Researchers Say They Have Developed A Flu-Prediction App

The Triangle (NC) Business Journal (8/24, Ohnesorge, Subscription Publication) reported in “Techflash” that researchers from Duke University and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill “say they’ve developed a flu-prediction app.” Investigators partnered “to develop a model that would allow them to predict the spread of influenza from one person to the next over time.” In theory, “health care providers could use the data to alert at-risk patients before they get sick – even encouraging them to stay at home to avoid passing the germs forward.”

CDC Debuts New Tool To Track Antibiotic Resistance

TIME (8/21, Sifferlin) reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday “rolled out a new interactive tool,” called the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS), that “allows users to follow the spread of antibiotic resistant bugs nationwide.” CDC data reveals that of the two million illnesses reported every year, “23,000 deaths” are “associated with antibiotic resistant bacteria.” The tool has been useful in tracking “down trends in resistance.” For example, “the FDA withdrew approval for Enrofloxacin (a fluoroquinolone) in chickens after NARMS data revealed growing fluoroquinolone-resistant bacterial infections among Americans.” TIME notes that the tool is now available to the public for free.

Hospitals Using Technology To Reduce Readmissions

FierceHealthIT (8/21, Dvorak) reports “high readmissions continue to be a thorn in the side of the healthcare industry, with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announcing earlier this month that most hospitals will face some sort of Medicare penalty for excessive 30-day readmissions.” As a result, “as penalties continue to come down and costs continue to rise, providers are using all the tools at their disposal to combat the problem, with the goal of keeping patients healthy the most important of all.” Hospitals such as Cleveland Clinic are using technology to help “in this effort through initiatives such as a discharge readiness tool, a big data approach to identify patients at high risk for admissions and an effort engage them in their own care through patient portals, added Cynthia Deyling, Cleveland Clinic’s chief quality officer.”

Majority Of Americans Find Cost Of Drugs Unreasonable, Support Government Intervention, Survey Reveals

The AP (8/21) reports that a new poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation finds that 72% of Americans found the cost of prescriptions drugs to be “unreasonable,” with large majorities supporting government intervention to control drug costs, “regardless of party affiliation.” Overall, 73% said pharmaceutical companies make too much profit.

        Politico (8/21, Norman) calls the results “striking,” noting that the agreement across party affiliation was a “rare point of accord in politics.” Also covering the story are the Kaiser Health News (8/21), National Journal (8/21, Owens, Subscription Publication), and theWashington Times (8/21, Howell).

        Meanwhile, The Hill (8/21, Sullivan) reports that Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), “the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, is calling out his Republican counterparts for declining his requests to act on high prescription drug prices, in the wake of a new poll on the issue.” Cummings claimed that Republicans have ignored his calls for a congressional investigation into rising drug prices, citing the Kaiser Family Foundation poll.

ACA Not To Blame For Healthcare Bankruptcies, Analysis Suggests

Modern Healthcare (8/21, Subscription Publication) reports that bankruptcy filings suggest the healthcare industry “has recovered more slowly than the improving economy would suggest.” According to the article, it’s not the ACA “by itself that’s pushing healthcare providers into bankruptcy, but a combination of forces including litigation, payment delays and even bad merger agreements.” The law firm Posinelli conducted an analysis of healthcare providers in distress, finding that tort litigation and payment delays topped the list of reasons for bankruptcy. “We did not see the Affordable Care Act being mentioned very much,” said healthcare attorney Bobby Guy.

Attorneys Say House ACA Lawsuit Has Better Chance Of Proceeding

According to the Los Angeles Times (8/21, Savage), “attorneys agree” that “an amended complaint and a recent Supreme Court ruling” have given the House’s lawsuit against the Obama Administration over the implementation of the Affordable Care Act a “much better” chance of proceeding. The lawsuit alleges that the Administration overstepped its authority by sending billions of dollars to health insurers under the ACA because that money was not appropriated by Congress. The Administration initially submitted a request for an annual appropriation, but officials including HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell later “decided the so-called cost-sharing payments to insurers were mandatory and were akin to an entitlement written into law, so there was no need to seek additional approval from Congress.” House Republicans disagree, and a Federal judge is expected to soon decide on whether the complaint can proceed.

More Than 2M Eligible ACA Customers Not Receiving Subsidies, Analysis Finds

The Washington Examiner (8/20) reports that of the 8.1 million individuals who enrolled in 2015 coverage through the ACA exchanges “and were eligible for subsidies, only 5.9 million are actually getting a subsidy, according to the health research firm Avalere Health.” Avalere CEO Dan Mendelson said that many consumers are selecting plans based on premiums rather than out-of-pocket costs and, as a result, “some patients may be paying more than they need to for care.” For example, “some consumers are likely enrolling in the low-premium bronze plan, but need to be in the slightly more expensive silver plan to qualify for subsidies, Avalere said.”