InnovationRx: Expanding Medicare Advantage Plans. Plus: A Medtech billionaire

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Tthe economy may be slowing down, but major health insurance companies aren’t letting that stop their plans to expand Medicare Advantage plans. Aetna announced that next year it will expand to more than 200 counties nationwide. UnitedHealthcare is adding 184 new counties to its roster and Elevance Health is adding 210. Cigna, which is in just 26 states right now, plans to expand to two more states and more than 100 counties in 2023. Humana is also adding declares two new ones on its roster. This highlights the rapid growth Medicare Advantage plans have seen in recent years after they were unavailable in large parts of the country. More than two million people added Medicare Advantage plans in 2022, and 45% of the Medicare population is enrolled in one.

Google will allow healthcare organizations to use its AI to analyze and store X-rays

Google on Tuesday announced a new set of artificial intelligence tools aimed at enabling healthcare organizations to use the search giant’s software and servers to read, store and annotate X-rays, MRIs and other medical images.

Read more here.

Offers of the week

Genome Screening: Health Insights Sema4 announced Wednesday that it is participating in the Genomic Uniform-screening Against Rare Diseases In All Newborns (GUARDIAN) study along with businesses, nonprofits, academic institutions and government agencies. The aim of the study is to find ways of early diagnosis and treatment of genetic diseases in newborn babies.

Monkey Pox Rapid Test: Northwestern University and its spinoff company Minute Molecular Diagnostics are collaborating to develop a rapid swab-based monkeypox test based on a platform it used to develop a rapid PCR test for Covid.

True Drug Mechanisms: Biotech company Meliora Therapeutics announced that it has closed an $11 million seed round. The company is developing a computational platform aimed at better understanding how drugs actually work versus how they’ve been perceived.

Remarkable

The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued new guidelines suggesting that children do not need to stay home from school if they have Head lice.

Hurricane Ian may be over, but in its wake it can bring a lot infectious diseases in the Florida and South Carolina populations.

Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon and sardines may help improve brain health in middle-aged adults, according to a new study.

There is a whirlwind of controversy surrounding last week’s regulatory approval Relyvrioa new drug for ALS and is likely to face pricing and reimbursement issues as its sponsor Amylyx Pharmaceuticals tries to bring it to market.

Updates on the coronavirus

Tthe CDC announced that it will no longer maintain an updated list of Covid-related travel advice by country. According to the agency, this is the result of fewer countries testing and reporting case numbers, making it difficult to maintain a current list. Instead, the CDC will only announce a travel advisory if there is a situation such as a new variant that could pose a threat to those traveling to a country. This comes a week after places such as Canada and Hong Kong joined a long list of countries and regions easing travel restrictions.

Meet the Iranian immigrant turned Covid MedTech billionaire

Joe Kiani overcame overwhelming personal and professional odds to build a better blood oxygen monitor. So why would he be afraid to push his junk company into consumer electronics, challenging companies 100 times its size?

Read more here.

More news about the coronavirus

A new study found that using saline solution Nasal irrigation twice a day after testing positive for Covid-19 may reduce the risk of death and hospitalization in high-risk patients.

Although taking it flu shot and Covid booster While it’s safe, some experts recommend getting your booster as soon as possible and waiting until late October to get your flu shot. That’s because the flu doesn’t peak until late fall to early winter, meaning an early vaccination may leave you less protected.

A CDC study found that the best practice for reducing transmission and avoiding Covid-19 in unaffected family members was isolating in separate rooms.

The new bivalent boosters alone can’t give you Covid, but the side effects they resemble those of previous Covid-19 vaccines. A sore throat in the arm from the needle and reactions such as fever, nausea and fatigue are all possible side effects, with the risk of developing a more serious problem being extremely rare.

All over Forbes

Mr. Vice Guy: Meet the Hedge Fund Vulture Who Made a $120 Million Bet on Casinos and Cannabis

Exclusive: Inside The Powerful New CEO Club Quietly Welcomes Refugees

How sanctioned Russian billionaires are trying to loosen Europe’s grip on their superyachts

What else are we reading?

Pfizer must prove it’s ready to move on from Covid-19 (Bloomberg)

Will there be a winter COVID wave? What the scientists say (Nature)

In post-Covid life, Vir wants to eradicate flu with up to $1bn BARDA contract (Endpoints News)