Christina is the associate editorial director of The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®) and The American Journal of Accountable Care® (AJAC), and joined AJMC in 2016. She oversees the publication of the print journals, from manuscript submission to publication, and works with the editors in chief and editorial boards to promote the journals.
She has a BS in public health from Rutgers University. You can connect with Christina on LinkedIn.
Nirogacestat Linked With Improved Functional Status in Patients With Desmoid Tumors
Results presented at the National Community Oncology Dispensing Association International Spring Forum describe meaningful improvements in functioning among patients who received the oral gamma secretase inhibitor to treat progressing desmoid tumors.
ctDNA Holds Potential to Guide Management of EGFR-Mutated NSCLC
A review explores the evidence supporting the use of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) liquid biopsies to help direct the evaluation and management of EGFR-mutated non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including for assessing resistance to certain treatment options.
Reducing Low-Value Care Is Hard, but What About Just Not Paying for It?
After years of efforts to reduce low-value care, panelists at the 2024 Value-Based Insurance Design Summit proposed a new strategy: drawing a line in the sand that payers will not be on the hook for these services.
Fragmented Payer System, Vulnerable Supply Chain Among Threats to Accessing Essential Medicines
During a session of the 2024 V-BID Summit, panelists Stacie Dusetzina, PhD, and Inma Hernandez, PharmD, PhD, discussed how access to essential medications is curtailed not just by the longstanding complexities of insurance design but also by emerging threats such as supply chain weaknesses and cyberattacks.
Quality of Life, Severity Scales Correlated in Patients With Psoriasis Worldwide
Study findings show that scores on the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index and the Dermatology Quality of Life Index are correlated in patients with psoriasis across several continents, but factors affecting each of these scores are different across countries.
FDA Approves Semaglutide to Prevent Heart Events in Patients With CVD and Excess Weight
The FDA added another indication for semaglutide (Wegovy), expanding its use to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack, or stroke in adults who have cardiovascular disease (CVD) and overweight or obesity.
Part D Drug Spending Cap Could Save Money for 1.5 Million Medicare Beneficiaries Next Year
A provision in the Inflation Reduction Act will implement a $2000 out-of-pocket cap on Medicare beneficiaries’ prescription drug spending, which could save money for more than 1 million enrollees when it takes effect next year.
AHIP Report Touts Medicare Advantage’s Quality Edge, but Hospital Concerns Persist
A new report from AHIP shows that Medicare Advantage outperformed traditional Medicare on several clinical quality measures, including preventive screenings. However, debate continues over these plans’ cost efficiency and impact on the financial sustainability of rural hospitals.
Inspiring Clinicians to Take Action on Closing Diabetes Care Gaps
Clinicians and leaders from Duke University convened in Durham, North Carolina, to discuss unmet needs in the care of patients with diabetes and opportunities to close those gaps through coordination, education, support, and technology.
Untangling Medical Debt From Credit Scores: Effects So Far and Next Steps
After recent policy changes removing most medical debts from credit reports, Americans are seeing their credit scores increase, but experts warn of the need to monitor billing and collection practices for unintended consequences.
Survey Findings Paint Grim Picture of Health Care Affordability in the US
Half of the surveyed adults reported difficulty affording their health care, and a large proportion said they delayed or avoided care or medication because they couldn’t afford it, often leading to their health problems worsening.
Million Hearts Payment Model Shows Prevention of CVD Outcomes Without Increasing Spending
A 5-year randomized trial showed that the Million Hearts Model, which paid health care organizations to monitor and reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, was effective in reducing first-time heart attacks and strokes without associated increases in Medicare spending.
Claims Data Hint at Unmet Needs Among Patients With Severe Asthma, COPD
Vast claims databases can yield valuable information about the unmet medical needs of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and severe asthma, and those insights point to areas that can be improved by engaging and educating clinicians.
CHEST Posters Show Asthma, COPD Exacerbations Slashed After Single-Inhaler Triple Therapy
Two posters presented at the CHEST Annual Meeting 2023 showed how real-world exacerbation rates in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) dropped after patients started using a single inhaler that delivers triple therapy.
Empathy, Support Are Crucial to Help Patients With Methamphetamine-Related Pulmonary Hypertension
With methamphetamines continuing to inflict damage on the Western United States, panelists at the CHEST Annual Meeting 2023 shared sobering statistics and important considerations in treating patients with pulmonary hypertension associated with use of this destructive drug.
Air Pollution, Lung Health, and the Role of the Pulmonologist
Amid the impacts of climate change, industrial emissions, and environmental disasters, pulmonologists and other clinicians will need to deliver actionable advice on how to reduce the risks to lung health posed by air pollution, according to panelists at the CHEST Annual Meeting 2023.
Keys to Achieving Equity in Lung Cancer Screening Include Erasing Stigma, Tackling Systemic Barriers
Increasing lung cancer screening uptake without tailoring outreach and follow-up for underserved populations risks magnifying the existing racial and ethnic disparities in screening, so thoughtful approaches are needed to close the gaps, according to speakers at the CHEST Annual Meeting 2023.
Lung Effects of Particulate Matter Exposure in WTC First Responders Still Redound Decades Later
New research explores the risk factors for lung disease in firefighters who were exposed to particulate matter when responding to the attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC) on September 11, 2001, as well as interventions that may mediate inflammatory responses.
Experts Debate Terminology and Treatment of Asthma-COPD Overlap
As evidenced by a debate at the CHEST Annual Meeting 2023, the pulmonology community disagrees on whether the overlap of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a distinct entity and how best to treat it.
CHEST Meeting Heads to Hawai‘i Amid Recognition of Environmental Impacts on Lung Health
The CHEST Annual Meeting 2023 will take place in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, from October 8-11, as pulmonologists and researchers from a multitude of specialties convene to discuss pressing topics, including the role of air pollution in lung health.
CMS Releases List of 10 Drugs Subject to Price Negotiation Under IRA
The 10 drugs, spanning disease states from diabetes to heart failure to rheumatoid arthritis, cost Medicare enrollees a total of $3.4 billion in out-of-pocket costs in 2022. As required by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), negotiations between Part D and pharmaceutical companies will take place this year and next, with the negotiated prices taking effect in 2026.
Researchers Deliver Updates on Efforts Toward Eradicating CLL
Panelists provided a wide-ranging view of the current avenues being investigated to optimize the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), including minimal residual disease assessment, combination regimens, and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy.
EHA 2023 Late-Breaking Abstracts Offer Sneak Peek at the Future of Hematology
The late-breaking oral session at the European Hematology Association (EHA) 2023 Congress featured newly emerged data from abstracts submitted after the deadline, including outcomes from trials in polycythemia vera, acute myeloid leukemia, and more.