Berkeley Lovelace Jr.

Dr. Oz says Obamacare enrollment may be ‘too high’ Even as the top official for Medicaid and Medicare claims millions may be falsely enrolled, the Trump administration is urging younger people to sign up for high-deductible ACA plans.

NEW: In a phone interview, Dr. Mehmet Oz told me Obamacare enrollment may be “too high” and predicts it could fall to around 19 million, arguing some people in ACA plans shouldn’t be enrolled.

www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...

HHS confirms the March USPSTF meeting has been postponed and says “will be rescheduled in the coming months.”

Federal panel behind cancer screening recommendations hasn’t met in nearly a year The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force's meetings have stalled as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has reshaped other federal advisory committees.

The federal task force that shapes recommendations for cancer screenings, heart disease prevention and other preventive services has not convened in almost a year — and it’s unclear whether the panel will convene again.

Federal panel behind cancer screening recommendations hasn’t met in nearly a year The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force's meetings have stalled as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has reshaped other federal advisory committees.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which crafts evidence-based recommendations for cancer screenings and other preventive care hasn't met for almost a year under RFK Jr.

by @berkeleyjr.bsky.social @nbcnews.com

Federal panel behind cancer screening recommendations hasn’t met in nearly a year The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force's meetings have stalled as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has reshaped other federal advisory committees.

The independent panel that guides no-cost cancer screenings and other preventive care hasn’t met in nearly a year. What’s going on with the USPSTF?

www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...

Advanced colon cancer patients lived twice as long with a Pfizer combo therapy, trial finds Patients who got the combination treatment lived, on average, about 30 months, compared with about 15 months for those who got standard chemotherapy.

ASCO coverage last year: www.nbcnews.com/health/cance...

FDA grants full approval to Pfizer’s Braftovi combo therapy as a first-line treatment for advanced colon cancer.

In trials, patients lived about 30 months on average — vs. 15 months with standard care.

investors.pfizer.com/Investors/Ne...

Hospitals and insurers are fighting over money, leaving patients in the lurch The disputes stem from rising health care costs, with insurers and hospitals fighting more aggressively over the price of care.

Hospital-insurer contract fights are increasingly going public nationwide, and patients are feeling the fallout.

FDA defends its decision not to review Moderna's mRNA flu shot The agency said it denied Moderna’s application because it refused to follow “very clear” guidance. The drugmakers says the FDA approved the design of its clinical trial.

My comments with @nbcnews.com @berkeleyjr.bsky.social

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FDA defends its decision to not review Moderna’s mRNA flu shot The agency said it denied Moderna’s application because it refused to follow “very clear” guidance. The drugmakers says the FDA approved the design of its clinical trial.

The FDA issued an unusual defense of its decision to not review Moderna's mRNA flu shot.
by @berkeleyjr.bsky.social @nbcnews.com

Hospitals and insurers are fighting over money, leaving patients in the lurch The disputes stem from rising health care costs, with insurers and hospitals fighting more aggressively over the price of care.

NEW: Hospital-insurer contract fights are increasingly going public nationwide, and patients are feeling the fallout.

One breast cancer survivor in NYC says she may have to switch doctors mid-treatment after Mount Sinai’s physicians left Anthem’s network.

www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...

Hospitals and insurers are fighting over money, leaving patients in the lurch The disputes stem from rising health care costs, with insurers and hospitals fighting more aggressively over the price of care.

NEW: Hospital-insurer contract fights are increasingly going public nationwide, and patients are feeling the fallout.

One breast cancer survivor in NYC says she may have to switch doctors mid-treatment after Mount Sinai’s physicians left Anthem’s network.

www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...

Trump to launch discount drug platform Thursday evening: What to know The platform called TrumpRx will not sell drugs directly, but is expected to point buyers to drugmakers' own direct-to-consumer sites.

💊TrumpRx goes live this evening: What to know

www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...

TrumpRx, the new federal self-pay platform for prescription drugs, launches tonight, the White House says.

The site currently shows a countdown clock.

Wegovy pill in high demand in weeks since launch, Novo Nordisk says More than 170,000 people in the U.S. are taking the new GLP-1 pill, according to the company.

💊 Novo Nordisk says demand for the Wegovy pill is off to a strong start.

•~50K prescriptions per week
•~170K patients total in the U.S.
•~9 in 10 prescriptions paid in cash.

www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...

Hi there! I just wanted to follow up to see if you’re still available to chat. Feel free to DM me or my email is Berkeley.lovelacejr@nbcuni.com. (My number is also in this thread. Thanks so much!

Insurance trade group AHIP says the figure likely refers to insurers’ pledge to give real-time answers to most prior authorization requests beginning in 2027.

During Trump’s cabinet meeting, Health Secretary RFK Jr. claimed 80% of the insurance industry has agreed to eliminate prior authorization in almost all of their procedures.

Feel free to text or you can DM the best contact for you.

Great. My number is 551 246 7216.

New federal ACA open enrollment numbers are out today. Sign-ups are down roughly 1.2 million to 1.3 million compared with last year.

State officials say coverage losses are likely to grow in the coming months as more people struggle to make premium payments and plans get terminated.

Would you be open to chatting? Working on a broader story on these kinds of disputes.

Predicting a substantial bump in uncompensated care for ER docs this year

New federal ACA open enrollment numbers are out today. Sign-ups are down roughly 1.2 million to 1.3 million compared with last year.

State officials say coverage losses are likely to grow in the coming months as more people struggle to make premium payments and plans get terminated.

Hi there. I’m working on a story related to this dispute. Would you be open to chatting? Thanks!

Hi there. I’m working on a story related to this. Are you free to chat? Thanks so much!

Hi there. I’m working on a story about this trend. Are you free to chat? Thanks!

Hi there. Have you been personally affected by the dispute? Thanks!

💉Per a CMS official, this does not include Botox for cosmetic use.

Medicare doesn't cover cosmetic Botox, but the drug has several medical uses, including treatment for chronic migraines, overactive bladder, muscle stiffness and lazy eye.

Many Obamacare enrollees have switched to cheaper bronze plans. Here's why that could be risky. Bronze plans — the lowest tier of Affordable Care Act coverage — offer lower premiums but higher out-of-pocket costs.

A closer look at state-level ACA sign-up data shows that many enrollees are choosing the cheapest plans, with high deductibles, raising concerns among health experts that more people could delay or skip care.

www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...