The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is extending its travel mask mandate for two weeks to monitor a spike in COVID-19 cases.
Driving the news: The transportation mask mandate, originally set to expire on April 18, is now in effect until May 3. The mandate applies toplanes, buses, trains and transit hubs.
Major Medicare plans are often inflating how sick their members are — and in at least one example, went so far as to add diagnoses doctors hadn't made — to bilk millions of dollars from the health care system, a whistleblower told Bloomberg.
In one case, a woman was even coded for prostate cancer, according to the report.
A federal task force on Tuesday recommended against routine suicide screening for children and adolescents, saying more research is needed to assess if it could be harmful.
Why it matters: Suicide was the second leading cause of death for ages 10–14 in 2020, according to the CDC, and studies have shown many youths who take their lives have contact with the health care system not long before their deaths.
Nurse practitioners, physicians assistants and pharmacists are pressing for more autonomy to diagnose patients, recommend treatments and write prescriptions, and doctors' aren't pleased.
Why it matters: So-calledscope of practice fights have been going on for decades. But certain emergency powers granted during the pandemic allowed advanced practice providers who were not doctors to provide more services than ever before and reignited the battle in many states.
Confirmed COVID-19 cases have now surpassed 500 million worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
State of play: The actual number of cases among the world's population of 7.9 billion is believed to be much higher, but many are going unreported — and experts are concerned this will worsen as testing is scaled down in some countries, including the U.S., the New York Times reports.
Keeping things moving on the outside is key to gut function as well.The foundation of your health and well-being isn't your heart, your lungs or your brain. It’s your gut.
Chew on this: 70% of your immune system sits in your belly.
Why it matters: You are what you eat. And a healthy gut keeps your body — and mind — from getting sick.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) on Tuesday signed into law a bill that makes providing an abortion a felony.
Driving the news: The legislation bans all abortions unless they're necessary to save a pregnant person's life. A person found guilty of providing an abortion would face up to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $100,000.
The U.S. saw an increase in gonorrhea and syphilis cases during the first year of the pandemic, according to new data released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Why it matters: The new data gives the "clearest picture yet" of the impact of COVID-19 on the spread of sexually transmitted diseases in the U.S., the CDC noted in a press release.
Shanghai officials eased their two-week COVID-19 shutdown by letting some city residents leave their homes, following videos that went viral showing how people were running out of food.
State of play: Officials said some pharmacies and markets would be allowed to open, and approximately 6.6 million people — of the 25 million city residents — would be allowed out of their homes, AP reports.
One of the top food trends, according to the Specialty Food Association? Hemp.
What's happening: Hemp seeds "have become a popular health food for their protein, fiber, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and other nutrients," Allrecipes tells us — and reminds us that while hemp comes from the same species of plant as cannabis, it won't get you high.
Hemp seeds "taste similar to sunflower seeds, somewhat like pine nuts, and a little like walnuts too."
Driving the news: The Specialty Food Association (SFA) identified hemp as a standout at its Winter Fancy Food Show, where hemp cropped up in alternative burgers, dressings and as an ingredient in chocolate.
"Hemp emerged as a star ingredient rich in protein, healthy fats, and essential fatty acids, as well as a sustainable crop," the trade group wrote.
Other trends the SFA spotted: Dates are proliferating as snacks and as sweeteners, and peppers of all heat levels are cropping up as well.
"Snacks with benefits" are a thing, "from nutrient-rich chocolate bars to pizza crust made from carrots."
So are "alternative comfort foods," like chickpea butter and cream cheese made from sunflower seeds.
The Biden administration took new steps yesterday to reduce the burden of medical debt — but the moves don't address its underlying causes, and may have unintended consequences.
Why it matters: The vast amount of medical debt in the U.S. is a direct reflection of the fact that many Americans can't afford deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs, but also can't forgo needed care.
The FDA has started discussions with states over creating a way to importdrugs from Canada — a policy the Biden and Trump administrations both embraced to bring down health costs but which experts regard as having limited impact.
The big picture: With President Biden's drug pricing agenda stalled, importation could allow states to take advantage of lower drug prices abroad without the need for direct action to limit prices in the U.S.
Under one pathway, states, wholesalers and pharmacies submit importation proposals to HHS, which would be subject to safety and cost conditions.
Driving the news: The FDA last week held its first meeting with five states — Florida, Colorado, Vermont, Maine and New Mexico — that have submitted reimportation plans or are thinking about doing so, Politico first reported.
Biden's executive order on promoting competition directed the FDA to work with states and Native American tribes on safely importing prescription drugs from Canada.
"The FDA is committed to working with states and Indian tribes that propose to develop ... importation programs to reduce the cost of products to the American consumer while still protecting public health and safety," an agency spokesman told Axios.
Yes, but: The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America sued to block a 2020 federal rule that would facilitate importation, citing patient safety and other concerns.
Canada also said it has no plans to participate and has told drugmakers not to take steps that could lead to drug shortages there.
Cowen analyst Rick Weissenstein notes the Biden administration has been inconsistent on reimportation, supporting the idea in theory while arguing that it won't work in legal briefs filed in response to the drug industry trade group's legal challenge.
Our thought bubble: With Canadians officials adamant they won't participate in the process, any importation plan is unlikely to actually bring down drug prices. The issue still could be politically appealing as the campaign season heats up.
Less than one in 10 Americans now describe COVID-19 as a crisis — with about three in four calling it a manageable problem and one in six saying it's no problem at all — according to the latest installment of the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index.
Why it matters: These sentiments — and the public's growing desire to be done with mask mandates and other restrictions — raise significant challenges for public health officials in managing new surges, and could create real political headwinds ahead of the midterms.
The U.S. Department of State ordered all non-emergency government staff in Shanghai to leave on Monday, in response to surging COVID-19 cases and China's tightening pandemic restrictions.
What they're saying: The department's advisory also urged American citizens to reconsider travel to China "due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws" and pandemic-related restrictions.
