Kidneys are currently the most needed organ in the country, and an ongoing crisis has left tens of thousands in limbo.

As of September, nearly 90,000 people in the US are waiting for kidneys, but only around 27,000 transplants were performed in 2024, according to data from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). That makes for a grim reality: One out of every 20 people on the waiting list die every year, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) estimates.

Kidney failure, most often caused by chronic conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure, can only be treated with dialysis or a transplant, according to the National Kidney Foundation. A 2020 review of 11 studies found transplants are generally cheaper and more effective than dialysis, while a 2010 review found transplants also improve quality of life.

But a cocktail of issues often delay the surgical procedures. High out-of-pocket costs and lengthy testing requirements, for example, deter donors, experts say.

That leaves scientists, policymakers, and other experts scrambling to find a solution.

Keep reading here.—CC

Reminder! CMS Star Ratings come out in October—sooo in just a few weeks.

What is a Star Rating? It’s used to measure the quality of services received by Medicare members. This impacts the amount of reimbursement dollars health plans receive as a result.

To improve these ever-so-relevant Star Ratings, it’s crucial to ensure that patients are receiving the recommended preventive care.

To dig deeper into this pressing topic, LetsGetChecked’s e-book covers the hurdles health plans face in closing gaps in preventive care. It offers strategies and solutions (like LetsGetChecked’s at-home healthcare programs) for elevating a plan’s ability to achieve quality benchmarks and positive member outcomes.

Grab a free copy to learn more.

As the 2024 presidential election approaches, consumer stress is spiking. And mental health companies have started to notice.

A May American Psychiatric Association (APA) poll found that 73% of US adults—about 181 million people—reported feeling anxious about the election. The same APA poll also found that 43% of adults are generally more anxious in 2024 than last year, an increase from 37% in 2023 and 32% in 2022.

In response, some well-known mental health companies have launched initiatives to support consumers and provide coping strategies.

Calm, a California-based app that offers guided medications, offered half off its premium subscription plan to help members “navigate election stress,” per its website. The deal ran from September 4 to September 10, according to Calm’s Chief Content Officer Greg Justice, during the week of the second presidential debate. 

This is the company’s first time offering an election season deal, Justice said, but people have turned to Calm’s resources in both the 2020 and 2024 election seasons. He added that the platform has had a rise in subscriptions as a result of these election initiatives, which began in June.

Keep reading here.—CM

Ever wonder what happened to that Walgreens prescription you never picked up? If you have government-funded insurance, your health program might have covered the bill.

The US government alleges that the Illinois-based retail pharmacy chain submitted claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal health programs for prescriptions it processed but were never collected by customers from 2009 to 2020, according to a September 13 release from the US Department of Justice (DOJ).

Walgreens has agreed to pay $106.8 million to settle the allegations.

The deets. Walgreens was specifically accused of violating the False Claims Act, an 1863 law that states that anyone who “knowingly submits” false claims to the government is liable for 3x the amount of damages, plus an additional penalty.

Keep reading here.—CC