News

Many of the darkest fears about COVID-19 affect on people with HIV have not come to pass. According to a recent review, some evidence suggests that people with HIV may be more likely to develop a severe case of COVID-19, although it isn’t certain. Antiretroviral therapy, especially Truvada, may provide some protection against infection and severity.

The use of digital devices has surged significantly as people spend more time at home, with Americans logging an average of 13 hours per day watching screens. That compares to between seven and 10 hours per day before the COVID-19 pandemic started, with the increase in screen time likely contributing to more exposure to blue light.

Cost pressures may increase as the Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund runs low, but the reliance on telehealth that the pandemic wrought is likely to continue, especially for mental health services.

Briana Contreras, editor of Managed healthcare Executive, spoke with Dr. Ian Tong, chief medical officer of Included Health in today’s episode. The two discussed telehealth use vs. in person care, and more specifically, the racial and ethnic differences in this use of care. They concluded the conversation with how telehealth use has continued to expose more benefits for all patients and for the industry through examples like improvements in reimbursement policies and in addressing health equity issues.