CDC: Boosted nursing home residents 10 times less likely to be infected with COVID-19
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 17, 2021
The news, delivered by CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, is a bit of cheer amidst other new evidence that COVID-19 cases are increasing among fully vaccinated long-term care residents.
New dashboard to track ‘Long COVID’ cases for healthcare planning
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 25, 2021
The dashboard will track state and county level statistics and trends. The goal is to provide data to healthcare decision makers as they prepare to care for patients with lingering symptoms, says the American...
AHCA/NCAL to CMS: Safeguard temporary nurse aide jobs by reissuing employment waiver
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 04, 2022
The industry advocate is urging CMS to reissue a blanket waiver that would allow nursing homes to employ temporary nurse aides beyond the public health emergency.
Eli Lilly expects Medicare about-face on Alzheimer’s drugs coverage
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 23, 2023
New data on Lilly’s experimental drug donanemab may influence CMS’s restrictive stance on coverage of this and other amyloid-busting Alzheimer’s treatments, a company executive says.
VHA to cover new Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi, despite CMS’s restraint
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 14, 2023
The Veterans Health Administration will provide coverage for the recently approved drug lecanemab (Leqembi) to qualified veterans with early Alzheimer’s disease. It’s a surprise move considering...
AHCA/NCAL, 15 other groups pressure HHS to extend public health emergency
By
Lois A. Bowers
May 12, 2022
Sixteen national organizations were thinking of fall and the flu Tuesday when they asked HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra to extend the public health emergency related to COVID-19.
CDC: Prior infection plus vaccination tied to lower COVID-19 case rates
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 20, 2022
A new public health study suggests not only that vaccination protects against developing severe illness, but that surviving a bout with COVID-19 prevents reinfection, investigators say.
Weight loss in early Parkinson’s linked to cognitive decline
Oct 20, 2022
Patients who lose weight within a year of their Parkinson’s diagnosis have a significantly faster decline in Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores, investigators report.
Common diabetes drug may serve as novel Afib treatment
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 13, 2022
If approved, it would be the first new drug identified to treat this disease of the heart in a decade, according to Cleveland Clinic researchers.
One-size-fits-all blood pressure cuff approach may lead to inaccurate diagnoses
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 02, 2022
Overestimation of blood pressure due to a too-small cuff size misclassified 39% of study participants as hypertensive, investigators report.