Topic: health policy
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Can AI fix prior authorization or worsen it?
Prior authorization is intended to prevent unnecessary healthcare spending, but most physicians say it causes dangerous delays in patient care. AI could speed up approvals for clearly allowable claims, but 61% of doctors worry it will increase wrongful denials of necessary care. The AMA calls for...
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Doctors Say These Health Tracker Metrics Actually Matter
While wearable devices offer extensive health data like heart rate, steps, and sleep quality, experts question which metrics are truly meaningful, measurable, and actionable for long-term health outcomes. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a popular metric, but experts caution that tracking it doesn...
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Texas measles outbreak analysis reveals virus's deadly risks
Anti-vaccine Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his supporters have long dismissed measles as "just a rash," but declining vaccination rates linked to their influence have led to a resurgence of large, multi-state outbreaks. A new study in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report reveals...
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RFK Jr. NIH Funds Ivermectin Cancer Study: Experts Call It "Absurd"
The National Cancer Institute is funding a study on ivermectin for cancer, a decision criticized as scientifically unjustified and influenced by political figures known for promoting unproven treatments. NCI Director Anthony Letai confirmed the preclinical study but tempered expectations, stating...
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CDC Vaccine Databases Frozen Under RFK Jr.
Nearly half of the CDC's most frequently updated public health databases have been frozen, creating major gaps in tracking vital health trends, particularly under the tenure of vaccine-skeptical Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The vast majority of the paused databases (33 of 38) contained ...
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NIH Director Joins MAHA, Replaced by JD Vance Ally
Richard Woychik is stepping down as director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to join the Make America Healthy Again movement, while his replacement, a close associate of Vice President JD Vance, was appointed through an irregular process, raising concerns about politica...
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RFK Jr.'s Wearable Plan: A Health Risk for Americans?
RFK Jr.'s proposal to mandate wearables overlooks potential harms, including health anxiety and data overload, while framing them as a universal health solution. Wearables can negatively impact mental health, fostering obsession and perfectionism, as seen in personal experiences with disordered e...
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