Medicare Advantage programs and Part D prescription drug programs. Currently, Medicare Advantage plans account for 50% of all Medicare enrollment. READ MORE.
