Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Research Roundup: Mortality In Medicare Beneficiaries; E-Cigarette Marketing; Suicide In Transgender Teens
In a cross-sectional study of more than 15 million emergency department visits from 2009 to 2016 among Medicare beneficiaries, there was a significant decline in mortality rates during or after an emergency department visit. This decline was greatest for patients with a high severity of illness compared with those with a medium severity or low severity of illness. (Burke et al, 11/4
Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use has become increasingly prevalent among US youth and young adults in recent years. Exposure to e-cigarette marketing may stimulate e-cigarette use. In this study, we estimated the longitudinal association between e-cigarette marketing exposure and e-cigarette experimentation among US youth and young adult never tobacco users. (Chen Sankey, 11/1)
Emerging evidence indicates transgender adolescents (TGAs) exhibit elevated rates of suicidal ideation and attempt compared with cisgender adolescents (CGAs). Less is known about risk among subgroups of TGAs because of limited measures of gender identity in previous studies. We examined disparities in suicidality across the full spectrum of suicidality between TGAs and CGAs and examined risk for suicidality within TGA subgroups. (Thoma et al, 11/1)
Since Medicaid鈥檚 inception, federal law has generally prohibited states from using Medicaid funds for services provided to nonelderly adults in 鈥渋nstitutions for mental disease鈥 (IMDs). The IMD payment exclusion was intended to leave states with the primary responsibility for financing inpatient behavioral health services. However, the lack of federal funding may limit access to needed inpatient services and contribute to high levels of unmet need. In recent years, the federal government has provided new mechanisms for states to finance IMD services for nonelderly adults through Medicaid in certain situations. There are now four options for states to cover these services: Section 1115 demonstration waivers, managed care 鈥渋n lieu of鈥 authority, disproportionate share hospital payments, and the SUPPORT Act state plan option. (Musumeci, Chidambaram and Orgera, 11/6)
Statins, commonly taken to reduce cholesterol, may increase the risk for skin infections. Statins are known to increase the risk for diabetes, and diabetes increases the risk for staphylococcus infections of the skin and underlying soft tissue. But a new study in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology suggests that the effect of statins on infection may also be independent of diabetes. (Bakalar, 11/4)