Effects of state reinsurance programs on health insurance exchange premiums and insurer participation

Objective

The aim of the study was to estimate the effect of the state-based reinsurance programs through the section 1332 State Innovation Waivers on health insurance marketplace premiums and insurer participation.

Data Source

2015 to 2022 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Insurance Exchange Compare Datasets.

Study Design

An event study difference-in-differences (DD) model separately for each year of implementation and a synthetic control method (SCM) are used to estimate year-by-year effects following program implementation.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

Not applicable.

Principal Findings

Reinsurance programs were associated with a decline in premiums in the first year of implementation by 10%–13%, 5%–19%, and 11%–17% for bronze, silver, and gold plans (p < 0.05). There is a trend of sustained declines especially for states that implemented their programs in 2019 and 2020. The SCM analyses suggest some effect heterogeneity across states but also premium declines across most states. There is no evidence that reinsurance programs affected insurer participation.

Conclusion

State-based reinsurance programs have the potential to improve the affordability of health insurance coverage. However, reinsurance programs do not appear to have had an effect on insurer participation, highlighting the need for policy makers to consider complementary strategies to encourage insurer participation.     

静吸复合麻醉对特重度烧伤患者凝血功能障碍的影响

目的收集特重度烧伤(总TBSA50%以上或三度TBSA20%以上或伴有严重并发症者)患者围术期凝血指标(APTT、PT、FIB、DD和PLT)，分析静吸复合麻醉对患者凝血功能的影响及其临床意义。 方法选取近3年内蒙古医科大学第三附属医院烧伤外科收治的特重度烧伤患者148例，根据入院14 d内的预后分为死亡组和生存组，生存组男性129例，女性9例；年龄24~59岁，平均(43.30±12.90)岁。死亡组男性8例，女性2例；年龄26~63岁，平均(46.19±15.41)岁。收集入院时(T0)，术前(早晨入手术室前，T1)，术毕(送至PACU未拔除气管导管前，T2)及术后2 d(T3)4个时间点的凝血指标，比较两组凝血指标动态差异。 结果死亡组休克期输液量、累计血浆、红细胞输入量显著高于生存组(P<0.01)。T0时，生存组的FIB(1.78±0.32)显著高于死亡组(1.26±0.07)(P<0.05)；T2时，两组APTT、PT均显著缩短(P<0.05)，生存组的FIB(3.86±0.40)显著高于死亡组(2.45±1.02)(P<0.05)；T3时，死亡组PLT显著低于生存组(P<0.01)。 结论特重度烧伤患者在围手术期易出现高凝状态，并且这可能导致患者死亡。静吸复合麻醉和围术期大量液体复苏会促进患者的高凝状态。     

健脾消癌方通过PI3K/Akt信号通路抑制结肠癌血管生成的研究＊

目的 观察结肠癌HCT116细胞健脾消癌方的条件培养液对HUVEC细胞管腔形成的影响，从PI3K/Akt生物轴调控角度探讨其作用机制。方法 培养HCT116细胞，细胞设3组：对照组，健脾消癌方组（加入15%健脾消癌方含药血清）及人参皂苷Rg3组；制备HCT116细胞健脾消癌方条件培养液（分组及制备方法见实验方法），用条件培养液干预HUVEC（脐静脉内皮细胞，Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells），Matrigel基质胶法检测HCT116细胞健脾消癌方条件培养液对HUVEC小管形成的影响。随后采用蛋白免疫印迹法（Western blot）检测各组HCT116细胞磷脂酰肌醇3-激酶（PI3K）、蛋白激酶B（Akt）、p-Akt、VEGF（血管内皮生长因子，Vascular endothelial growth factor）蛋白表达。最后在结肠癌HCT116荷瘤小鼠中验证健脾消癌方对肿瘤生长速度的影响，并经瘤组织VEGF蛋白表达、CD31免疫组化染色检测肿瘤内血管生成情况。结果 模型组HUVEC细胞管腔形成较空白血清组显著增加（P<0.05）；健脾消癌方组及人参皂苷Rg3组较模型组HUVEC细胞管腔形成显著减少（P<0.01）。p-Akt和VEGF蛋白表达水平模型组高于空白血清组（P<0.05），健脾消癌方组及人参皂苷Rg3组显著低于模型组（P<0.01）；PI3K、Akt蛋白表达量组间差异无统计学意义。与对照组比较，模型组荷瘤小鼠肿瘤体积显著性增大，瘤组织内VEGF表达、CD31阳性面积显著性增加，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）；与模型组比较，健脾消癌方组及人参皂苷Rg3组荷瘤小鼠肿瘤体积显著减小，瘤组织内VEGF表达、CD31阳性面积降低，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。结论 健脾消癌方可抑制肿瘤的血管生成和生长，其作用机制可能与PI3K/Akt生物轴调控VEGF表达有关。     

Tumor-associated high endothelial venules mediate lymphocyte entry into tumors and predict response to PD-1 plus CTLA-4 combination immunotherapy

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COVID-19 Gender Disparities and Mitigation Recommendations: A Narrative Review

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has rapidly created widespread impacts on global health and the economy. Data suggest that women are less susceptible to severe illness. However, sex-disaggregated data are incomplete, leaving room for misinterpretation, and focusing only on biologic sex underestimates the gendered impact of the pandemic on women. This narrative review summarizes what is known about gender disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic, domestic, and health burdens along with overlapping vulnerabilities related to the pandemic. In addition, this review outlines recommended strategies that advocacy groups, community leaders, and policymakers should implement to mitigate the widening gender disparities related to COVID-19.