🦠 Axios Vitals: Omicron burning out

Plus, ACOs hit plateau | Thursday, January 27, 2022

Open in app View in browser   Presented By the Healthcare Distribution Alliance   Axios Vitals By Tina Reed ·Jan 27, 2022 Good morning, Vitals readers. Today's newsletter is 891 words or a 3-minute read.     1 big thing: Omicron is finally burning out Data: N.Y. Times; Cartogram: Kavya Beheraj/Axios New COVID infections are declining in the U.S. — a sign that the Omicron wave has likely peaked, Axios' Sam Baker and Kavya Beheraj report. Yes, but: Deaths are rising, and the U.S. still has a lot of COVID — a reminder that even this milder variant is still a very real threat to unvaccinated Americans. By the numbers: Nationwide, the U.S. is now averaging about 650,000 new COVID cases per day. That's a 17% drop over the past two weeks, but still a very large number of cases. Where it stands: Most of that decline is being driven by continued improvement on the East Coast, particularly in and around New York, Washington, D.C., and New England. Those areas were the first to get hit with Omicron, the first to see cases begin to fall, and now their case rates are plummeting dramatically enough to pull the national average down with them. A few new pockets of good news are also opening up in a handful of Western and Midwestern states. But Omicron has not burned out yet in most of the U.S. It is still gaining ground — meaning new infections are still on the rise — in 28 states. And deaths from COVID-19 are rising. The virus is now killing more than 2,300 Americans per day, on average — an increase of almost 30% over the past two weeks. It always takes a few weeks for a new wave of COVID infections to kill however many people it's going to kill, and Omicron only landed in the U.S. last month. It is significantly less deadly than previous variants, but it is still deadly. The overwhelming majority of people who have died from COVID, including Omicron, were unvaccinated. Share this map.     2. Provider bailout money exhausted Billions of dollars in the Provider Relief Fund aimed at helping hospitals and clinics weather the pandemic was quietly used to buy COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics, STAT News reported. The relief fund has now been exhausted, per STAT's report. Last week, hospitals called on the Biden administration to distribute the remaining bailout funds and extend the deadline for spending the funds. HHS announced Tuesday it would release $2 billion from the fund. The American Hospital Association also called on Congress to provide $25 billion more dollars in relief. "No distributions from the PRF have been made or announced for expenses related to the Delta or Omicron variant surges," it said. What they're saying: An HHS spokeswoman told STAT the use of the funds was reasonable because the vaccines and therapeutics were given to providers for free.     3. The ACO plateau Data: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; Chart: Jared Whalen/Axios The number of Medicare accountable care organizations — groups of hospitals and doctors who care for specific groups of Medicare patients — has flat-lined since 2018, Axios' Bob Herman writes about new data from the federal government. Why it matters: The Affordable Care Act created ACOs with the intent of both improving quality of care for patients and cutting costs, and then sharing savings with those care providers. But industry interest stagnated after Medicare cracked down on models that made it too easy for providers to collect money.     A message from the Healthcare Distribution Alliance Why healthcare distributors are key partners in fighting COVID-19     Distributors work with federal, state and local governments to deliver vaccines, treatments and supplies where they are needed. What this means: While navigating the demands of COVID-19, we ensure healthcare products get to providers and patients. Health Delivered.     4. New clues emerge on long COVID Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios   The presence of certain autoantibodies or high amounts of coronavirus RNA in the blood could be indicators a patient has a higher chance of developing long COVID, according to a new study in the journal Cell. Other factors include a person having Type 2 diabetes or the reactivation of the Epstein-Barr virus. "If these pathways get confirmed, we as clinicians can actually design interventions to make people better. That is the take-home message," Steven Deeks, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco told the New York Times. The big picture: On Wednesday, a new study out of the U.K. indicated that vaccinated adults were about 41% less likely to report lingering COVID symptoms. An Israeli study published this week in Nature also found vaccination could reduce the risk of long COVID.     5. Subscribe n' save on medical costs Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios   Subscription-based health care service businesses have gained some serious traction with investors in recent months, Axios' Erin Brodwin writes. Why it matters: Venture capitalists have been placing their bets on subscription startups like Crossover Health, Tia Clinic and Oak Street Health, according to a recent PitchBook report. Like One Medical and Forward, these companies promise to save users under the assumption that their models will save on downstream medical costs by connecting patients to more consistent care. The factors helping to drive increased interest in the industry include patient dissatisfaction with the mainstream fee-for-service system, a growing senior population, and employer interest in comprehensive solutions. Yes, but: Despite notable public exits and rising popularity among businesses in the sector, the report finds that few have managed to turn a profit.  "While these models represent a relatively niche sub-segment of the primary care landscape, we expect they will become more mainstream as operating models improve," says Kaia Colban, a PitchBook emerging technology analyst. This story first appeared in the Axios Pro Health Tech Deals newsletter. Subscribe at AxiosPro.com.     6. Catch up quick Members of Congress are calling for an investigation into the pandemic pricing of the agencies that provide staffing to hospitals. (Modern Healthcare) HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra is under fire from critics for taking "a back seat" during the pandemic. (The Hill) A new study found Moderna's booster remained durable against the Omicron variant after six months despite signs of waning antibody protection. (CNN)     A message from the Healthcare Distribution Alliance Delivering more than 10M medicines, vaccines and supplies daily     Distributors serve as a vital link between manufacturers and providers — moving billions of medicines, vaccines and supplies every year. We provide the logistics expertise, inventory range and technology required to keep pharmacy and hospital shelves stocked across America. Learn more.   📫 Did someone forward this email to you? Here's how to subscribe. Like this email style and format? Bring the strength of Smart Brevity® to your team — more effective communications, powered by Axios HQ.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Suite 1300, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. 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