Ozempic for weight loss, new sickle cell treatments and Medicare payment cuts

Tips to stay safe this holiday season from COVID, flu and RSV, plus a look at some of the biggest stories over the last week and throughout year. AMA's Vice President of Science, Medicine and Public Health, Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, discusses the new bill that would cancel the 2024 Medicare payment cuts for physicians, the FDA-approved sickle cell disease treatments, the CDC health alert about Rock Mountain spotted fever, the latest weight-loss drug trends and more. American Medical Association CXO Todd Unger hosts.

🦠 Free COVID test kits by mail still available: https://www.covid.gov/tests

🗣 Take action now! Contact your representatives about H.R.6683 - Preserving Seniors’ Access to Physicians Act of 2023: https://fixmedicarenow.org/take-action?vvsrc=%2FCampaigns%2F108965%2FRespond

💸 2024 Medicare physician fee schedule and more Medicare explained updates here: https://moving-medicine.ama-assn.org/

❓ Get all your Medicare fee schedule questions answered: https://bit.ly/AMA_MedicareBasics

🥼 Learn more about the AMA Recovery Plan for America’s Physicians: https://bit.ly/AMA_RecoveryPlan

🧪 Wondering "can I use an expired COVID test"? Check FDA COVID test expiration extension at: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/home-otc-covid-19-diagnostic-tests#list

💉 For more info on at-home COVID tests, expired COVID-19 test accuracy, and RSV vaccine recommendations, watch: https://youtu.be/zmgZVum8H-w?si=cC0XltvJwpxZjho_

🔬Access the Journal of the American Medical Association online to read "Continued Treatment With Tirzepatide for Maintenance of Weight Reduction in Adults With Obesity", here: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2812936

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