Policy Currents | The newsletter for policy people
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** Jan. 11, 2024
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The Cost of Treating Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19
A new RAND study finds that the average cost of treating hospitalized COVID-19 patients increased from about $10,000 during the first weeks of the pandemic to roughly $13,000 in March 2022.
This increase was five times faster than the rate of medical inflation during the same period. And when extrapolated to the more than six million COVID hospitalizations in the United States during the first two years of the pandemic, it suggests that the cost of caring for these patients could have reached $70 billion.
What explains this rapid rise in costs? For one, "the way doctors treated patients evolved as we learned about COVID-19," says lead author Kandice Kapinos. "Then once the vaccines became available, the makeup of patients entering hospitals began to change."
Importantly, this study looked at the direct costs of providing care to patients, not the amount billed to insurers or the amounts paid. These estimates help paint a clearer picture of the burden that COVID put on hospitals and could improve public health readiness in the future.
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Preparing for Climate Change Risks to the 2024 Elections
Many state and local election offices have contingency plans for power outages, road closures, and shortages of poll workers. But as the effects of climate change increase, the likelihood of disruption to U.S. elections--from hurricanes, droughts, dust storms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and wildfires--will also rise. RAND's Quentin Hodgson says that preparation for such crises should be happening now. States could start by reviewing the emergency powers that governors and election directors can exercise after a disaster.
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How Gender Diversity Improves Defense Operations
The Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017 helps ensure women play a meaningful role in decisions related to conflict prevention and resolution, as well as post-conflict relief and recovery. A RAND study examined why this commitment matters for U.S. military operations. One recent example: All-women teams that worked alongside special operations forces in Iraq and Afghanistan were able to build relationships in communities that men never could, often yielding mission-critical intelligence.
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** RAND Recommends
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- As both Russia and China ramp up activities in the Arctic, RAND's Scott Savitz and Abbie Tingstad wrote about how the U.S. military could improve its capabilities in the region.
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- In Oncology Times, RAND's Ariella Korn discusses a recent study she led on how social determinants of health affect cancer screening rates.
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- A new RAND report provides a detailed look at how the DoD's officer professional military education system works, how it compares with civilian education institutions, and how the system can better meet the Pentagon's needs.
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** Events
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What Americans Think About Veterans--and Why It Matters
Thursday, January 18, 2024 (Online)
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Charting Your Course: A Guide to Analyzing State Policy Studies
Tuesday, January 23, 2024 (Online)
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Not the X-Files: Where Are Americans Reporting UFOs?
Thursday, January 25, 2024 (Online)
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Reforming DoD's Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution Process for a Competitive Future
Thursday, February 8, 2024 (Online)
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