Allison Inserro

Senior citizens with Medicare prescription drug plans, known as Part D plans, are paying more for generic prescriptions even as the market price of these drugs stays flat, an analysis released by Avalere found, because, over time, the generic drugs are being placed on higher formulary tiers where patients pay more out-of-pocket costs.

The rate of those without health insurance was resilient last year at 9.1%, with the latest CDC figures also showing that adults in Medicaid expansion states were much more likely to have health insurance than those without.

The second study in less than a week regarding youth and suicide was released Monday, with the latest one showing an age-related trend in racial disparities in suicide rates in elementary and middle school-aged children. The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, showed that suicide rates for black children aged 5-12 were roughly 2 times higher than those of similarly-aged white children.

Terry Kohl, a real estate agent in New Jersey, battled what she thought was indigestion for 6 months and went repeatedly to a gastroenterologist for what she thought was a case of “grumbly gut.” Her "indigestion" led to a coronary artery bypass surgery soon after a trip to Rome left her breathless. Read about how women experience health and healthcare differently as National Women's Health Week draws to a close.

An analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation of the 2017 financial performance of health insurers found that last year was their best year selling individual-market health insurance since the Affordable Care Act was put into place, even without the cost-sharing subsidies that they lost in the fourth quarter.

Completion of the recommended 3 doses of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine showed differences between sexes, with fewer girls and women finishing the series within 1 year as compared to boys and men, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Public Health.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an incurable, progressive lung disease that was most recently in the news for taking the life of former First Lady Barbara Bush. Last fall, researchers gathered for 2 days to discuss and explore research needs and opportunities related to the impact of female sex and gender on lung and sleep health maintenance and management of lung diseases and sleep disorders, of which COPD is one of the best-known examples.

The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) released a draft scoping document on new biologics for severe asthma. Public comment on the draft is open until June 5.

The Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, as proposed in the House of Representatives, would make the program more complicated to administer for states, impose new mandates, and take away program flexibility, while leaving low-income households at risk of losing so-called food stamps, now called Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, according to a new research report.

A new study published in JAMA showed that although estimates of prescription medication use for children and teens fell overall from 1999 to 2014, patterns differed by types of medications, with drugs for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), asthma, and contraception all increasing. Use of antibiotics, antihistamines, and upper respiratory combination medications decreased.

Another organization has announced a plan for making health coverage affordable, following a spate of similar proposals like “Medicare for All” and “Medicare Extra for All” and in the wake of continued efforts by the Trump administration to nibble away at the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

In a poster presentation at the 73rd Annual Scientific Convention of the Society of Biological Psychiatry meeting in New York, New York, May 10 to 12, researchers reported about an adjunctive investigational drug therapy for major depressive disorder, alone and together with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), in rats resistant to SSRIs.

The field of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has grown in recent years due to veterans returning from wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and at the 73rd Annual Scientific Convention of the Society of Biological Psychiatry meeting in New York City, May 10 to 12, one of the nation’s leading experts decided to focus his presentation on the topic on memory consolidation.

Our knowledge of the human microbiome has only been developed over the past decade, according to Elaine Hsaio, PhD, assistant professor of integrative biology and physiology at the University of California, Los Angeles, at the 73rd Annual Scientific Convention of the Society of Biological Psychiatry meeting in New York City, May 10 to 12. Hsaio presented about how the microbiome influences brain function, development and behavior.

Chronic pain is a serious problem in the United States and particularly so for veterans. At the 73rd Annual Scientific Convention of the Society of Biological Psychiatry meeting in New York City, May 10 to 12, Jennifer C. Naylor, PhD, presented results from a randomized control trial of 92 veterans with chronic low back pain treated with pregnenolone or placebo.

In a poster presentation at the 73rd Annual Scientific Convention of the Society of Biological Psychiatry meeting in New York, New York, May 10 to 12, researchers reported on the ability of the addition of an opioid receptor antagonist to address the abuse potential of an adjunctive investigational drug therapy for major depressive disorder.

It is now known that early life stress may have an impact on adults later in life, and that men and women may respond to depression differently, but why that is so is not thoroughly understood. At the 73rd Annual Scientific Convention of the Society of Biological Psychiatry meeting in New York City, May 10 to 12, Eric J. Nestler, MD, PhD, gave an opening plenary called “Sex Differences in the Molecular Basis of Depression.”

A small observational study found that people with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have poor dental hygiene practices and reduced oral health-related quality of life.

The FDA Wednesday confirmed that there are “intermittent” shortages of Mylan’s EpiPen, an autoinjector device containing epinephrine to counteract the effects of anaphylaxis, but said it expects the delay to be short, while the manufacturer said the issue has to do with supply of third-party components.

Ivacaftor, the first drug that targeted the underlying defect of cystic fibrosis (CF), which affects about 30,000 people in the United States, improved outcomes and reduced hospitalizations, according to an analysis in the May issue of Health Affairs examining precision medicine.

On Tuesday, CMS released its first strategy to address rural healthcare, saying that it wants people who live in rural America to “have access to high quality, affordable healthcare.”

Prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) are now in place in response to rising levels of overdoses involving opioids and synthetic opioids. But a new study that sought to clarify the relationship between PDMPs and their effectiveness in attacking the nation’s drug problem found limited to no evidence that they actually work. In addition, 3 of the studies reviewed found an increase in heroin overdose deaths after the programs began.

The Trump administration announced Monday that it is rejecting Kansas’s request to impose lifetime limits on Medicaid benefits, with CMS chief Seema Verma telling the American Hospital Association that "Medicaid remains the safety net for those that need it most." In addition, CMS approved work requirements for those receiving benefits in New Hampshire.

Exposure to a short-term increase in pollution-causing airborne particles called fine particulate matter 2.5 is linked to the development of acute lower respiratory infection in young children, as well as additional doctor visits, according to new research.

A study of a once-daily add-on medication for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) found that it was associated with improvements in health status and quality of life.

In the latest report detailing declining US life expectancy and growing health disparities between states, the Commonwealth Fund released a scorecard that assessed all 50 states and the District of Columbia on more than 40 measures of access to healthcare, quality of care, efficiency in care delivery, health outcomes, and income-based healthcare disparities. The report showed that states are falling behind on key measures related to life expectancy.

The National Association of Accountable Care Organizations (NAACOS) said Wednesday that a survey it conducted showed 71% of respondents indicated they are likely to leave the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) due to concerns over having to assume risk.

Patients with asthma–COPD overlap syndrome, known as ACO, had a higher prevalence of both insomnia and respiratory symptoms than those with only asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a study reported.

Allergic diseases such as asthma were associated with a 1.66-fold increased hazard of psychiatric disorders in Taiwan, according to a large study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry.

The FDA and the FTC issued 13 warning letters Tuesday to manufacturers, distributors, and retailers for selling e-liquids used in e-cigarettes, or vaping devices, with labeling or advertising that bears stark resemblances to kid-friendly food products, such as juice boxes, candy, or cookies.