What We're Reading: Cigna Remains Committed to ACA Exchanges
December 8th 2015What we're reading, December 8, 2015: Cigna remains committed to participation in Obamacare exchanges; Puerto Rico demands the US fix healthcare funding disparities; and fewer Americans struggle to pay medical bills.
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What We're Reading: Continued Drug Pricing Scrutiny
December 7th 2015What we're reading, December 7, 2015: Mylan is subpoenaed over pricing of generic doxycycline antibiotic products; Congressional hearing this week on drug pricing controversy; new superbug on the rise; and Obamacare penalty for being uninsured may not be enough to get people to sign up.
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What We're Reading: Restaurant Group Sues Over Salt Warnings
December 4th 2015What we're reading, December 4, 2015: restaurant group sues New York City over salt warnings rule; Turing CEO remains unapologetic over Daraprim price hike; and women face a higher risk of needing costly, long-term care.
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What We're Reading: US Health Spending Increased 5.3% in 2014
December 3rd 2015What we're reading, December 3, 2015: health spending in the US topped $3 trillion in 2014; experts debate the true impact of proposed health insurer mega-mergers; and a survey finds ICD-10 transition has been mostly without trouble.
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What We're Reading: Gilead Knew Sovaldi Price Was High
December 2nd 2015What we're reading, December 2, 2015: Gilead priced Sovaldi knowing the high cost would be a challenge for patients and payers; Senate Republicans will vote Thursday on Obamacare repeal and expect to get the needed votes; and a report calls for a better focus on women's health.
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What We're Reading: $1 Alternative to Pricey Daraprim
December 1st 2015What we're reading, December 1, 2015: $1 alternative to Daraprim being made available; over-the-counter medications are convenient and affordable but have their own dangers; and an analysis looks at the reasons why prescription drugs are so much more expensive in the US.
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What We're Reading: Spanish HealthCare.gov Lags in Sign-ups
November 30th 2015What we're reading, November 30, 2015: the Spanish language HealthCare.gov is lagging in sign-ups; the overall federal insurance exchange has fewer preferred provider organizations; and many Americans don't understand why they need the flu vaccine.
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What We're Reading: Coke Interfered With Work of Anti-Obesity Group
November 25th 2015What we're reading, November 25, 2015: UnitedHealthcare's decision on healthcare exchange participation, Democratic Presidential candidate's health plan, and conflict of interest between soda company and anti-obesity research group.
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What We're Reading: Hospitals Can Save More Money With Private Rooms
November 25th 2015What we're reading, November 25, 2015: hospitals can save money in the long run by preventing hospital-acquired infections with private rooms; Arizona's co-op plans to close December 31; and study finds testing prison inmates for hepatitis C is extremely cost-effective.
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What We're Reading: Pharmacists Can Prescribe Birth Control in Oregon, California
November 23rd 2015What we're reading, November 23, 2015: Oregon and California both pass laws that authorize pharmacists to prescribe birth control; the US and Europe are approving more drugs; and Turing discounts Daraprim just 50% and only for hospitals.
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What We're Reading: CMS Wants to Penalize Doctors for Prostate Tests
November 20th 2015What we're reading, November 20, 2015: CMS wants to penalize doctors for ordering routine prostate-cancer screening tests; lawmakers, patients, and advocates call for head of Drug Enforcement Agency to be fired; and specialty drug costs exceed household incomes.
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What We're Reading: AMA Wants to Ban TV Ads for Drugs
November 19th 2015What we're reading, November 19, 2015: the American Medical Association is calling for a ban on direct-to-consumer television advertisement of prescription drugs and popular silver plans on HealthCare.gov have largest premium increases.
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What We're Reading: Global Drug Spending Will Hit $1.3 Trillion in 2020
November 18th 2015What we're reading, November 18, 2015: global drug spending is expected to grow 30% in 5 years; Robert M. Califf, MD, sits through mostly friendly senate confirmation hearing for FDA nomination; and moderate coffee consumption could reduce some risks of death.
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What We're Reading: Antibiotic Misuse Fuels Rise of Drug-Resistant Superbugs
November 17th 2015What we're reading, November 17, 2015: misunderstanding of antibiotics has fueled the rise of drug-resistant superbugs; healthcare leaders overwhelmingly support government intervention to curb rising cost of drugs; and the FDA wants more regulation on laboratory-developed tests.
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What We're Reading: Consumers Shocked by High Deductibles on ACA Plans
November 16th 2015What we're reading, November 16, 2015: consumers face sticker shock on Affordable Care Act plans when they get sick and face high deductibles; Medicare spending on hepatitis C drugs nearly doubled in 2015; and US maternal mortality has worsened since 1990.
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What We're Reading: Public Housing Smoking Ban
November 12th 2015What we're reading, November 12, 2015: nationwide ban on smoking in public houses could have a huge economic impact; CMS barrier to sharing patient records on drug and alcohol abuse; an urgent care—ED hybrid model could save unnecessary costs.
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What We're Reading: Annual Flu Shots Can Reduce Effectiveness of Vaccine
November 11th 2015What we're reading, November 11, 2015: annual flu shots may reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine; Democrats call for changes to the so-called Cadillac tax; and Millennium Health files for chapter 11 bankruptcy.
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What We're Reading: Medi-Cal May Be Expanded to Illegal Immigrants
November 10th 2015What we're reading, November 10, 2015: half of California's illegal immigrants would be eligible for Medi-Cal if it was expanded; women are less likely to receive optimal care after a heart attack, which accounts for survival gap; and Hawaii's residents face long wait times to sign up for health coverage on HealthCare.gov.
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What We're Reading: Americans Skeptical About Patient-Centered Care Benefits
November 9th 2015What we're reading, November 9, 2015: Americans worry patient-centered care is a gimmick; insurers raise new concerns over the increasing prices for generic drugs; and President Obama challenges 20 cities to sign up the most uninsured on the exchanges.
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What We're Reading: Americans Want Healthcare Costs Kept in Check
November 6th 2015What we're reading, November 6, 2015: Americans want more aggressive measures to keep healthcare costs in check; the uninsured rate fell to 9% in the first half of 2015; and the federal government warns against restricting access to pricey hepatitis C drugs.
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