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The uninsured rate in the United States rose to a 4-year high of 13.7% in the fourth quarter of 2018; President Trump has instructed administration officials to tackle surprise medical billing; and a measles outbreak has hit Washington State.

Among people with obesity, those with migraine have greater total healthcare utilization and expenses compared with those without migraine.

According to a new study, requiring drug price disclosures in television ads could significantly influence consumer thinking and behavior, especially for expensive drugs.

Healthcare across the globe is at a moment of change. During the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, a panel of experts discussed the transformation taking place in healthcare and the tough questions ahead that still need to be answered.

https://www.pharmacytimes.org/on-demand/managed-care-considerations-in-meeting-the-complex-needs-of-patients-with-pancreatic-cancer

Seeking to generate data for the development and validation of clinical decision rules in pediatric febrile neutropenia (FN), researchers used 2 decades of data on FN episodes in pediatric patients.

Between 2012 and 2016, insulin costs for patients nearly doubled while utilization remained flat; the pharmaceutical industry's lead lobbying group spent a record amount in 2018; and alcohol-associated liver disease has surpassed hepatitis C as the top cause of liver transplants.

Prompt diagnosis and timely intervention is key in improving outcomes for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). A new study in Multiple Sclerosis Journal outlines quality standards for timely, brain health–focused MS care.

Between 2015 and 2017, drug spending increased by nearly 20% as drug shortages also increased, resulting in hospitals cutting staff and warning that patient safety is at risk.

https://www.pharmacytimes.org/on-demand/an-american-journal-of-managed-care-ajmc-2part-supplement-current-new-and-emerging-therapies-for-the-prevention-and-management-of-migraine

President Trump’s latest healthcare proposal could have the effect of raising out-of-pocket drug costs for some while lowering them for others; FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said it is shocking to him that the rate of young people addicted to using e-cigarettes, or vaping, had reached levels at which FDA-approved methods for quitting e-cigarettes could be necessary; "Medicare for More,” not Medicare for All, is likely to emerge as Democrats jockey for 2020 with a watered-down version of universal health care.

A nurse at the Cleveland Clinic launched the initiative after mothers asked to delay their newborns' baths to increase their ability to take to nursing.

Researchers in the United Kingdom used a Markov microsimulation model comparing a population with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) performing physical activity vs a COPD population that was sedentary, in order to estimate the cost-effectiveness of regular PA vs a sedentary lifestyle.

The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review is creating a new analysis of significant drug price increases to determine if the price hikes are supported by new clinical evidence.

The organization's list of 10 health challenges include both environmental and medical challenges they say demand attention from the World Health Organization (WHO) and health partners in 2019.

As patients with multiple myeloma live longer thanks to advancements in treatments, more attention is being paid to treatment-related toxicities that are becoming more relevant.

Researchers used a blood test to look for biomarkers indicative of Alzheimer disease in a group of people with a genetic mutation for a familial form of the disease, and they said the test can predict differences about 16 years before affected patients are expected to begin showing symptoms. The hope is that a blood test could one day be used to identify brain disease for not only Alzheimer disease but also other neurodegenerative conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, or stroke.

A bill co-sponsored by Senator Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Senator Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, would allow people to buy prescription drugs from approved pharmacies in Canada; the FDA is planning an advisory meeting on February 12 to share evidence and expert opinion about the safety and effectiveness of transvaginal mesh; economist Austin Frakt recaps the public health effects of sitting in traffic, including contributing to climate change, lost time, and damage to psychological well-being.

The FDA has issued an update to its 2015 draft guidance on developing drugs to treat rare diseases.

A recent study sought to identify whether disability progression among patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) treated with rituximab differs from patients who have never been treated with rituximab.

A recent study examined the nutritional status and dietary intake among outpatients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and its possible associations with quality of life.

Higher tumor mutational burden is associated with improved overall survival in patients with stage IV or metastatic disease being treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) who have high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities typically have shorter progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) compared with standard-risk patients. In an analysis of 2 studies, patients with high-risk MM had improved outcomes when taking carfilzomib once a week compared with a twice-weekly dose.

A single measurement of procalcitonin (PCT) is comparable to Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) score for predicting serious medical complications in patients with cancer with febrile neutropenia.

Researchers investigating the associations between ground-level ozone and fine particulate pollution and emergency department (ED) visits for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and respiratory infections found that as levels rose, more patients land in the ED with breathing problems.

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation under CMS expanded its value-based insurance design (VBID) model for Medicare Advantage, as well as created more risk sharing in Part D payment models for plan sponsors. Both plans are voluntary.

In a new survey, clinicians highlight how the ongoing government shutdown, the longest in US history, is taking a toll on patients’ health as they miss appointments or are noncompliant with their medication.

This week, the top managed care news included a new investigation into drug prices; FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, provided updates on how the government shutdown is impacting FDA work; research found comorbidities impede clinical trial participation for patients with cancer.

Earlier this week, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released a draft guidance recommendations on medications for women at an increased risk for breast cancer.

CMS is proposing more changes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including ways to seek to end the practice of silver loading, end automatic re-enrollment in individual exchange plans, and raise premiums by 1%, it said in its proposed 2020 Payment Notice.