Allison Inserro

Persistent use of osteoporosis medications was associated with reduced risk of fracture and significantly lower total healthcare costs, a recent analysis of Medicare claims data found.

The FDA cleared the first generic version of EpiPen and EpiPen Jr, an epinephrine auto-injector for severe allergic reactions, 2 years after generic drugmaker Teva Pharmaceuticals was first turned down in its bid to win approval for the device. The Teva device is the first-ever generic to the one marketed by Mylan, which is still in short supply during the busy back-to-school season in pharmacies due to production issues at Pfizer, which makes the device.

Next week, a CMS committee will hold a day-long meeting to discuss a national coverage determination (NCD) for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell immunotherapies, and in Thursday’s New England Journal of Medicine, Peter B. Bach, MD, MAPP, reviewed several strategies open to CMS as it continues to try to determine how to pay for CAR T.

Less than 2 months after receiving a report showing that pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) in Ohio billed taxpayers 8.8% more for medications used by those in the state’s Medicaid program, the state this week said it is ending its contracts with all of its PBMs and starting over in transparent contracts.

A web-based teaching conference was found to be an effective teaching model to improve adherence to clinical pathway guidelines in a large radiation oncology network looking to improve compliance with dosimetric parameters in whole breast irradiation, according to a report published earlier this year.

In a test of what could happen as more work requirements are attached as conditions to receiving government health benefits or other forms of government assistance, more than 25% of Medicaid recipients in Arkansas are at risk of losing health insurance for failing to meet work requirements, a recent blog post in Health Affairs said.

A study that sought to replicate the effects of vaping on lung cells found that vapor from e-cigarettes boosts the production of inflammatory chemicals and disables key protective cells in the lung that engulf potentially harmful particles. Some of the effects were similar to those seen in regular smokers and people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Allowing a partial expansion of Medicaid to some low-income adults may help some people in nonexpansion states, but it would cause a significant loss of health coverage if approved in expansion states, according to a recent analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Lifestyle factors and individual characteristics, rather than air pollution, explain which women with asthma go on to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), resulting in asthma and COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS), according to a new study published in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

Patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) are often treated with radiation after lumpectomy, although it has remained unclear whether this can reduce the risk of dying from this noninvasive form of breast cancer. A new study published Friday said that the combination of the 2 treatments was associated with a small benefit in reduced risk of breast cancer death compared with lumpectomy or mastectomy alone.

CMS is proposing an overhaul for accountable care organizations (ACOs) participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program by reducing the amount of time an ACO can stay in a 1-sided risk arrangement to 2 years. CMS said it expects to save about $2.24 billion over 10 years even as the number of ACOs drop. CMS is renaming the program "Pathways to Success."

Enrollment in high-deductible health plans with and without accompanying health savings accounts surged among working age adults, while use of traditional health plans decreased, the CDC reported Thursday.

Public health advocates are alarmed by a possible shift in long-standing policy about penalizing legal immigrants for accepting healthcare services, food stamps, heating assistance, and other noncash assistance as their applications to become permanent residents are pending.

Soy protein improved the tibia bones in female rats with poor levels of physical fitness, regardless of ovarian hormone status, according to a recent study, and researchers said the findings could have dietary implications for menopausal women.

A recent study found that markers of platelet activity are increased in plasma of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and these are then normalized with antimycobacterial treatment. The researchers said their findings could have implications for new types of drug therapies.

Complementary medicine and alternative medicine (CAM) is estimated to be a multibillion business in the United States, but people who use it instead of conventional cancer treatment have a 2-fold risk of death, a recent study in JAMA Oncology reported. Patients using or considering CAM are unlikely to discuss it with their doctors, who should proactively inform patients of the risk, the study said.

Bone mineral density (BMD) declines early in the course of type 1 diabetes in men but is little affected by the condition in women, according to a 10-year prospective study.

The California insurance commissioner, who has spoken out against other large healthcare mergers, this week asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to block the $69 billion deal combining Aetna with CVS Health.

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who work are costly to their employers in both direct and indirect costs and have greater productivity losses, according to a recent study.

CMS announced a raft of final rulemaking Thursday for 2019, including ending the so-called 25% rule for long-term care hospitals, and approving add-on payments estimated to cost about $72 million for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell immunotherapy.

Another study examining the death toll in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria last year came up with another number that is higher than the official death toll of 64. Using records of vital statistics, the researchers said there were at least 1139 excess deaths.

Two days after a critical report into the quality and care of hospices caring for Medicare beneficiaries, CMS released a final payment rule for 2019, giving providers an increase of $340 million, and said it will update the information on its Hospice Compare website.

The Trump administration Wednesday released a final rule regarding short-term, limited-duration health plans, expanding their duration to 12 months, with renewals that last up to 3 years.

A report from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) at HHS synthesized 10 years of research about the Medicare Hospice Program and found deficiencies in patient care, inappropriate billing, and even fraud. Patients went without pain medicine, hospices did not always provide the right level of care or provided poor quality care, billed for unnecessary care, enrolled people who were not eligible for care, or billed for services that were never provided.

Both asthma and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), both chronic conditions, have been associated with each other in previous studies, but questions remained as to the strength of the association because of other possible confounders. A new review of published data, followed by a population-based study, says the association remains after controlling for possible confounders.

CMS approved a $200 million state reinsurance plan for Wisconsin, sought by Republican Governor Scott Walker as a way to keep premiums down in the state’s individual market.

An annual survey conducted by a physician staffing firm found more providers working a few more hours and showing signs of burnout amid some concerns about reimbursement. The Medicus Firm, a staffing company in Texas and Georgia, said it is the 15th year it has conducted the survey.

Eleven states and the District of Columbia are suing the Trump administration, alleging it violated the Administrative Procedures Act when it promulgated the rule expanding association health plans.

The largest genomewide association studies ever completed for osteoporosis identified 899 loci, or regions, in the human genome associated with low bone mineral density, 613 of which have not yet been discovered. The Stanford University School of Medicine researcher who made the finding said that widespread genetic screenings could predict a person's future risk of osteoporosis and bone fracture.

Close to 200 organizations wrote to CMS and HHS this week to express concerns with the Trump administration’s plans to cut millions of dollars from the Affordable Care Act’s marketing and outreach budget, saying that they are “frustrated by CMS’ assertions that the need for these services has decreased as the number of uninsured or underinsured Americans continues to grow.”