Opioid Crisis. President Trumps “thoughts and prayers have helped.. “But additional funding and resources would be more helpful.”

January 14, 2018

President Donald Trump in October promised to “liberate” Americans from the “scourge of addiction,” officially declaring a 90-day public health emergency that would urgently mobilize the federal government to tackle the opioid epidemic. That declaration runs out on Jan. 23, and beyond drawing more attention to the crisis, virtually nothing of consequence has been done…

In the ICU at Massachusetts General Hospital, nurses use Gatorade to combat flu-related dehydration (due to shortages of intravenous fluids)

January 11, 2018

“This winter’s flu season is turning into a “moderately severe” one that might get worse because of an imperfect vaccine and steady cold weather, flu experts and public health officials said this week… About 80 percent of cases are of the H3N2 strain, which caused many hospitalizations and deaths this year in Australia, where winter

“wreck and rejoice” – has consequences. BTW, there is a congressional exemption from ObamaCare

January 10, 2018

“Here are the five ways President Trump could weaken the ACA in 2018….easing ACA regulations on association health plans and extending short-term coverage….Continue outreach cuts….Target the essential health benefits…4. Allow insurers to leave counties….5.Not support ACA stabilization bills. The Alexander-Murray market stabilization bill and a reinsurance proposal from Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, have received support

“We are arguably as vulnerable—or more vulnerable—to another (flu) pandemic as we were in 1918.”

January 8, 2018

“People in public health hate H3N2 flu seasons, like the one gripping most of North America right now. So do folks who work in hospitals and in the care facilities that look after the elderly. To put it flatly, H3N2 is the problem child of seasonal flu. It causes more deaths than the other influenza

The Trump administration “… hasn’t done squat” about the Opioid Crisis – but is prosecuting marijuana offenses & fired all HIV/AIDS Commission members

January 6, 2018

“We wonder what it will take to shake the faith of Trump’s fans. His subservience to Russia’s ongoing cyber-invasion? Nope. His relentless assaults on the integrity of our law enforcement and intelligence agencies? Nope. Shooting someone in broad daylight on Fifth Avenue? Probably nope. But his failure to tackle the opioid epidemic — his big

Health care disruption….”executives are paying close attention to who/what poses the greatest threat to their business models.”

January 3, 2018

“The health care industry is consolidating rapidly — hospitals are merging with each other and with insurers; pharmacies are buying insurance companies; and drug companies are snapping up other drug companies. The big question: Are these deals good for consumers? What happens to networks of hospitals, doctors and pharmacies? Those options will likely narrow as