Data Stream
Special Coverage
The re-opening of the Affordable Care Act marketplace during a special enrollment period led to record-high numbers of insured Americans .
Between February 15 and August 15 , nearly 3 million Americans signed up for health insurance coverage . Altogether , 12.2 million are enrolled in coverage under the Affordable Care Act – an all-time high .
Notably , 20 states and the District of Columbia saw premiums decrease by more than $ 75 per month , leading to declines in out-of-pocket spending for new enrollees .
Source : Reuters , September 15 , 2021 .
How Much Does COVID Cost ?
New data from FAIR Health highlights the financial toll of COVID-19 hospitalizations .
The average amount that hospitals charged to private insurers for a complex COVID-19 hospitalization was more than triple the average estimated allowed amount paid to an in-network provider ($ 98,139 ):
$ 317,810
Uncertainty in Unprovoked VTE
Extended anticoagulation ( at least 6 months after the initial 3-month course ) in those with a first unprovoked venous thromboembolism ( VTE ) puts patients at a “ considerably ” higher risk for major bleeding , according to a meta-analysis of more than 15,000 patients enrolled in 26 studies .
The five-year cumulative incidence of recurrent VTE was 7.1 % and the 5-year cumulative incidence of major bleeding was 6.3 %.
However , the case-fatality rate with recurrent VTE was 4.9 % compared to 8.3 % for major bleeding ,
casefatality rate with recurrent VTE
4.9 % casefatality rate for major
bleeding
8.3 %
Average charges and payouts for general hospitalizations for COVID-19 were lower , at $ 74,591 and $ 33,525 , respectively , but the total costs for these largely avoidable hospitalizations have already topped billions , the report authors stated .
Source : FAIR Health press release , September 21 , 2021 . suggesting that the risks of bleeding may outweigh the benefits of recurrent VTE prevention .
Source : Khan F , Tritschler T , Kimpton M , et al . Long-term risk of recurrent venous thromboembolism among patients receiving extended oral anticoagulant therapy for first unprovoked venous thromboembolism : A systematic review and meta-analysis [ published online ahead of print , 2021 Aug 11 ]. J Thromb Haemost . doi : 10.1111 / jth . 15491 .
44 ASH Clinical News November 2021