Jeff Lagasse

Author's posts

FDA says updated COVID-19 shots should target KP.2 strain

The federal Food and Drug Administration is advising vaccine manufacturers to ensure new vaccines for 2024 and 2025 are targeting the KP.2 variant of COVID-19.
The agency’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) voted unan…

Medicare patients now eligible for Amazon RxPass

Amazon Pharmacy is expanding the prescription drug subscription program RxPass to Prime members who have health coverage through Medicare.
RxPass enables affordable access to common medications, free monthly delivery and the ability to connect with a p…

Uninsured rate to rise to 8.9% by 2034, CBO finds

The percentage of Americans who lack health insurance, which currently hovers around 7.2%, is projected to rise steadily through the years, hitting 8.9% by 2034, according to the latest data presented by the Congressional Budget Office.

CalPERS enters into contracts with Blue Shield of California, Included Health

The California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) will be awarding two new contracts designed to lower healthcare costs. The contracts – with Blue Shield of California and Included Health – create financial incentives to provide higher quali…

FDA tells providers to prepare for supply chain disruptions

Healthcare providers can expect supply chain disruptions during the current hurricane season – which runs from June through November – and the Food and Drug Administration is advising them to make the necessary preparations.

AMA adopts new prior authorization reform policies

Physician and medical student leaders at the Annual Meeting of the American Medical Association House of Delegates have approved policies aimed at fighting for greater insurer accountability and transparency regarding prior authorization requirements –…

BARDA awards $500M for Project NextGen vaccine trials

The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) is setting aside up to $500 million in Project NextGen funding to plan and execute multiple Phase 2b clinical trials evaluating novel vaccines administered as a nasal spray or as a pill…

Senators debut legislation introducing penalties for healthcare ‘looters’

U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), both progressive members of the Senate, have introduced legislation they say is intended to root out corporate greed and private equity abuse in the healthcare system.

Optum seeks to make inroads on durable medical equipment

Optum is debuting an offering it hopes will streamline the process for patients seeking durable medical equipment, speeding delivery of DME while making headway on health outcomes and cost reduction.
The UnitedHealth Group subsidiary said its new DME N…

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposes ban on medical bills from credit reports

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has proposed a rule intended to remove medical bills from most credit reports, increase privacy protections, help to increase credit scores and loan approvals and prevent debt collectors from using the cr…