Preventive

• Research analyzing U.S. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data found that 31.9% of adults reported social isolation and 8.2% reported physical isolation, with both often overlapping. • Isolation was strongly associated with material deprivation including food insecurity and trouble paying bills, with 82.1% of physically isolated adults experiencing financial hardship compared to 30.9% of those not physically isolated. • Both types of isolation were linked to lower odds of receiving preventive health services including COVID-19, flu, and pneumococcal vaccinations, as well as cancer screenings, though financial hardship partly explained these associations.

• The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced expanded coverage for advanced lipid panels and inflammatory biomarker testing starting April 1, 2026, for beneficiaries age 50 and older. • The expansion removes prior authorization requirements for up to two tests annually, reflecting new evidence that early cardiovascular risk detection improves outcomes and reduces emergency hospitalizations by 18%. • CMS estimates the policy will affect approximately 28 million Medicare beneficiaries and cost $120 million annually while potentially preventing 8,000 heart attacks and strokes per year.