Wakely Wire
February 27, 2025
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Week in Washington 02/27/25
Congress House Republicans voted this week in favor of a budget framework that would require at least $880 billion in Medicaid cuts. The bill does not specify what those cuts are nor does it change current law. It does represent a step towards large Medicaid cuts. Hospital and insurer stocks have reacted negatively to this ... Read more
Newsworthy Findings
Physicians Say Prior Authorization Stands in the Way of Medically Necessary Care
Physicians surveyed by the AMA say that PA can cause care delays or force patients to abandon treatment. They warn denials could increase as insurers adopt AI to review claims.
‘Fear and Uncertainty’: Biotech Investors Warn of Impact from NIH Research Cuts
The Trump administration’s plans to reduce National Institutes of Health grant funding could have long-term consequences for the U.S. drug industry, investors said.
Substance Use Disorder Screening Must Be Part Of Cancer Care
Substance use disorders (SUDs) in oncology populations represent a significant yet underrecognized challenge, with prior research suggesting that up to 27 percent of cancer patients meet criteria for a SUD and that co-occurring substance misuse can increase annual health care expenditures by thousands of dollars per patient.
Shortage of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Ozempic drugs is resolved, FDA says
The long-running U.S. shortage of Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster weight loss injection Wegovy and diabetes treatment Ozempic is resolved after more than two years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said. The FDA’s decision will threaten the ability of compounding pharmacies to make far cheaper, unbranded versions of the injections over the next few months, which caused shares of Hims & Hers Health to plunge.
CMS Data: Medicare Advantage Enrollment Growth Hits Skids
Just over 34.4 million people were enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans as of Feb. 1, representing slim growth across the program's annual enrollment period. Enrollment grew by 3.8% from February 2024 to February 2025, according to anticipated data released this week from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. This would make for the lowest growth rate in more than a decade, according to researchers at KFF.
Bonus Article
Archaeologists Discover First Pharaoh’s Tomb in Egypt in More Than a Century
Just for Fun
Math Joke:
What does a mathematician do when they feel cold?
Prior Week
Q: What does an actuary do when they walk into a bar?
A: Calculate its present value (ā)
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