Interesting Healthcare Outcomes . . .
“Opioid Overdose Now Provides 1 in 6 Donor Hearts,” Ashley Lyles, MedPage Today
Overdose-death donors have accounted for a rapidly growing proportion of cardiac allografts, with a 14-fold increase from about 1% in 2000 to now 16.9%, “consistent with the rising opioid epidemic,” reported Nader Moazami, MD, of New York University Langone Health in New York City, and colleagues in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery. Earlier findings:
A total of 1,710 of 15,904 (10.8%) cardiac transplantations were from ODDs, approximately a 10-fold increase from 2000 (1.2%). ODDs were more frequently older than 40 years of age (87.2% vs 70.1%; p < 0.001), had higher rates of substance abuse, were more likely hepatitis C positive (1.3% vs 0.2%; p < 0.001), and less frequently required inotropic support at the time of procurement (38.4% vs 44.8%; p < 0.001). Overall survival was not different between the groups (p = 0.066). Discarded ODD allografts were more likely to be hepatitis C positive (30.8% vs 5.3%; p < 0.001) and to be identified as conveying increased risk by the Public Health Services (63.3% vs 13.2%; p < 0.001), but they were less likely to be discarded because of a diseased organ state (28.2% vs 36.1%; p < 0.001).
In many states, overdose-death donors comprised greater than 25% of cardiac allograft donors in 2018, with a high of 50% in Delaware.
While there have been concerns regarding allograft function and infectious risk, the researchers noted overall survival was the same between recipients of overdose-death and non-overdose-death donor organs (P= 0.066).
The discard analysis of donors who had at least one organ transplanted but not the cardiac allograft showed overdose-death donor hearts (7.4% of all discards) were: less likely to be discarded due to being in a diseased organ condition than those donors who died of other causes (28.2% vs 36.1%; P less 0.001), more likely deemed higher risk by Public Health Services (63.3% vs 13.2%; P less 0.001), and more likely to be hepatitis C positive (30.8% vs 5.3%; P less 0.001).
Even with the hazards of using a heart from an opioid abuse donor, survival outcomes of recipients of hearts that come from donors that have died from opioid overdose are equivalent to ones that we have traditionally been using, and because of this we believe that there are more donors out there that can be utilized.
STIs: ‘Hidden, Silent, Dangerous’ Global Epidemic, Molly Walker, MedPage Today
World Health Organization (WHO): “no substantial decline in global STI prevalence since 2012”
An approximate one in 25 people worldwide had at least one curable, sexually transmitted nonviral infection in 2016.
The incidence of gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis and syphilis amounts to about one million new infections each day, and more than 376 million new cases annually. Additionally as Melanie Taylor MD and medical epidemiologist at the WHO Department of Reproductive Health and Research (and colleagues noted), “there has been no substantial decline in the number of new infections since the data was last updated in 2012.”
Also of the WHO Department of Reproductive Health and Research Teodora Wi MD; “We cannot sweep [sexually transmitted infections] under the carpet and pretend they don’t exist while we continue to stigmatize people living with STIs, neglect their care. and fail in prevention.”
STIs are a “hidden, silent, dangerous” epidemic, and are still “persistent” globally, despite an increase in education about the dangers of sexually transmitted infections. Dr. Taylor added that it’s not just stigma and shame that keep people from treatment — many patients do not realize they are infected.
In my first week of 4, the Grey’s Anatomy bunch swarmed my half of a hospital room and gayly announced, you do not have HIV, Hepatitis C, or any STD/STIs. Puzzled look on my face, “when am I getting out of here?”
Dropped From Health Insurance Without Warning: Was It Legal? , Julie Appleby, KHN
Those who qualify for a subsidy due to income being less than 400% of the federal poverty level (roughly $50,000 for an individual) have a 90-day grace period to make payment after missing a payment. The law requires insurers to notify those policyholders they have fallen behind and face cancellation. If a payment is made in full before the end of the 90-day grace period, they are reinstated. If not they are canceled and medical costs incurred in the second and third months of the grace period fall on the consumer.
This policy keeps federal subsidy dollars flowing to insurers during the grace period, even if a consumer has a financial wobble.
It’s different for people who are a part of the ACA; but, their income is above 400% and do not qualify for a subsidy. They are subject to state laws and they can be dropped much more abruptly. Most states have a 30 day Grace Period for payment; however, Prior Notification law differs state to state.
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