CMS Administrator Nominee Gets Closer to Confirmation

Welcome to Practice Rounds, our weekly column exploring what's being covered in the larger world of healthcare.

Verma Close to Being CMS Administrator

Seema Verma, the Trump administration's pick to run CMS, moved ahead in the nominating process and was approved by the Senate Committee on Finance by a vote of 13-12. She will receive a full floor vote in the Senate at an undetermined point in the future. Verma, a healthcare policy consultant, played a significant role in modernizing the Medicaid system in the state of Indiana, where Vice President Mike Pence was Governor. CMS is the largest payer in the U.S. and the agency's programs cover approximately 100 million people, according to Bloomberg. Verma would be a point person in helping the administration with its plans to revamp the health system and replace the Affordable Care Act.

Language Barrier in Pediatrics

A new study in Academic Pediatrics reveals that Latino-born parents have a much different experience visiting a pediatrician for their child's healthcare than those with at least one American-born parent. The study's researchers conducted 2841 interviews with parents of Latino children younger than age 12. They interviewed couples where both were non-citizens and couples where one was a non-citizen and one was born in America. The study found that  couples with one American-born citizen were twice more likely to say their pediatrician listened to their concerns than those with two non-citizens.  Parents in bilingual and Spanish-only households were less likely to believe their pediatrician had explained things clearly.

Children with Asthma More Likely to be Obese

According to Patient Care Online, children who have an early-life history of asthma are more likely to suffer from obesity. The report comes from research done at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. They studied 2171 kindergarteners and first graders over the course of a decade. The study found that the 13.5 percent who had asthma at the beginning had a 51 percent greater likelihood of being obese 10 years later. "Our findings add to the literature that early-life asthma history may lead to increased risk of childhood obesity," Zhanghua Chen, PhD, a postdoctoral research associate of preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine said to Patient Care.

Quote of the Week:

Physician Organizations Warily Eye ACA Repeal Efforts

"I thought it was interesting when Trump, as president-elect, said he wanted universal coverage. I'll sign up for that. Our patients need access to care."

Mona Vishin Mangat, an allergy and immunology solo private practice in St. Petersburg, Fla.