As of June 13, the U.S. has recorded 1,044 cases in 28 states this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday — the highest number since 1992, when 2,196 cases were reported for the year.
Data: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Chart: Harry Stevens/Axios
Why it matters: Measles was declared "eradicated" in the U.S. in 2000, years after the development and implementation of the MMR vaccine, which is 97% effective with 2 doses. But the extremely contagious virus has crept back into American society, mainly via pockets of communities who refuse to use the vaccinations, experts have told Axios
Before widespread vaccination, roughly 3 to 4 million Americans got measles each year, leading to an estimated 400–500 deaths and 48,000 hospitalizations, per the CDC.
The highest number of annual cases in the U.S. recorded by the CDC since 1942 was in 1958 when 763,094 people reported infections.
Collective Health is raising $205 million in a new funding round led by a new investor, SoftBank's Vision Fund.
Why it matters: Employers are looking to make health benefits simpler and cheaper for their workers. That's the thesis behind Collective Health's technology, and the startup now has one of the largest investment firms in the world in its corner.
The price of Zynteglo, a new gene therapy made by Bluebird Bio to treat a rare genetic blood disorder, will be almost €1.6 million ($1.8 million) in Europe, the company said Friday.
What's happening: Bluebird expects to get FDA approval for Zynteglo next year and to price it similarly in the U.S., Reuters reports.
None of Congress' proposals to rein in surprise medical bills address ambulances — which are expensive and often aren't covered by insurance.
Why it matters: More than half of ambulance rides, and two-thirds of air ambulance transports, aren't covered by private insurance. Patients are often billed more than $10,000 for what insurance won't cover.