Aetna expands gender-affirming surgery coverage
Aetna will now cover breast augmentation for trans women, signaling hope for increased access to healthcare for the transgender community. The coverage expansion comes after transgender individuals and groups advocated for the change.
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Aetna has expanded its coverage of gender-affirming surgery to include breast augmentation for certain trans women.
Though the payer covers some gender-affirming surgeries, such as breast removal for trans men, it previously did not extend the coverage to breast augmentation for trans women. Through the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund and Cohen Milstein, four trans women brought the issue to Aetna’s attention after being denied coverage for breast augmentation.
The combination of regulatory pressure and technological advances will help move the needle forward and not just for the sake of better interoperability, but also to get the Covid-19 pandemic under control and improve the health and wellbeing of us all.
Mass General Hospital Doc on MedCity Pivot podcast: In some cases, virtual care is better than in-person care
Dr. Ami Bhatt, a cardiologist at Mass General Hospital, says there are situations in which virtual care alone may work better than in-person care, but it would be a mistake to pit in-person care against virtual care.
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Dr. Ami Bhatt, a cardiologist, clinical researcher and educator at Mass General Hospital, part of Mass General Brigham, has been practicing telemedicine since 2013.
In the latest episode of our MedCity Pivot podcast, she cuts through the hype of virtual care and explains where it may add value, how she has been using it and even names some platforms that work for her.
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AMA Innovations, Onyx to develop tool linking providers, social services
The solution will connect providers with social services organizations, enabling the secure exchange of messages, referrals and personal health information. The FHIR-based technology can help providers factor in social determinants of health when caring for their patients.
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As the healthcare industry moves toward comprehensive care and not just treating a physical malady physicians are increasingly collaborating with community organizations.
One example of that collaboration is occurring between the nation’s top physician association and a technology vendor.
AMA Innovations, a technology development subsidiary of Chicago-based American Medical Association, is collaborating with Onyx Technology to build a solution that will enable that secure communication.