Publix to Offer Free Antibiotics
Publix Super Markets will offer seven oral antibiotics free of charge at its 684 pharmacy locations, the Lakeland, Fla.-based store chain announced. The antibiotics included in the program—amoxicillin, cephalexin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (SMZ-TMP), cipro- floxacin (excluding Cipro XR), penicillin VK, ampicillin, and erythromycin (excluding Ery-Tab)—account for almost 50% of the generic prescriptions filled for adolescents and children at Publix, the company said. New or current customers simply need to provide the Publix pharmacists with their prescriptions, up to a 14-day supply, and they will be filled at no charge. There is no limit to the number of prescriptions customers can fill for free, and the free antibiotics are offered to customers regardless of their prescription insurance provider, the store chain said.
FDA, DoD to Share Data
The Department of Defense will share data and expertise with the Food and Drug Administration related to the review and use of FDA-regulated drugs, biologics, and medical devices in an effort to identify potential concerns and recognize benefits of products, the two agencies said. The DoD will share general patient data from military health system records with the FDA, although the agencies will protect all personal health information exchanged under the agreement. Among the DoD programs involved in the agreement is TRICARE, which serves 9.1 million members of the uniformed services, retirees, and their families, and TRICARE prescription data likely will be the first information shared as part of the project. The partnership between the DoD and FDA is part of the FDA's Sentinel Network, a project intended to explore linking private sector and public sector information to create an integrated electronic network.
Bill Would Improve Import Safety
User fees on imported food and drug shipments would fund additional personnel to inspect shipments both at the border and at FDA laboratories under legislation proposed by the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Funds from the proposed user fees also would be used to test import samples and research new testing techniques. “We are importing twice as much food as we were a decade ago, yet the FDA examines less than 1% of it,” said Chairman John Dingell (D-Mich.). “Without regular inspections and analysis there is little incentive for food producers and importers to ensure that our food supply is free from harmful and sometimes fatal contaminants.” The legislation also would expand FDA authority to issue recalls, require country of origin labeling, and halt imports of certain products in the case of problems.
Leaders Back Payment Reform
The vast majority (95%) of key public officials, analysts, and executives say fundamental health care payment reform is needed, and 75% support Medicare reform that would pay “medical homes” for care coordination, according to the latest Commonwealth Fund Health Care Opinion Leaders survey. The survey found consensus for specific strategies; for example, 90% of respondents said use of health information technology should be mandated for Medicare providers within 5–10 years, and half supported financial incentives for physicians and hospitals to provide high quality care. Around three-quarters of respondents agreed that greater organization and integration of provider care is necessary for improved quality and efficiency, but nearly 8 of 10 said that physician autonomy would be a challenge to care integration. A total of 59% said they support public reporting of providers' performance on quality measures, and more than half said they support the creation of a new public-private entity to coordinate quality efforts and form a national quality agenda.
GAO Finds Medicaid Decline
A law requiring most U.S. citizens applying for Medicaid coverage to document their citizenship has caused eligible citizens to lose Medicaid coverage, and the law costs far more to administer than it saves, according to two government analyses. The law went into effect on July 1, 2006, and affects 30 million children and 16 million parents currently enrolled in Medicaid, as well as millions of new applicants. The first analysis, from the Government Accountability Office, found that half of the states are reporting declines in Medicaid coverage because of the requirement, and many of those losing coverage appear to be U.S. citizens. The second analysis, produced by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, found that for every $100 spent by federal taxpayers to implement the documentation requirements in six states, only 14 cents in Medicaid savings can be documented.
R.I. to Begin Information Exchange
Rhode Island is one step closer to a health information system that will allow physicians to access patient health data from a variety of sources. The state has chosen Electronic Data Systems Corp. and its subcontractor, InterSystems Corp., to build and integrate the necessary technology and software. Through a 3-year, federally funded $1.71 million contract, the companies will build the core components of the system under the oversight of the Rhode Island Department of Health. Initially, data will come from several state laboratories and from SureScripts, a national e-prescribing services company. When the system is complete, authorized health care providers will have access to laboratory results and medication histories for their patients, state officials said.