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What We're Reading: Lowering Age of Medicare; Depression Drug Endorsed; Limiting Chemicals in Water
Democrats have introduced a bill that would allow anyone over age 50 to buy into Medicare; an FDA advisory panel has endorsed a ketamine-like depression drug; and the EPA is set to limit the amount of manmade chemicals allowed in drinking water.
Democrats Propose Medicare for Americans Over Age 50
On Wednesday, House and Senate Democrats introduced legislation that would allow anyone over age 50 to buy into Medicare. According to POLITICO, the bill sponsors said that the plan will pay for itself with the premiums from new enrollees and more of the money collected would pay for patient care because of “the relative lack of overhead and profit requirements in Medicare compared to the private insurance market.”
FDA Panel Recommends Depression Treatment
An FDA advisory panel has endorsed the experimental medication esketamine for depression. Determining that the benefits outweigh the risks, the panel voted 15-2 in favor of the ketamine-like drug. If the drug, manufactured by Johnson & Johnson, is approved, it would be the first major depression treatment approved in decades, according to STAT News. Some experts have expressed concern that the drug has a high potential for abuse because ketamine is often abused.
EPA to Limit Chemicals in Drinking Water
The EPA is expected to announce today that it will limit how much toxic chemicals from cookware and carpeting are allowed in drinking water, reported Reuters. The group of chemicals, known as PFAS, have been linked to cancer, liver and thyroid damage, and other health effects. HHS’ Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry said the risk level for exposure to these chemicals should be at least 7 to 10 times lower than the threshold currently recommended by the EPA.
Laundromats as a New Frontier in Community Health, Medicaid Outreach
May 29th 2025Lindsey Leininger, PhD, and Allister Chang, MPA, highlight the potential of laundromats as accessible, community-based settings to support Medicaid outreach, foster trust, and connect families with essential health and social services.
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New Research Challenges Assumptions About Hospital-Physician Integration, Medicare Patient Mix
April 22nd 2025On this episode of Managed Care Cast, Brady Post, PhD, lead author of a study published in the April 2025 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care®, challenges the claim that hospital-employed physicians serve a more complex patient mix.
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