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Updates to CMS' Medicare Advantage (MA) Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) model broaden the scope of the existing model by testing a wide range of MA service delivery and/or payment approaches.

Health Canada announced that all biologics, including biosimilars, will be identified by their brand names and nonproprietary names without the addition of a product-specific suffix; a boom in the use of connected health and fitness monitors that are connected to insurance plans and employers is providing an increasingly valuable source of workforce health intelligence, raising privacy concerns, and adding a new dimension to the worker-employer relationship; as the number of spare embryos from in vitro fertilization rises, giving birth with donated embryos is becoming more popular, although many of the agencies that provide donated embryos are supported by federal funds and restrict whom they help.

Polypharmacy (patients taking ≥5 medications) is not uncommon in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and it is associated with higher levels of disability and the presence of comorbidities.

Researchers have determined that febrile neutropenia has a low rate of bacteremia and approximately half of patients receive the recommended initial empiric therapy.

Researchers have determined that there is moderate quality evidence suggesting that aerobic exercise as prophylactic treatment can decrease the number of migraine days among patients with migraine.

Breaking established habits and starting new, healthier ones can be difficult. However, patients, such as those with multiple sclerosis, can benefit from following strategies that help enact long-lasting healthy behaviors.

In a recent study, researchers looked to assess the real-world durability of reduction in annualized relapse rates (ARRs) among patients with multiple sclerosis who continuously received fingolimod (Gilenya) therapy over a longer-term period of follow up.

The payment model will gather data that will be used to create a long-term model for patients not enrolled in studies or registries.

Drug use is fueling record-high syphilis rates around the nation, a CDC report said; the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals is allowing House Democrats to defend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in a lawsuit that challenges the law’s constitutionality; the World Health Organization (WHO) is convening an expert meeting in March to develop global standards for the governance and oversight of human gene editing.

Higher prices for medical services caused per-person healthcare spending to increase by 4.2% in 2017.

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

The February 2019 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®) featured research on value-based arrangements, effects of cesarean delivery data, and more. Here are 5 findings from the research published in the issue.

This week, the top managed care news included increased demand for long-acting contraception since President Trump took office; a payer decision on an insulin pump alarmed diabetes advocates; and despite being involved in cancer treatment decisions, many primary care providers don't feel prepared to do so.

A UK study found that adding respiratory health screenings to drug clinic appointments for those trying to recover from heroin use was effective at uncovering chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in this group of patients.

CMS' Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation has launched a 5-year voluntary payment model offering more options for ambulance suppliers and providers to utilize alternative sites of care and telemedicine.

The study used the Freestyle Libre to track blood glucose levels in patients with and without type 2 diabetes (T2D) who had different surgical procedures; the CGM showed a drop in glucose on the third day after surgery among patients with T2D who had gastric bypass.

Minimal residual disease (MRD) is a strong prognosticator of cancer outcomes, and recent research found that patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM) are more likely to achieve MRD on daratumumab than on a standard of care alone.

How much does vertical integration among hospitals and physician provider organizations help improve care quality and patient satisfaction? According to a recently published study, not that much.

https://www.pharmacytimes.org/on-demand/diseasemodifying-therapies-for-duchenne-muscular-dystrophy-an-update-for-managed-care-professionals-ondemand-webinar

The PML Consortium formed among several pharmaceutical companies to prevent and treat a rare disease that emerged among patients taking immunomodulatory drugs. It could offer a model for finding solutions for adverse drug reactions.

The HOPE in Action Multicenter Liver Study will determine the safety of 80 HIV-to-HIV liver transplants.

Democrats have introduced a bill that would allow anyone over age 50 to buy into Medicare; an FDA advisory panel has endorsed a ketamine-like depression drug; and the EPA is set to limit the amount of manmade chemicals allowed in drinking water.

A new study has indicated that patients who experience late onset migraine with aura (MA) may be at an increased risk of ischemic stroke in late life despite having a shorter history of MA.

A study has demonstrated that D-index–guided early antifungal therapy, a novel approach to treating persistent or recurrent febrile neutropenia, is feasible in high-risk patients with neutropenia.

There is not enough evidence that manual therapy—a clinical approach of using skilled, physical, hands-on procedures to improve function, lessen pain, and facilitate movement—can successfully be used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is not only a leading cause of mortality among US adults, but also responsible for high medical costs that burden both the healthcare system and individual patients. New research shows that 1 in every 5 patients with ASCVD is unable to afford his or her medical bills, and even among patients with insurance, financial hardship related to medical costs is prevalent.

Half of children in with treatable mental health disorders in the United States do not get treatment; a small study demonstrated benefit with immunotherapy for glioblastoma; a task force recommends counseling services for new mothers at risk of depression.

How can the health industry ensure that cutting-edge gene therapies and other curative treatments get to the patients that need them, without leaving payers financially exposed? Representatives of payers and biotechnology companies discussed some of the novel discussions that are taking place as they work through issues of expense and access during “Paying for Cures: Ensuring patient access and system sustainability," a 1-day event in Washington, DC.

While one-third of primary care providers (PCPs) reported participating in breast cancer treatment decisions with their patients, a significant amount of them also indicated that they were not comfortable or did not feel that they had the necessary knowledge to participate in the treatment decision-making process.

The bill signed into law this week in Utah scaling back the successful voter referendum last fall that paved the way for a Medicaid expansion means that fewer people will be covered at potentially higher cost, according to organizations that recently published briefs on the issue.