Tuesday, November 22, 2022 | Kaiser Health News

Health Systems, Patient Care Impacted By Rising Claim Denial Rates

Modern Healthcare draws attention to a “significant” rise in denied insurance claims over the past year, which has increased administrative work, reduced hospital cash flow, and delayed patient care. Separately, Axios reports on how medical inflation is affecting big employers.

More on the cost of coverage —


Stat:
The Case For Universal Oral Health Coverage, According To The WHO


On Friday, oral health advocates across the globe got an early holiday gift from their longtime wish lists. They had been waiting their whole careers — for some STAT spoke with, up to nearly half a century — for oral health to be folded into conversations calling for health care access for all. The World Health Organization’s new Global Oral Health Status report took that first step. (Castillo, 11/21)

In other health care industry news —


Modern Healthcare:
Providence Closes 27 Southern California Retail Clinics


Renton, Washington-based Providence closed all 27 of its Providence ExpressCare facilities on Nov. 17 after the Southern California retail clinics posted “unprecedented operating losses” amid labor shortages, inflation, supply chain disruption, lower-than-expected volumes and a more competitive retail clinic sector, the spokesperson said. (Kacik, 11/21)

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Attacks on Health Care Bi-Monthly News Brief: 02 – 15 November 2022 – World

Attachments

SHCC Attacks on Health Care

The section aligns with the definition of attacks on health care used by the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC).

Africa

Burkina Faso

03 November 2022: In Bondokuy village, Mouhoun province, Boucle du Mouhoun region, an ambulance and a motorcycle were seized by suspected JNIM militants. Source: ACLED1

Cameroon

03 November 2022: In Batibo town and subdivision, Northwest region, unidentified perpetrators abducted nine health workers from a government-run hospital. Sources: FX Empire and Reuters

Democratic Republic of the Congo

22 October 2022: In Some village, Mambasa territory, Ituri province, suspected members of rebel group Allied Democratic Forces looted pharmacies during an attack. Source: Radio Moto

07 November 2022: In Djugu territory, Ituri province, the International Committee of the Red Cross restarted their activities in the area after having been suspended since 2001 following the killing of six Red Cross aid workers. Sources: Actualité and Radio Moto

09 November 2022: In Kabasha village, located on the road between Butembo and Beni cities,
North Kivu province, more than 200 heavily armed members of the rebel group Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) entered the village and looted the hospital centre of Kabasha before setting it on fire.
A male doctor found at the hospital centre was also kidnapped, while hospital patients were threatened. The perpetrators burnt down fourteen local shops including pharmacies. Sources:
Actualité I, Actualité II, La Prunelle, Radio Moto I, Radio Moto II, and Radio Okapi

Attacks on Health Care in the DRC

At least 25 health workers have been kidnapped in the DRC between 01 January and 20 October 2022. Download the dataset with details on the reported perpetrator and weapons used on HDX. The dataset does not yet include incidents reported in this News Brief. Registered HDX user? Follow us for the latest dataset updates.

Kenya

01 November 2022: Near Mandera town and county, along the Kenya-Ethiopia-Somalia border, al Shabaab militants hijacked a government ambulance that was on its way to the Elwak Referral Hospital, and abducted four men – the driver, two paramedics of the Lafey Health Centre, and a 40-year-old patient – taking them towards Somalia. The medics and the patient were released the next day, while the driver was set free on 03 November. Sources: AA, Al Jazeera, All Africa, Garowe,
Nation, Reuters, The Standard, The Star and Voice of America

Niger

05 November 2022: Between Arlit and Tchibarakaten departments, Agadez

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Monday, November 1, 2021 | Kaiser Health News

World Has Lost At Least 5 Million People To Covid

While it’s likely a vast undercount, the official pandemic death toll surpassed 5 million. “When we get out our microscopes, we see that within countries, the most vulnerable have suffered most,” an infectious disease specialist told the AP.


AP:
COVID-19’s Global Death Toll Tops 5 Million In Under 2 Years


The global death toll from COVID-19 topped 5 million on Monday, less than two years into a crisis that has not only devastated poor countries but also humbled wealthy ones with first-rate health care systems. Together, the United States, the European Union, Britain and Brazil — all upper-middle- or high-income countries — account for one-eighth of the world’s population but nearly half of all reported deaths. The U.S. alone has recorded over 740,000 lives lost, more than any other nation. (Johnson, 11/1)


Bloomberg:
Covid Deaths Top 5 Million Even As Vaccines Slash Fatality Rate


More than 5 million people worldwide have died from Covid-19 less than two years after the novel pathogen was first documented, despite the arrival of vaccines that have slashed fatality rates across the globe. The latest 1 million recorded deaths came slower than the previous two. It took more than 110 days to go from 4 million deaths to 5 million, compared to less than 90 days each to reach the 3- and 4-million marks. The rate has returned to what was seen during the first year of the pandemic, when the virus was still taking hold. (Hong, 11/1)


AP:
A World Remembers: Memorials Honor COVID-19’s 5 Million Dead


The Italian city that suffered the brunt of COVID-19’s first deadly wave is dedicating a vivid memorial to the pandemic dead: A grove of trees, creating oxygen in a park opposite the hospital where so many died, unable to breathe. Bergamo, in northern Italy, is among the many communities around the globe dedicating memorials to commemorate lives lost in a pandemic that is nearing the terrible threshold of 5 million confirmed dead. (10/30)

Also —

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