CYBERATTACKS: From Alliance of Community Health Plans via X, VERBATIM: “In the wake of a cyberattack, Hilary Marden-Resnik shares how @UCareMN and other provider-aligned plans were able to efficiently respond, citing ‘years of collaboration between ACHP plans and their providers.’” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3YSW74C (SPONSORED: UCare)
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ELECTION ISSUES: Via Marist, from a poll released Monday, VERBATIM: “When thinking about voting, Americans likely to vote say the following issues are top of mind:
31% report preserving democracy is a motivating factor.
25% say inflation is their priority.
19% select immigration.
10% say the abortion issue is on their mind.
Health care (7%), the war in the Middle East (3%), and crime (2%) follow.
Likely voters also share the issue they rank as the second, most-pressing issue when thinking about the election:
22% cite inflation.
20% say abortion.
18% mention immigration.
Health care follows with 15%.
11% choose preserving democracy.
Crime (9%) and the war in the Middle East (5%) follow.”
READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hDBYH1
MORE: From YouGov polling, VERBATIM: “Harris' best issues in the most recent polling are LGBTQ issues, abortion, and the environment. 52% of Americans think Harris would do a better job than Trump handling LGBTQ issues if elected as president; 23% say Trump would be better at this. 49% think Harris would do a better job handling abortion, while 31% think Trump would. 45% think Harris would handle the environment better than Trump; 30% say he would handle it better than Harris. The issues Americans are especially likely to say Trump would handle better than Harris are immigration (49% think Trump would handle this better and 35% think Harris would), the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (42% vs. 31%), and the Ukraine-Russia conflict (46% vs. 36%).” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3AFiFfP
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ELECTION STRESS: Via Scientific American, VERBATIM: “Nina Vasan, a psychiatrist at the Stanford University School of Medicine, who has researched Internet-based anxiety treatments and sees patients at her clinical practice, says she has never encountered this level of depression and concern about the future. And she is seeing it both in people who support Kamala Harris and in people who support Donald Trump.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3NWTtVo
MORE: Via CBS News, VERBATIM: “A majority of Americans say they're feeling stressed by the presidential election, and emotions and tensions continue to mount as Election Day unfolds . . . So, how can we keep that stress and anxiety in check? Here's what experts around the country suggest.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3NSJpMW
MORE: From Catharine Richert via MPR, VERBATIM: “In a time of extreme political polarization, MPR News spoke with two experts about how people can emotionally survive the 2024 election and preserve relationships with people who voted differently, regardless of the outcome.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eeS8Up
MORE: Via KSTP-TV, VERBATIM: “KSTP health expert Dr. Archelle Georgiou shared some insight and advice on how to navigate the next few days.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4ecGHN6
GLOBAL ISSUES: Via Politico, VERBATIM: “An agreement to set nations’ obligations when the next pandemic comes, billions in contributions to international disease control efforts, even U.S. membership in the World Health Organization: Those are the main stakes for global health in tomorrow’s election, according to health policy analysts. Here’s how Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump differ.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hElxuj
SCREENS: Via HealthDay, VERBATIM: “Half of young Americans between the ages of 12 and 17 spend at least four hours each day on their smartphones, computers or televisions, a new survey shows . . . All of that screen time might not be great for teens' psyches: The research found that while about 27% of teens who had four or more hours per day of screen time said they'd had anxiety over the past two weeks, that was true for only 12.3% of teen with fewer hours spent looking at screens.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Aw66Ua
PHARMACIES: From Dee DePass via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “North Minneapolis joins a growing number of ‘pharmacy deserts’ rapidly dotting the state and nation as small and large pharmacies close up shop, leaving people with few options to quickly access prescription medicines. The problem is expected to get worse as the nation’s two pharmacy giants continue to downsize. CVS, which closed 600 U.S. stores between 2021 and 2023, said it would close 300 more this year as leases end. On Oct. 15, Walgreens announced a plan to close 1,200 unprofitable stores, starting with 500 in 2025. A half-million Minnesotans live in pharmacy deserts, according to a report issued earlier this year by the state Department of Health.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fOOHFp
REIMBURSEMENTS: Via Reuters, VERBATIM: “Drug coupon aggregator GoodRx and pharmacy benefit managers including CVS Caremark and Express Scripts have been hit with at least three class action lawsuits accusing them of working together to suppress reimbursements to small pharmacies for generic prescription drugs. The first lawsuit was filed by Minnesota-based Keaveny Drug in federal court in Los Angeles last Wednesday, and another was filed in the same court on Friday by Michigan-based Community Care Pharmacy. A third lawsuit was filed on Friday by Pennsylvania-based Old Baltimore Pike Apothecary and Smith's Pharmacy in Providence, Rhode Island, federal court.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fAb9BW
NEXT WEEK: Via Citizens League, VERBATIM: “Join us for a robust conversation about geographic disparities to health care access across Minnesota, featuring an expert panel.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/48AsrMK
MEDICAID: From Christopher Snowbeck via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “UnitedHealthcare has suffered two setbacks in its legal fight against a new Minnesota law that blocks for-profit HMOs from winning contracts to serve the state Medicaid program. First in late August and then again in October, Minnetonka-based UnitedHealthcare failed to persuade a judge to impose a temporary injunction that could have preserved the health insurance giant’s position as a Medicaid vendor in Minnesota in 2025. Even so, company executives are not about to give up on the underlying lawsuit.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4edlhiJ
HIJABS: From Kirsten Mitchell via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “It's a challenge facing health care workers. There's a lack of personal protective equipment for Muslim women. Now, two Minnesota respiratory therapists are breaking barriers in the health care world, by filling that need and creating disposable, hygienic hijabs. Firaoli Adam and Yasmin Samatar first met while studying respiratory care at St. Catherine University in St. Paul.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3AsGYO5
From morning take…
STRIKE: via WDIO, VERBATIM: “About 70 workers who are members of the SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa union are on strike [at] Essentia Health-Deer River. The strike started at 7 a.m. on Monday. As of 10 a.m., about 25 of them were walking on the picket line. A rally was planned for 12 p.m. … The strike is expected to last through Saturday morning at 7 a.m. … There is another meeting between Essentia and the union planned for Wednesday.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48zteO6
MORE: via an Essentia Health press release, VERBATIM: “Essentia Health continues to provide safe, high-quality care to patients while members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) went out on strike at Essentia Health-Deer River. … We have been making preparations to maintain access to care since the union filed a 10-day strike notice on Oct. 25. There will be no interruption to emergency services, surgical care, outpatient clinic care or long-term care at Essentia Health-Homestead. We anticipate, however, that we won’t be able to accept new inpatient hospital admissions.”
SETTLEMENT: via Office of the Atty. General, VERBATIM: “Attorney General Keith Ellison joined a bipartisan coalition of 50 states and territories announcing two significant cooperation agreements and settlements with Heritage Pharmaceuticals and Apotex totaling $49.1 million. These agreements resolve allegations that both companies engaged in widespread, long-running conspiracies to artificially inflate and manipulate prices, reduce competition, and unreasonably restrain trade with regard to numerous generic prescription drugs. The majority of the funds from the settlements will be used to compensate individuals and government agencies that overpaid for generic medications and a smaller portion will cover the costs of the litigation.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Cb04sx
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OLIVER: From Susan Murphy via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “In his 18 months of life, Oliver Bates, with his soft red hair and big blue eyes, left an enduring legacy at Mayo Clinic. Oliver is remembered for his infectious smile and the love and resilience he radiated to all who knew him, even from the intensive care unit. Born with a rare and incurable genetic epilepsy disorder, he inspired a pioneering program designed to expedite genomic-related diagnoses and enhance definitive patient care.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3NYi9Nb
MEDICARE: From Christopher Snowbeck via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Since Medicare open enrollment started more than two weeks ago, the Minnesota Star Tribune has found numerous examples where online materials from these health insurers list hospitals and clinics as ‘in-network’ for 2025 even though they’re operated by five health systems that have announced they’ll be going out-of-network next year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YPQKTQ
SUPCT: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “About $1.5 billion in annual Medicare payments to hospitals will be on the line Tuesday when the Supreme Court hears arguments in a case over whether the federal government shortchanges facilities that care for low-income seniors. Why it matters: It's the latest legal skirmish over so-called disproportionate share payments that have steadily declined in recent years but are a lifeline for hospitals that treat a substantial number of poor patients, who typically are sicker and have more complex needs.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eg6iEY
TOMORROW: From Mary Divine via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “The Stillwater City Council on Wednesday will get its first in-depth look at plans for the new estimated $400 million Lakeview Hospital campus at the northeast corner of Minnesota 36 and Manning Avenue. HealthPartners has submitted a concept plan review request to the Stillwater City Council for the 64-acre hospital campus.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4enDkCR
NEXT WEEK: Via Medical Alley, VERBATIM: “Calling all startups and investors! Tap the Cash is happening next Wednesday, November 13th at Padilla in Minneapolis—don’t miss your chance to connect with medtech entrepreneurs and investors from across the Medical Alley community.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3YWxLqU
SITTING: Via HealthDay, VERBATIM: “New research shows that too much time on sofas and chairs harms the heart -- even among people who get the minimum recommended amount of daily exercise. ‘Taking a quick walk after work may not be enough’ to offset the health dangers of sitting, said study lead author Chandra Reynolds. She's a professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Colorado in Boulder.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3CbiOrM
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
EDUCATION: From Radboud University Medical Center via Science Daily, VERBATIM: “Thanks to a 'natural experiment' involving 30,000 people, researchers at Radboud university medical center were able to determine very precisely what an extra year of education does to the brain in the long term. To their surprise, they found no effect on brain structure and no protective benefit of additional education against brain aging.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YEk0vk
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