New RSV Protections for Mothers
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) recommended the first respiratory syncytial virus (“RSV”) vaccine for pregnant women to protect newborns from severe RSV illness in the first six months of life. The new vaccine has shown a 57% reduced risk of RSV hospitalization. The CDC indicated that most infants will not need the infant RSV immunization, approved last month, if they receive protection from the maternal RSV vaccine. The CDC recommends receiving the vaccine between weeks 32 and 36 of pregnancy.
Medical Bills Could Soon Be Removed from Credit Score
Last week, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) kicked off the rulemaking process to remove medical bills from consumers’ credit reports. The CFPB released a document outlining proposals under consideration, which include actions such as removing medical bills from consumers’ credit reports, stopping creditors from relying on medical bills for underwriting decisions, and stopping coercive collection practices.
New Joint Commission Accreditation Available for Environmental Sustainability
On January 1, 2024, hospitals can begin applying for The Joint Commission’s new Sustainable Healthcare Certification. This new certification provides a framework to help organizations with their decarbonization efforts and publicly recognize facilities’ commitment to and achievement in contributing to environmental stability. In order to qualify, facilities will need to demonstrate baseline emissions data for three GHG emission sources and have an action plan to reduce those emissions.
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