From Washington, DC,

• Per an HHS press release,
  • “The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (hereafter ASTP), today published the final 2024-2030 Federal Health IT Strategic Plan – PDF in accordance with the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH Act.) The Strategic Plan presents federal health information technology (health IT) goals and objectives to achieve a future state where health IT and electronic health information are used to:
    • Promote health and wellness;
    • Enhance the delivery and experience of care;
    • Accelerate research and innovation; and
    • Connect the health system with health data.
  • “The draft Strategic Plan was published by ASTP in March 2024 following a comprehensive and collaborative effort with more than 25 federal agencies that are central to the advancement of health IT. These federal agencies regulate, purchase, develop, fund, research, and use health IT to improve patient care and health outcomes. The Strategic Plan was subsequently updated and finalized following a 60-day public comment period, which produced comments from a variety of organizations including health care systems, associations and specialty societies, electronic health record developers, patient advocates, and others.”

• In related news, the Sequoia Project made the following announcement,
  • “TEFCA RCE Webinar on TEFCA Exchange for Public Health
  • “Friday, October 11 | 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET
    • “Access to health information is an important tool for Public Health Authorities (PHAs) and their Delegates to support core public health services including, but not limited to, assessing and monitoring population health and investigating, diagnosing, and addressing health hazards and root causes. Use cases described in the recently released Public Health Exchange Purposes Implementation SOP, allow PHAs to identify disease trends, track and monitor outbreaks, and prevent and control future outbreaks.
    • “Join experts from the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement™(TEFCA™) Recognized Coordinating Entity® (RCE™) and the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ASTP/ONC) for an informative webinar, where we’ll cover the essentials of TEFCA Exchange and dive into the details of the Public Health Exchange Purposes Implementation SOP.” * * *
    • “Don’t Miss Out – Register Now!

• The American Hospital Association News lets us know,
  • “Johnson & Johnson Sept. 30 notified the Health Resources and Services Administration that it is ceasing implementation of its proposed 340B rebate model. The decision comes after HRSA Sept. 27 said it would terminate J&J’s Pharmaceutical Pricing Agreement and/or impose civil monetary penalties if J&J didn’t halt implementation of the program.” * * *
  • “The AHA is pleased that Johnson & Johnson has decided to cease implementation of its 340B rebate proposal, which would have harmed patients and 340B providers,” said Rick Pollack, AHA president and CEO. “We are especially appreciative of HRSA’s efforts to convince J&J to put an end to this unlawful proposal and those members of Congress who demonstrated their firm support of the 340B program.” 

• Per another HHS press releases,
  • “The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), today announced that some Medicare enrollees will pay less for 54 drugs available through Medicare Part B. The drugs will have a lowered Part B coinsurance rate from October 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024, since drug companies raised prices for each of these 54 drugs faster than the rate of inflation. Over 822,000 people with Medicare use these drugs annually to treat conditions such as cancer, osteoporosis, and pneumonia. Since April 1, 2023, people with Medicare have seen savings on over 100 drugs thanks to Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program.” * * *
  • “For more information on the Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program visit, https://www.cms.gov/inflation-reduction-act-and-medicare/inflation-rebates-medicare.
  • “To view the fact sheet on the 54 Part B drugs with a coinsurance reduction for the quarter October 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024, visit, https://www.cms.gov/files/document/reduced-coinsurance-certain-part-b-rebatable-drugs-october-1-december-31-2024.pdf – PDF“

• ICD10 Monitor identifies eleven key takeaways from ICD-10 changes that code changes that will go into effect for hospital discharges on Oct. 1, 2024.

• HR Dive informs us,
  • Federal enforcement of new workplace protections for pregnant workers is picking up steam, just as regulations implementing those requirements reach 100 days on the books.
  • The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed its first lawsuit alleging violations of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act earlier this month and followed it up with two more Wednesday [September 25].

From the public health and medical research front,

• Beckers Clinical Leadership tells us,
  • “After its detection in 28 countries, the CDC began tracking the proportions of COVID-19 variant XEC. 
  • “Currently accounting for 6% of U.S. cases, XEC is the fifth most dominant variant in the nation. Other leading variants include KP.3.1.1 (58.7%), KP.2.3 (9.4%), LB.1 (7.9%) and KP.3 (7.1%). 
  • “As of Sept. 19, the XEC lineage has been detected in 633 COVID-19 cases after first appearing June 28, according to Scripps Research’s Outbreak.info. Twenty-four states have at least one XEC case. In early September, XEC was seen in 12 states and 15 countries. 
  • “It is too early to determine whether the variant is more transmissible or more severe than current strains, experts told NBC News in a Sept. 27 article.”

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) informs us,
  • “CDC reported one new flu-related death in a child last week, bringing the total number of U.S. pediatric deaths for the 2023-2024 season to 200. This number of pediatric deaths exceeds the previous high reported for a regular (non-pandemic) flu season. The previous high of 199 deaths was reported during the 2019-2020 season. Consistent with other seasons, of children who were eligible for a flu vaccine and for whom vaccination status was known, about 80 percent were not fully vaccinated.
  • “Getting your child a flu vaccine is the most effective step to reduce the risk of flu illness and flu-related doctor’s visits and missed school days; flu vaccination also reduces the risk of flu-related hospitalization and death. In the 2023-2024 season, estimates indicated that flu vaccination reduced the risk of flu related medical visits by approximately two-thirds and halved the risk of flu-related hospitalization for vaccinated children. September and October are the best times for most children to receive flu vaccine. CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older get an annual flu vaccine, especially children at higher risk for serious flu complications.”

• The Washington Post reports,
  • “Nearly 90 percent of adults over 65 took prescription medication in the previous 12 months in 2021 and 2022, according to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  • “Drawing on data from the 2021 and 2022 National Health Interview Survey, the report focused on 17,706 adults 65 and older. According to the analysis, 88.6 percent of older adults took prescription medications in the previous 12 months.
  • “Use was similar for men and women, but higher for those 75 and above than those 65 to 74. White older adults were also more likely than Black, Hispanic and Asian adults to take prescription medication. The study also found that 82.7 percent of older adults had prescription drug coverage, and that coverage was higher among men, White adults and those with higher incomes.”

• Consumer Reports, writing in the Washington Post, offer tips about “how to deal with heel pain. Plantar fasciitis, Achilles’ problems and other issues can cause the tenderness. Stretches, the right footwear and shifting your activities can help.”

• Healio notes,
  • “Hospitalized older adults are more likely to die from RSV than influenza B, though the risk is similar for influenza A.
  • “Improved testing strategies and outreach could lower the risk for death.”

From the U.S. healthcare business front,

• The Wall Street Journal reports,
  • “CVS Health is conducting a strategic review of options for the company, including a possible breakup of the industry giant, according to people with knowledge of the matter. 
  • “The company’s board of directors has retained bankers to facilitate the review, which has been ongoing for weeks, the people said. 
  • “No decision by CVS is imminent, and it is possible there won’t be any major changes in the business as a result, they added. 
  • “The review includes different options, including various forms a potential breakup could take, some of the people said.”

• Per Beckers Hospital Review,
  • “Dana Filmore, a grandmother from Columbus, Ohio, is among thousands of plaintiffs filing a federal lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, alleging Ozempic and Mounjaro caused gastroparesis, USA Today reported Sept. 27. 
  • “Gastroparesis, a condition characterized by stomach paralysis that severely impacts digestion, caused Filmore, who turned to the medication to control her blood sugar to have persistent nausea and bowel issues. 
  • “The lawsuit alleges that the drug manufacturers failed to adequately warn patients about the risks associated with the medications and central to the lawsuit were claims of gastroparesis, according to the USA Today report.”

• Per MedTech Dive,
  • “Establishment Labs received Food and Drug Administration approval for its Motiva breast implants for primary and revision breast augmentation.
  • “Motiva is the first new breast implant to receive U.S. premarket approval since 2013, according to Establishment Labs’ Thursday announcement. Since then, the market has been reshaped by safety problems that led to the withdrawal of Allergan’s Biocell textured breast implant.
  • “Motiva devices have a surface designed to enhance biocompatibility and promote low inflammation, according to the company. Establishment Labs won approval on the strength of three-year clinical data.”