- Last year CMS received 41,136 complaints about the marketing of Medicare Advantage plans. (WSJ, gated)
- Do breaks from surgery improve the performance of orthopedic surgeons? Yes. HT: Tyler
- Can a dead person fly? Not before the TSA pats her down.
- CDC’s latest message: You don’t have to do anything about COVID, except please go get your booster urgently.
- A summary of Fauci flip flops. (NYT, gated)
Category: COVID-19 and Public Health
Thursday Links
- Goldman Sachs throws Fauci and CDC protocols under the bus.
- American life expectancy has dropped three years!
- California bill would penalize doctors who spread Covid falsehoods, like “Ivermectin works” — even if it really does work. (NYT, gated)
- Omicron appears to produce contradictory results (pos/neg) when various test are used.
- Health benefits of tea.
Cosmetic Surgery on the Rise… Due to Covid-19
Covid-19 changed a lot about the way Americans live and work. The price of houses shot up as many people formerly tied to an office can now work remotely from home. Home improvement centers saw their sales climb as more people were stuck at home and needed better accommodations with which to work. In my neighborhood it seems every other house is having a pool installed. I guess if you’re afraid to travel at least make your staycation better. Recreational vehicle sales rose sharply from two years ago as more people decided to vacation without flying. For that matter, the price of used airplanes has also skyrocketed due to people seeking alternative ways to travel. Travel by private planes, including private jets has also risen in response to Covid.
Mental Telehealth Counseling for Diverse Communities
Americans have collectively experienced a mental health crisis due to Covid. Furthermore, some communities have more unmet mental health needs than others. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation:
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the nation’s mental health, with 3 in 10 adults in the U.S. reporting symptoms consistent with depression or anxiety disorder since April 2020. Over 20% of adults reporting poor mental health also report not receiving counseling or therapy during the pandemic. Telehealth has played a particularly significant role in meeting the need for mental health services. Thus far into the pandemic, some private payers have improved coverage for mental health and substance use, removing pre-pandemic restrictions on coverage for these services via telehealth.