Laura is the vice president of content for The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®) and all its brands, including Population Health, Equity & Outcomes; Evidence-Based Oncology™; and The Center for Biosimilars®. She has been working on AJMC since 2014 and has been with AJMC’s parent company, MJH Life Sciences®, since 2011.
She has an MA in business and economic reporting from New York University. You can connect with Laura on LinkedIn or Twitter.
Prescription Monitoring Programs Detect Abuse, Misuse of Controlled Substances
States can use their prescription drug monitoring programs to detect abuse and misuse of controlled substances, according to a report in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Surveillance Summary.
Improving Healthcare for Patients, Transforming the Industry for Providers
Better support for healthcare providers to reduce stress and prevent burnout was a key point of conversation during the opening keynote at US News & World Report's third annual Hospital of Tomorrow forum in Washington, DC.
Retail Clinics Should Be Used as Backup to Primary Care Physician, ACP Says
Patients are embracing and exploring alternatives to the traditional office practice, and the expansion of retail health clinics is a big part of that. However, the American College of Physicians said these clinics are best used as a backup alternative to a primary care physician.
US Continues to Have Worse Health Outcomes Than Comparable Countries
Even though the US spent far more on healthcare in 2013 than other comparable high-income countries, it has the lowest life expectancy and some of the worst health outcomes, according to a study by The Commonwealth Fund.
Access to Palliative Care Remains Inadequate, Report Finds
Millions of Americans with serious illness, such as cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, and dementia, continue to have inadequate access to palliative care, according to the 2015 State-by-State Report Card from the Center to Advance Palliative Care.
High-Cost Patients With Opioid Abuse Share Common Characteristics
High-cost patients diagnosed with opioid abuse have higher rates of chronic comorbidities and mental health conditions compared with lower-cost patients, which highlights the need to consider the complete medical and psychosocial patient history, according to a new study published in the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy.
Unfavorable Outcomes for Dialysis Patients Reaching the Part D Coverage Gap
Medicare beneficiaries undergoing dialysis who reach the Part D coverage gap have increased out-of-pocket spending, increased medical service utilization and costs, and increased mortality, according to a new study.
Premium Costs Similar for Marketplace Plans and Employer Plans
A new report from The Commonwealth Fund has found similarities between premium costs for marketplace enrollees and those with employer plans. According to Are Marketplace Plans Affordable?, 60% of marketplace enrollees and 55% of individuals with employer plans pay either nothing or less than $125 a month for individual coverage.
CMS Awards $110 Million to Further Efforts to Reduce Hospital-Acquired Conditions
More than $100 million in Affordable Care Act funding is being awarded to 17 national, regional, and state hospital associations and health system organizations to assist efforts to reduce hospital-acquired conditions and readmissions.
Public Outrage Overturning Drug Price Hikes
Public outrage over the 5000% price increase for Daraprim, a 62-year-old drug purchased by Turing Pharmaceuticals in August, prompted the company to promise it would lower the drug's cost. This is not the first time such an incidence has occurred.
ACA's Ability to Reduce Healthcare Coverage Disparities Has Mixed Results
The implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has reduced the number of uninsured Americans and created significant gains in health coverage among racial and ethnic minorities. However, the ability of Obamacare to reduce racial and ethnic disparities has been limited.