Read today’s Kaiser Health News
In other news:
Conflicts of Interest in Federal Vaccine Advisory Committees: US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr has expressed concerns about conflicts of interest (COIs) in HHS vaccine advisory committees. He has stated that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is “plagued” with COIs and that “97% of the people on [ACIP] had conflicts,” citing a 2000 congressional report on a single vaccine.
We analyzed the prevalence of reported COIs among attendees at 2000-2024 meetings of ACIP and the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC)…
Although annual prevalence rates of reported COIs were high in the early 2000s, reaching 43% for ACIP and 27% for VRBPAC, they were considerably lower in 2016-2024 for both committees, at 6.2% for ACIP and 1.9% for VRBPAC. The most frequently reported COI was research support, reflecting members’ expertise, with the prevalence of conflicts that were related to personal income (consulting, stock/royalties/ownership) less than 1% for both committees since 2016. Policy changes placing caps on FDA advisory committee COI rates in 2007 and greater awareness and scrutiny of COIs in agency decision-making may have spurred these large declines.
Comment: The short version is RFK Jr’s COI statements are largely unfounded.
About health insurance/insurers
CBO report warns of nearly $500B in potential Medicare cuts: Medicare could see deep cuts through 2034 under the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 after the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was passed on July 4, according to an Aug. 15 Congressional Budget Office letter.
The S-PAYGO Act, enacted under former President Barack Obama, requires Congress to ensure new legislation is budget neutral. Should lawmakers pass legislation that increases the deficit, the law enforces the threat of sequestration — or spending cuts — to counterbalance excess costs.
About hospitals and healthcare systems
Hospital cash flow on the rise: 10 notes from Moody’s: Nonprofit hospital financial performance improved in the 2024 fiscal year, with median operating cash flow margins hitting 6.3%, up one percentage point from the previous year, according to Moody’s report released Aug. 14.
“Improved revenue was supported by stronger volumes, both inpatient and outpatient,” the report noted. “While stable compared with fiscal 2023, expense growth remained high and was driven by permanent wage increases and supply inflation.”
About the public’s health
It’s now possible to give yourself a flu vaccine at home: AstraZeneca’s FluMist, the only nasal spray flu vaccine in the US that has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, is now available for home delivery in 34 states under the brand name FluMist Home. It can be self-administered by adults under 50 and to children as young as 2 with the help of a parent or caregiver.