Americans who contract COVID-19 will no longer have to stay home for five days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Fridayeased its isolation guidance for the virus.
Why it matters: The new guidance is similar to the agency's recommendation for the flu: People who test positive for the virus who have been free of fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication may leave home.
There were about 488 deaths per day from excessive drinking in the U.S. during the height of the pandemic from 2020 to 2021, part of a surge in alcohol-related fatalities seen over five years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
Why it matters: The increased availability of alcohol carryout and home deliveries may been a factor, along with stress, social isolation and general delays seeking medical care, officials said.
Walgreens and CVS, two of the largest U.S. pharmacy chains, plan to start offering abortion pills this month, the companies told Axios Friday.
Why it matters: The move will increase availability to mifepristone just as the Supreme Court is set to weigh access to the pill in a high-stakes case that marks the top court's first major abortion issue since Roe v. Wade was overturned.
A ransomware attack targeting a popular insurance billing service has prevented some patients nationwide from receiving medications for nearly 10 days.
Why it matters: Patients told Axios they haven't been able to receive medications needed to treat diabetes, migraines and other chronic conditions.
Medicare is taking the rare step of adding pre-treatment approval requirements before patients can get care at certain outpatient surgical facilities that have seen a sharp uptick in billings.
Why it matters: Medicare's decision shows that it still sees prior authorization as a useful tool for controlling costs, even as the Biden administration cracks down on misuse of a practice detested by health care providers and patients.
