About the public’s health
FDA giving states authority to approve own coronavirus tests, official says: “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday took a step toward speeding the development of coronavirus test kits, agreeing a regulatory change to give states the ability to approve tests developed in laboratories in the states, an administration official said.”
About pharma
Insurers Cover Fewer Drugs, Leaving Some Patients Struggling To Get Needed Treatments: “GoodRx analyzed thousands of Medicare Part D plans from 2010 through 2019 and discovered that the proportion of available drugs covered by the average plan dropped from 73% to 56%. But because Medicare has coverage rules that private plans… don't, such as a requirement to cover all cancer drugs, it's possible private plans are even worse, according to GoodRx.”
The top 10 drugs losing U.S. exclusivity in 2020: Perhaps some good financial news for patients.
About health insurance
Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy: This report from MedPAC recommends changes for 2021 for all providers and institutions paid under Medicare. It is an extensive report, but each section has recommendations that you can read quickly. For example, it is recommending no fee-for-service Medicare payment update for physicians and other healthcare professionals.