Auto logout in seconds.
Continue Logout
Washington state health officials recently reported the death of an individual from bird flu after exposure to infected cattle, marking the first death from the disease this year, in today's bite-sized hospital and health industry news from the District of Columbia and Washington.
- District of Columbia: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued warning letters to 25 companies that conduct marketing or generate sales leads for insurers. The letters warn the companies about deceptive or unfair marketing tactics, such as misrepresenting the benefits or limitations of a plan, that are likely unlawful. FTC also warned the companies about misrepresenting a plan's costs or falsely telling consumers that plans offer incentives like free rewards or cash offers. Although the agency does not allege any wrongdoing from the companies, it suggests that they thoroughly review their advertisements to ensure they comply with any applicable laws and rules. "Americans experiencing rising healthcare costs should not also have to worry about whether a healthcare plan or program is what it claims to be," said Christopher Mufarrige, director of FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. "The FTC will remain focused on monitoring this market and will not hesitate to hold accountable companies that unlawfully market or advertise healthcare plans to consumers." (Minemyer, Fierce Healthcare, 11/2)
- District of Columbia: A federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has ruled that AbbVie's Botox must be excluded from Medicare's Drug Price Negotiation Program. AbbVie originally challenged HHS' decision to include Botox in the price negotiation program in February, arguing that the drug qualifies as a "plasma-derived product" that is exempt under the law. The company also claimed that CMS exceeded its authority by including Botox in the program. In late October, the court found that HHS violated the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 by including Botox in the program since one of the drug's core ingredients is derived from human plasma, which meant it should be excluded. The court also restricted HHS from publishing a negotiated "maximum fair price" for the drug. (Taylor, Becker's Hospital Review, 11/2)
- Washington: Washington state health officials have reported the death of an individual from bird flu, marking the first death from the disease this year. The individual who died was a resident of Yakima County and had been hospitalized with "severe illness," authorities said. According to officials, the person contracted bird flu after exposure to infected cattle. They also had underlying health conditions. Public health experts say the death is a reminder that bird flu is still circulating in the United States. "While we haven't heard much about it, maybe in the last year or so, the virus has not gone away because there have been periodic detections of this [bird flu] in dairy cattle," said Andrew Pekosz, professor and vice chair of the department of molecular microbiology and immunology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. "… It's sort of the same virus that has been around for a couple of years now. So, this all indicates that the virus continues to spread in dairy cows." (Kekatos, ABC News, 11/3)
Don't miss out on the latest Advisory Board insights
Create your free account to access 1 resource, including the latest research and webinars.
Want access without creating an account?
You have 1 free members-only resource remaining this month.
1 free members-only resources remaining
1 free members-only resources remaining
You've reached your limit of free insights
Become a member to access all of Advisory Board's resources, events, and experts
Never miss out on the latest innovative health care content tailored to you.
Benefits include:
Unlimited access to research and resources
Member-only access to events and trainings
Expert-led consultation and facilitation
The latest content delivered to your inbox
You've reached your limit of free insights
Become a member to access all of Advisory Board's resources, events, and experts
Never miss out on the latest innovative health care content tailored to you.
Benefits include:
Unlimited access to research and resources
Member-only access to events and trainings
Expert-led consultation and facilitation
The latest content delivered to your inbox
This content is available through your Curated Research partnership with Advisory Board. Click on ‘view this resource’ to read the full piece
Email ask@advisory.com to learn more
Click on ‘Become a Member’ to learn about the benefits of a Full-Access partnership with Advisory Board
Never miss out on the latest innovative health care content tailored to you.
Benefits Include:
Unlimited access to research and resources
Member-only access to events and trainings
Expert-led consultation and facilitation
The latest content delivered to your inbox
This is for members only. Learn more.
Click on ‘Become a Member’ to learn about the benefits of a Full-Access partnership with Advisory Board
Never miss out on the latest innovative health care content tailored to you.
Benefits Include:
Unlimited access to research and resources
Member-only access to events and trainings
Expert-led consultation and facilitation
The latest content delivered to your inbox
