Friday Links

Regulations prohibiting price gouging during the Covid pandemic resulted in shortages leading to more social contact in crowded stores at the worst possible time—when social contact spreads a dangerous pathogen. 

The increase in US maternal mortality may not be real.

Biden executive order: health insurers participating in Medicare Advantage, Medicaid or the Obamacare exchanges will need to respond to expedited prior authorization requests within 72 hours, and standard requests within seven calendar days.  

The world is getting older: In the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Denmark, total spending on long-term care is already more than 3% of GDP. In Japan and Korea more than 15% of the population is over 80.