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What We’re Reading: Hundreds of Heat Wave Deaths; Spike in Arkansas COVID-19 Cases; FEMA Modifies Funeral Aid Rules
A heat wave affecting the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and parts of Canada is linked with hundreds of deaths; Arkansas sees a rise in COVID-19 cases; updates to federal funeral assistance program.
Extreme Heat Associated With US, Canada Deaths
Record-breaking heat in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and in Canada has been linked with hundreds of deaths, USA Today reports. Since Friday, at least 63 individuals have died in Oregon, and Washington state authorities have linked at least 6 deaths to the heat, although that number is expected to rise. Experts expect climate change and droughts will lead to more intense heat waves and similar scenarios in the future. Hospitals in Washington state have been overwhelmed by a wave of patients, similar to the influx seen in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Delta Variant Leads to COVID-19 Spike in Arkansas
Arkansas has witnessed its biggest one-day spike in COVID-19 cases in 4 months, according to the Associated Press—an increase that is due largely to the highly transmissible delta variant, the state’s governor said. A total of 686 new virus cases were reported, and the state’s active cases, or those who have not recovered or died from COVID-19, increased to 3763. Although the state has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country, Arkansas also reported more than 10,000 new vaccinations in recent days. According to CDC data, about 34% of residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
FEMA Updates Funeral Assistance Aid Guidelines
In response to backlash, the Federal Emergency Management Program (FEMA) has modified its funeral aid rules, potentially allowing thousands of individuals whose relatives died in the pandemic prior to widespread testing availability to access the program, POLITICO reports. Family members will be able to submit for funeral reimbursement even if their loved one’s death certificate does not identify COVID-19 as the cause of death. The measure applies for those who passed away between January 20 and May 16, 2020. Family members must provide a signed letter from a coroner, medical examiner, or official who can certify the death was linked to COVID-19.
Managed Care Reflections: A Q&A With A. Mark Fendrick, MD, and Michael E. Chernew, PhD
December 2nd 2025To mark the 30th anniversary of The American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC), each issue in 2025 includes a special feature: reflections from a thought leader on what has changed—and what has not—over the past 3 decades and what’s next for managed care. The December issue features a conversation with AJMC Co–Editors in Chief A. Mark Fendrick, MD, director of the Center for Value-Based Insurance Design and a professor at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor; and Michael E. Chernew, PhD, the Leonard D. Schaeffer Professor of Health Care Policy and the director of the Healthcare Markets and Regulation Lab at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts.
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