The U.S. Forest Service reports that over the next several weeks “The Federal Long-Term Care Insurance Program is hosting a virtual [Federal Employee] benefits fair during open season. You can register online to chat live with carriers and review 2020 plan details.” You can register to participate in the event here.

The FEHBlog has noted that the ACA regulators issued a new Summary of Benefits and Coverage template and related Glossary for use in 2021.  Health Affairs ACA Blog provides a summary of the changes here. Good news — “the changes from the 2017 [current] versions to the new versions are very minimal.”  Details on those changes are summarized in the article.

The Centers for Disease Control has issued its 2019 Antibiotic Resistance Threats Report, and it’s not reassuring.  

According to the report, more than 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur in the U.S. each year, and more than 35,000 people die as a result. In addition, 223,900 cases of Clostridioides difficile occurred in 2017 and at least 12,800 people died.

Dedicated prevention and infection control efforts in the U.S. are working to reduce the number of infections and deaths caused by antibiotic-resistant germs, but the number of people facing antibiotic resistance is still too high. More action is needed to fully protect people.

For more information consult the new report and the CDC’s website on antibiotic resistance.

The Cigna affiliated prescription benefits manager Express Scripts has unveiled its revamped research lab located in St. Louis, MO. “Working in the Lab is a team of more than 160 experts – including physicians, pharmacists, nurses, data and behavioral scientists, and user experience and solution designers – who use their expertise, our vast data resources and advanced technology to generate and test ideas for improving care, service and costs. In the first half of 2019, solutions created at the Lab delivered health plans, employers and their beneficiaries more than $14 billion in savings.” Good luck.