Medicare beneficiaries used 6000% more telehealth in 2020 than pre-pandemic. While the attention is on Omicron, Delta is what hospitals are still worried about right now. And Physicians Assistants’ recent title change to Physician Associates isn’t sitting well with doctors.

President Biden will require private insurers to pay for at-home covid tests. CVS and Microsoft expand their partnership to digitize and personalize care. And a tale of two states that expanded Medicaid with dramatically different outcomes.

As omicron cases are identified across the globe, countries are scrambling to prevent a surge in cases. Germany, Greece, and Austria are imposing restrictions on the unvaccinated. The US and UK are turning to booster shots. Earlier this week British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he plans to make boosters available to all adults by the end of January. In this episode, Maya Kroth reports from London. 

A new ruling extends the pause on healthcare worker vaccine mandates nationwide. The first case of the omicron variant is found in California. And we recap the Supreme Court arguments in the case challenging whether Medicare can cut drug payments to some hospitals.

A Las Vegas jury finds UnitedHealthcare has been underpaying TeamHealth physicians in Nevada. The CDC is searching for cases of the omicron variant in the US. And HCA Healthcare expands its Florida footprint.

President Biden says the omicron variant is a cause for concern but not panic. A judge temporarily blocks the vaccine mandate for healthcare workers. And an experimental treatment appears to have cured a man of Type 1 diabetes.

A jury rules finds CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart pharmacies recklessly distributed opioids. The Biden administration releases $7.5 billion in relief funding for rural providers. And consumers are dealing with a patchwork of telehealth coverage.

All the single-use PPE is creating a huge medical waste problem. Two private equity firms buy AthenaHealth. And there’s a small window for patients to get the benefits from the new coronavirus antiviral pills.

The CDC clears booster shots for all adults. The House passes the $1.75 trillion spending plan which includes several healthcare reforms. And physicians accuse a large Lasik eye surgery chain of pressure to boost volumes.