TOP STORIES
The healthcare industry has been watching UnitedHealth for months to see if and when it would drop out of the health insurance marketplaces set up through Obamacare. The answer came with its first quarter earnings report. It will only remain in a “handful” of states. The insurance company said the decision to scale back its participation in health insurance exchanges from 34 states to a handful stemmed from the $1 billion it has lost over the past two years.
With the Rise of AI, What IP Disputes in Healthcare Are Likely to Emerge?
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.
A Kaiser Familiy Foundation study noted that the move will impact 10 states in the South and Midwest the most, where the choice of insurers will be more limited raising the risk of premium increases.
Something else to worry about: How many of the other national health insurers will make the same decision? — Kaiser News Service, The Hill, Huffington Post
LIFE SCIENCES
Enterome Bioscience, a developer in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics based on the gut microbiome, announced it has raised €14.5 million in a Series C financing round. — Business Wire
A Personalized Approach to Medication Nonadherence
At the Abarca Forward conference earlier this year, George Van Antwerp, managing director at Deloitte, discussed how social determinants of health and a personalized member experience can improve medication adherence and health outcomes.
Intuitive Surgical Inc. said its profit rose 41 percent in the fourth quarter amid increased use of its robotic-assisted systems for minimally invasive surgery. — The Wall Street Journal
A major clinical trial has kicked off in Scotland to investigate prophylactic use of metformin as a means of staving off type I diabetes in children. — PharmaTimes
Researchers have discovered a molecular structure that could aid the design of broad-spectrum antibiotics targeting an enzyme essential to every known strain of bacteria. — ScienceDaily
Noble Health Alliance, organized 2013 by Abington Health, Aria Health, Crozer-Keystone Health System and Einstein Healthcare Network, will disband in June. — Philly.com
A new study from physicians at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, found there may be long-term benefits to simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation versus kidney transplantation alone. — Mayo Clinic
TECHNOLOGY
Telemedicine business Doctor On Demand has partnered with Allergy and Asthma Network to support treatment of allergies and asthma for its members. The first product will involve an “Allergy Home Inspection,” to identify allergens or asthma triggers in the user’s home or environment. — PR Newswire
POLITICS
Michigan’s attorney general will announce criminal charges connected to his investigation into dangerous levels of lead in Flint’s drinking water.
Among those who will be charged by Attorney General Bill Schuette is a Flint city official who signed a document saying the homes Flint used to test tap water under federal guidelines all had lead service lines. Investigators allege the statement was false. — Reuters
A LITTLE BIT EXTRA
Could loneliness actually make you sick? Researchers, writing in the journal Heart, pooled data from 23 studies and found that social isolation or feelings of loneliness were tied to an increased risk for coronary heart disease and stroke. — The New York Times
Photo: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images
