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This week, the top managed care stories included changes to the Next Generation ACO Model caused 7 accountable care organizations to leave the model; a report highlights how quickly hospital acqusition of physician practices is occurring; CMS finalizes coverage for Next-Generation Sequencing tests.

Learn About My Pain (LAMP), a recent study published in Annals of Internal Medicine that evaluated the efficacy of simplified group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) versus group pain education (EDU) and usual care in a disadvantaged population, was found to be effective. Researchers found that in general, both CBT and EDU, but not usual care, were associated with statistically significant improvements in pain intensity.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) turns 8 years old today—here's a roundup of 5 things to know about this landmark healthcare law.

Americans still believe prescription drug prices are a problem that need to be addressed, but a minority have confidence in the president and Congress to pass legislation addressing these costs, according to the latest Kaiser Health Tracking Poll.

Eight years ago today, the Affordable Care Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama. In honor of the anniversary, we took a look at search trends of Affordable Care Act vs Obamacare over time, search interest for healthcare.gov by state, and search interest in repeal and replace over time

A healthcare tracking poll finds unhappiness aimed at the drug industry for high drug prices while more Americans are warming up to the idea of a national health plan; a study says opioid overdose deaths are undercounted by as much as 35%; whole-genome sequencing may not drive up downstream medical costs, but questions about its use remain.

Coverage of our peer-reviewed research and news reporting in the healthcare and mainstream press.

In the early hours of Friday morning, the Senate passed a $1.3 trillion federal spending bill funding the government until September. It includes new opioid funding and a path for research into the public health aspects of gun violence.

A case filed more than a year ago has taken many turns, landing in a federal court in Trenton, where it has been shaped by a difference of opinion over how to address the role of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).

Getting patients, especially in the Medicare population, to adhere to taking prescribed medications is key to preventing future complications. One health plan used personalized outreach to call Medicare beneficiaries to educate them about adherence and find out more about what barriers might exist to taking medications as prescribed by a healthcare provider.

Researchers have identified malignant cells that, if present, can predict whether a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) will relapse after treatment.

Adherence may play a role in the real-world findings of the study, which was sponsored by Janssen.

Congress reached an agreement on a $1.3 trillion spending bill that includes a provision allowing gun violence research, but does not include 2 drug pricing measures or a provision to stabilize the Affordable Care Act markets; and FDA has released 2 draft guidances on postmarketing safety reporting requirements.

The House of Representatives Wednesday night passed the right-to-try bill by a vote of 267-149, sending it to the Senate. HR 5247, "Trickett Wendler, Frank Mongiello, Jordan McLinn, and Matthew Bellina Right to Try Act of 2018," was passed largely along party lines.

New CDC Director Robert Redfield, MD, replaces the acting director, who led the agency through the severe flu season after Brenda Fitzgerald, MD, resigned at the end of January.

While years of efforts to combat the HIV epidemic have resulted in major successes, progress in reducing infection among men who have sex with men has lagged as they remain the most affected population, according to a study in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Two years ago, CMS announced a new model for accountable care organizations (ACOs) that had participants take on greater performance risk but also potentially greater rewards. After the Next Generation ACO Model grew to a list that included 58 organizations across the nation, 7 have now dropped out after CMS made changes to risk adjustment.

During a panel discussion presented by NPR and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, experts highlighted the discrimination that the LGBTQ community faces, the health consequences of that discrimination, and how the healthcare community can improve care for this population.

Between July 2015 and July 2016, hospitals acquired 5000 independent physician practices, and the number of physicians employed by hospitals grew by 14,000, according to a report from Avalere Health and the Physicians Advocacy Institute.

Patients suffering from back pain worldwide are being treated with an overuse of inappropriate tests and treatments such as imaging, opioids and other medications, and surgery, instead of being educated about their condition and to stay active, a new series of papers in The Lancet reported.

A nonpartisan research institute said that 2 analyses released this week from the Congressional Budget Office show that legislation to reinstate cost-sharing reduction payments to insurers and provide federal funding for state reinsurance programs would have a number of harmful effects on Americans.

The National Institutes of Health is investigating whether there were any improprieties committed with the recently begun study into health effects of moderate alcohol consumption; concerns over HIV research from 20 years ago brought up against CDC director pick; new Idaho law requires women seeking abortions be told they can halt the drug-induced procedure halfway.

The FDA has approved brentuximab vedotin (Adcentris) in combination with chemotherapy for adults with previously untreated state 3 or 4 classical Hodgkin lymphoma based on results of the ECHELON-1 study.

A checklist to prepare for and submit documents for Merit-based Incentive Payment Program (MIPS) reporting under CMS' Quality Payment Program.

Prior authorizations delay care, have a significant negative impact on clinical outcomes, and place a high burden on providers, according to a physician survey conducted by the American Medical Association (AMA).

Alabama’s proposed plan to institute work requirements in order to obtain Medicaid benefits would fall heavily on mothers, African Americans, and families living in rural communities, according to an analysis by an independent, nonpartisan policy and research center. And because the state has not expanded Medicaid as allowed under the Affordable Care Act, the work requirement would apply only to extremely poor parents.

Negotiations over reinsurance, cost sharing for insurers stall in Hyde Amendment dispute; drug policy experts say more money is needed if leaders want to combat opioids for real; Supreme Court hears free speech case on abortion clinics.

Earlier this month, a team from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Health Foundation traveled to Puerto Rico as well as the US Virgin Islands to assess the recovery of the healthcare system 6 months following Hurricane Maria. What they found is a very mixed situation, with some areas faring better than others, but with much more work remaining before the islands can restore to a state of normalcy. Compounding the problem, the next hurricane season is approaching while the area has not yet recovered from the first one.

In 2014, Maryland and CMS entered a 5-year agreement employing the All-Payer Hospital Model in the state to cut costs while improving quality. According to the year 3 performance data, Maryland has met or is on track to meet all model requirements, saving hundreds of millions of dollars as it lowers hospital readmissions and steers the state away from a volume-based system.

The right-to-try bill, which suffered a surprise 259-140 defeat in the House of Representatives last week, is scheduled for another vote this week. The House Committee on Rules was scheduled to meet late in the day Monday to change the procedure so that it could be passed with just a simple majority, rather than a two-thirds majority, and this time approval seems likely.