The Supreme Court is set to hear Kennedy v. Braidwood Management, a case that challenges the Affordable Care Act's provision mandating insurers cover certain preventive services at no cost, including cancer screenings and HIV prevention drugs. Health experts fear that striking down the provision could lead to fewer screenings and more advanced disease diagnoses.

Medicare spending on remote patient monitoring rose from $6.8 million in 2019 to $194.5 million in 2023, and spending on remote therapeutic monitoring grew from $2.2 million in 2022, when RTM codes were introduced, to $10.4 million in 2023, according to a report from the Peterson Center on Healthcare. Approximately 1% of Medicare beneficiaries are in a remote physiological monitoring program, and average billing duration has lengthened. The report recommends aligning coverage and reimbursement with clinical value, ensuring access to high-impact RPM services and improving data collection.

Rural hospitals such as Keokuk County Hospital and Washington County Hospital in Iowa are experiencing severe staffing shortages, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting burnout among health care workers. These hospitals struggle to recruit doctors and nurses, which impacts their ability to provide care. Legislative measures, including student loan forgiveness and increased residency slots, are being implemented to address these challenges, but they may not be sufficient to meet immediate needs.

The WHO has secured the first global pandemic treaty, aiming to prevent, prepare for and respond to future health crises. The accord includes a pathogen access, data-sharing and benefit-sharing system to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines and drugs. The US did not participate, which reduces the treaty's power.

AI may be most beneficial as a prescreening tool for low-dose CT lung cancer screenings, according to a study in the American Journal of Roentgenology. Researchers compared AI use as an assistant, prescreener and backup reader, finding that the prescreening approach improved sensitivity and reduced recall rates and interpretation times.

MultiCare Health System has implemented Illumicare's clinical financial decision support application using CDS Hooks for integration with EHR platforms. The system provides "cognitive nudges" to clinicians about appropriate care, based on the Choosing Wisely initiative. When surveys revealed that a significant amount of thought goes into managing clinical decision support alerts, MultiCare developed a quality bonus metric to reward clinicians for the extra cognitive work, and the waste reduction amounted to around $2.5 million in the first year, says Dr. Arun Mathews, the health system's regional chief medical officer.

Depression is becoming more prevalent among adults and adolescents in the US, with more than 13% affected, according to the CDC. However, only 40% of those with depression receive counseling or therapy, the CDC says. The data highlight disparities in treatment, with women more likely than men to seek therapy and medication.

A measles outbreak in the US has led to more than 650 cases, but federal funding cuts may hinder the response. Billions of dollars in pandemic-era grants have been withdrawn, and the HHS announced layoffs, including 2,400 at the CDC, which has led to the cancellation of immunization clinics and staff reductions.

Pharmaceutical industry groups generally support an FDA draft guidance on weight-management drugs but suggested some clarifications and flexibility in study designs. They were happy to see the FDA recognize obesity as a chronic disease, noting that it is in the best interests of patients and will help facilitate products and practices.

An initial draft of the Trump administration's budget proposal includes a nearly one-third reduction in funding for HHS, according to reports. The proposal would reduce the agency's discretionary budget from about $117 billion in fiscal 2024 to $80 billion in fiscal 2026, and calls for eliminating entire agencies to achieve savings.

Join us on Wednesday, May 21 from 1 to 2 p.m. ET for Better Member Engagement: Rethinking Traditional Players’ Role in Diabetes Management as AHIP Select Member CCS Medical discusses critical gaps in diabetes care management and how traditional players can drive change. Discover how human-led guidance and clinical education plus AI-driven predictive models can improve patient care, engagement, adherence, and outcomes.