Allison Inserro

CMS said that it is proposing to reduce regulations on hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers in a move it estimates will save $1.12 billion annually as part of its “Patients Over Paperwork” initiative.

The FDA announced a new, 4-pronged approach to the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), as it unveiled a 2019 strategic plan that envisions innovative payment strategies in an effort to spur pharmaceutical companies to develop new antibiotics.

Twice-yearly magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to find early breast cancers in women with a high genetic risk are more effective than 1 mammogram, study says.

A 12-month, late-stage study of romosozumab in men aged 55 to 90 years with osteoporosis found that it increased spine and hip bone mineral density (BMD) and was well tolerated.

Arkansas said that 4353 people lost their Medicaid coverage as a result of not reporting their work, volunteer, or job training activities under new rules that requires them to record hours, and will now lose their health insurance for the remainder of 2018.

Researchers determined the incidence and timing of rare, fatal side effects from immune checkpoint inhibitors, and said the number is still extremely low.

The FDA, warning of an "epidemic," said that it is cracking down on the sale of e-cigarettes to kids in the largest enforcement crackdown to date. It also said it may pull the products or issue criminal penalties to keep the immensely popular vaping devices out of kids’ hands.

Health insurance coverage gains created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) caused the number of the uninsured in the United States to fall from 17% in 2013 to 10% in 2016, according to a new analysis from the Urban Institute. The report said the reductions were even more striking in states that expanded Medicaid.

Over 14,600 comments poured into CMS to meet a deadline to comment about proposed changes to its 2019 physician fee schedule for Medicare, with many physician organizations and individuals asking the agency to halt or slow down its plans to cut physician reimbursement for evaluation and management services. While some groups cheered some of the changes—such as broader coverage for telehealth and other digital monitoring—most expressed many concerns.

In an indirect treatment comparison of 3 drugs for severe eosinophilic asthma, GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) mepolizumab, marketed as Nucala, reduced exacerbations by 34% to 45% compared with reslizumab or benralizumab. The results were published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

A recent study using data from the Women’s Health Initiative dataset discovered that a higher fracture risk was associated with higher mortality in multiple myeloma (MM) in postmenopausal women.

Autoimmunity plays a role in the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a recent genome study.

A new study found no differences in long-term outcomes associated with 2 different approaches to administering trastuzumab (Herceptin) with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. Receiving the combination sequentially rather than concurrently eliminates the known cardiac toxicities associated when chemotherapy and HER2 therapy are given at the same time, researchers said.

How easy is it to live with rheumatic disease across the country? Citing the expense of medications and various other factors, a state-by-state report card aimed at stimulating advocacy efforts says not very well, according to the American College of Rheumatology.

A hearing in a federal court in Fort Worth, Texas regarding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) ended Wednesday, with the attorney general for the Lone Star State leading 19 other like-minded Republican states in trying to convince a judge that a preliminary injunction to put the ACA on hold should be granted. Later, Senate Democrats tied the hearing to the Supreme Court nomination hearing for Judge Brett Kavanaugh, who, if confirmed, will likely have to consider the case, Texas v Azar.

The public, including most Republicans, wants protections for people with pre-existing conditions preserved, finds the latest Kaiser Family Foundation health tracking poll. The poll was released as a federal court case regarding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act got underway in Texas and as Brett Kavanaugh began his second day of questioning from senators regarding his nomination to the Supreme Court.

Consolidation in California’s healthcare system has had a noticeable impact on measures of vertical integration and premiums for insurance bought through the exchanges established under the Affordable Care Act, according to a study published Tuesday in Health Affairs.

The expansion of Medicaid may mitigate health disparities in cancer diagnosis, according to a recent study that found state variation in reductions in the percentage of uninsured patients aged 18 to 64 years diagnosed with cancer. The researchers said that the results have implications for future disparities in state mortality rates, because health insurance coverage is linked to the ability to have better treatment and survival after diagnosis.

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) still rely on their healthcare providers as the source of primary information about their disease but about a third will bring information from the internet to appointments to discuss, and prioritize information about symptom control, a recent online survey reported.

CMS recently approved Medicare coverage for a portable, pocket-sized diagnostic device for osteoporosis when used in ambulatory surgical centers (ASC) and outpatient hospital settings.

Here are 5 things to know about respiratory health, including diseases like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and the environment, both the external and the internal.

A chronic health situation may worsen or, more likely, a crisis may happen suddenly with a call in the middle of the night. Millions of Americans then find themselves as a caregiver to a loved one, and as people live longer, as well as farther away from their families, healthcare providers, healthcare systems, policy makers, and employers need to change how they recognize and respond to the growing numbers of caregivers taking care of older adults, experts in the field said.

During a meeting of the Medicare Evidence Development and Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC), panelists heard from chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T therapy drug makers, health researchers, and policy makers, and mostly endorsed including patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in its final national coverage analysis decision, expected next year.

Health organizations reacted with dismay at the decision by the Environmental Protection Agency to reverse the Clean Power Plan, which set limits on coal-fired power plants, and replace it with one called the Affordable Clean Energy Rule, which gives more authority to states in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A regulatory impact analysis prepared for the rule indicates 1400 excess deaths created per year by the rule.

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with a history of at least 1 emergency department visit or hospitalization are eligible for a new digital health initiative announced by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield for its Ohio Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, where it will cover digital sensors from Propeller Health.

The first chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy was approved just a year ago, changing the face of treatment for certain types of leukemias and lymphomas but carrying with it the downsides of toxicity and cost. A year later, scientists from a major cancer center said that they’ve made headway to discovering more about the T-cell signaling patterns and that understanding more about the biological pathways could help design the next generation of CAR-T treatments.

What type of cervical cancer screening should a woman get, if any, and how often? The latest recommendation from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) said Tuesday that it depends on a woman’s age and other factors.

CMS is giving $8.6 million to 30 states and the District of Columbia to help insurance departments stabilize their health insurance markets and implement and plan for consumer protections and market reforms called for under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

A coalition of diverse interest groups—payers, unions, and business groups—wrote Senate leaders Monday to express their opposition to the inclusion of “pay for” legislation regarding end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in an opioid bill passed in June by the House of Representatives.

Long-term exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) during childhood increases the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) death in adulthood, according to a new study.