Mary Caffrey is the Executive Editor for The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®). She joined AJMC® in 2013 and is the primary staff editor for Evidence-Based Oncology, the multistakeholder publication that reaches 22,000+ oncology providers, policy makers and formulary decision makers. She is also part of the team that oversees speaker recruitment and panel preparations for AJMC®'s premier annual oncology meeting, Patient-Centered Oncology Care®. For more than a decade, Mary has covered ASCO, ASH, ACC and other leading scientific meetings for AJMC readers.
Mary has a BA in communications and philosophy from Loyola University New Orleans. You can connect with Mary on LinkedIn.
Just an Hour of Social Time a Week Makes a Difference in Dementia
The British study found that just an hour a week of added social interaction, and letting patients have a say in their care plan, reduced agitation and improved quality of life for Alzheimer's patients. This method also reduced costs, which has implications for Medicare as the Alzheimer's populaton is expected to grow in Medicare.
Rule Would Limit Digital Providers to Makeup Sessions When Medicare Launches DPP in 2018
Digital providers have been seen as crucial to scaling the Diabetes Prevention Program to the 22 million seniors with prediabetes. Medicare spends $1 out of every $3 on diabetes, and disease prevention is essential to lowering overall healthcare spending.
UPDATE: BCBS of Minnesota, Children's Hospital Settle Contract Dispute
Minnesota's attorney general helped resolve a split that was a sign of the times. Top-performing hospitals increasingly find themselves on the outside of narrow networks when managed care contracts try to limit costs.
NJ Shutdown Ends: Horizon Keeps Board Control; Reserves Go to Policyholders
The deal that reopened state government leaves the state's largest insurer with more oversight than when it began, but Horizon avoided loss of control of its board, and its reserves will not be redirected to a "wellness fund."
Horizon CEO to Meet With NJ Lawmakers as Rhetoric Rises
Despite rhetoric clearly at odds with how insurance companies operate, Governor Chris Christie is tapping into long-term frustration among some Democratic lawmakers with the growth and shift in mission of the state's largest health insurer.
UPDATE: NJ Government Shuts Down Over Horizon Dispute
Governor Chris Christie shut state government down shortly after midnight Saturday and has ordered lawmakers into a special session at 11 a.m. He and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto are at odds over a plan to alter governance for Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, the state's largest insurer.
Horizon BCBS Impasse May Shut Down NJ Government
Speaker Vincent Prieto would not post a bill overhauling Horizon's governance, saying it should not be rammed through in 4 days with little debate. As a result, 35 Assembly members withheld their votes on the budget. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has demanded that the Horizon bill be part of a budget deal, and state government will shut down at midnight without a new spending plan.
Caps on Medical Malpractice Awards Move Through House
Tort reform has been on doctors' wish lists for decades. Supporters of reform say it would reduce frivolous claims and stop doctors from practicing defensive medicine, while some consumer groups say doctors should not be insulated from liability for egregious errors.
NJ's Horizon BCBS Bill Could Expand Charitable Status, but at Cost of "Blue" License
Legislation would give New Jersey's top insurance regulator new powers over Horizon's surplus, which the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association said would cause it to terminate Horizon's license. The bill also restores "insurer of last resort" status, which was abandoned in 1992.