AJMC Staff

How promoting the penalties of the individual mandates changes the sign-up mix, changing attitudes on women's pelvic health, and the challenges that await Louisiana's new governor as he plans to expand Medicaid.

What we're reading, December 28, 2015: patients fight for Medicaid coverage of expensive hepatitis C treatment, Express Scripts develops programs to protect insurer's from pricey new drugs, and Republicans divided over Medicaid expansion.

John B. Watkins, PharmD, MPH, BCPS, pharmacy manager for formulary development at Premera Blue Cross, discussed using cost-effectiveness data for formulary decisions.

Emil Chiauzzi, PhD, research director, client services at PatientsLikeMe, sat down for an interview at the ISPOR 20th Annual International Meeting to discuss using social media for patient engagement and improving the relationships between researchers and patients.

What we're reading, December 25, 2015: a drug that is currently free could get very costly; this year's flu season is expected to be mild; and before they went on recess, members of Congress introduced a number of healthcare-related bills.

What we're reading, December 24, 2015: more than half of Affordable Care Act co-ops will be closed by the end of 2015, but this could have been avoided; 5 senators are pressing CMS for information on containing drug costs; and a task force does not recommend screening all teens and children for high cholesterol.

What we're reading, December 23, 2015: CMS releases data on the most expensive Medicare drugs, while HHS reports strong enrollment numbers on HealthCare.gov, and Hillary Clinton outlines a plan to spend $20 billion on Alzheimer's disease research.

New legislation would allow drug companies more flexibility in how they communicate health economic information to health plans.

As the healthcare system moves to an environment of value-based payment, bundled payments could become the next step in healthcare transformation. However, there are both opportunities and risks in this form of value-based payment, explained Michael Ciarametaro, MBA, director of research at the National Pharmaceutical Council, at the ISPOR 20th Annual International Meeting.

What we're reading, December 22, 2015: experts recommend using statins in adults between the ages of 40 years and 75 years; Republicans and Democrats are equally concerned about rising healthcare costs; and Martin Shkreli now fired as CEO of a second company.

Featuring stories about single-payer healthcare, studies on alcohol, and superbugs.

Pembrolizumab has been approved as first-line treatment for patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma.

The 32-year-old was arrested on charges related to his prior work as a hedge fund manager.

What we're reading, December 18, 2015: HHS report finds generic drug prices rising faster than inflation; UnitedHealthcare's real-time drug approval tool; and government overcharged by private Medicare Advantage plans.

What we're reading, December 17, 2015: Congress is expected to pass a spending plan that includes 3 changes to the Affordable Care Act; a new analysis estimates 2016 premiums for marketplace plans will increase 11%; and one-third of Americans die from cardiovascular disease.

NICE rejects promising oncology agents once again, citing high drug cost.

What we're reading, December 16, 2015: a new study casts doubt on what experts thought they knew about healthcare costs; unprecedented interest in health insurance coverage has prompted the government to extend the deadline for full-year 2016 coverage; and a law to create multi-state health plans won't reach it's 2017 goal.

What we're reading, December 15, 2015: call centers overwhelmed by last-minute rush for health insurance enrollment; AstraZeneca exploring deal with Acerta Pharma; and despite near universal health insurance coverage in Massachusetts, patients have access issues.

There is, currently, an unmet need in bladder cancer, a disease expected to be responsible for 16,000 deaths in 2015.

What we're reading, December 14, 2015: public health initiatives are underfunded despite being a big return on investment; the FDA repeatedly approved the cancer drug Afinitor without proof it extended life; and a nurse may have exposed patients in a maternity wing to tuberculosis.

What we're reading, December 11, 2015: CMS penalized hospitals for patient safety deficiences; MedPAC approved reducing Medicare Advantage plan reimbursement; and Kentuckians favor keeping Medicaid expansion.

On Tuesday, December 15, from 11 am to noon EST, The American Journal of Managed Care will host a tweetchat with Leah Binder, MA, MGA, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, about hospital quality ratings, patient safety, and healthcare outcomes.

What we're reading, December 10, 2015: the Affordable Care Act has signed up 1 million new enrollees; Medicare patients spend more on oral cancer drugs than food each year; and the CDC found life expectancy remains at 79 years for the third year in a row.

The DigniCap Cooling System reduces the frequency and severity of alopecia during chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.

What we're reading, December 9, 2015: the federal government recovered $200 million from state's whose health insurance exchanges faltered; drug cocktails are responsible for majority of drug overdose deaths in Massachusetts; and healthcare organizations are not confident in their ability to share patient data while protecting patient privacy.

What 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.

Low-carb diets high in animal based foods were more associated with a risk of type 2 diabetes than plant-based diets.

What 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.

What 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.

What 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.