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Expansion of Medicaid coverage prior to the authorization of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010 reduced the uninsured rate in New York State, but did not improve access to cancer surgery.

The Council for Affordable Quality Health Committee on Operating Rules for Information Exchange is making great strides in certifying health plans for implementing electronic information exchange between payers and providers. The good news for providers is that very little is required of them to reap the benefits of these certification efforts.

In a commentary, Leavitt argues that the fee-for-service system that built up around Medicare was centered on providers, not patients.

An analysis of cancer death records across the country, by researchers at the University of Washington, has identified clusters of counties that had a particularly high rate of mortality depending on the cancer type.

A study of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treated at a Veterans Administration hospital in New York found an unexpected relationship: the veterans who were undertreated according to treatment guidelines had lower rates of COPD exacerbation events.

Too often, experts say, fear of hypoglycemia causes those with T1D to forgo exercise, despite the benefits.

A roundup of top healthcare news stories: January 25, 2017.

When analyzing the effect of workplace wellness and related employee health services, studies invariable attribute savings among participants to the program rather than the more likely

While the Congressional Research Service calls for delaying new bundled payment rules, a webinar to explain them is still on CMS' website.

The study found that exam questions dealt more with complications of obesity, rather than basic diagnosis and treatment.

A system-wide immune response, not just a local response limited to the tumor, is what determines successful remission following cancer immunotherapy.

The FDA’s anti-smoking campaign warning teens about “The Real Cost” of cigarettes was successful at preventing smoking initiation, according to the results of a nationwide survey. However, another study found that levels of e-cigarette use have increased among adolescents unlikely to start smoking cigarettes.

What we're reading, January 24, 2017: senators introduce a bill to temporarily allow drug imports; PhRMA launches campaign to combat criticism of pharmaceutical industry; and the CDC canceled summit on climate change and health.

A new healthcare reform legislation was introduced Monday by Bill Cassidy, MD, R-Louisiana, and Susan Collins, R-Maine. The proposed Patient Freedom Act would not fully repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but instead, would place more power in the hands of the states by giving them the option of staying with the ACA or choosing another option.

The study found giving patients a doctor who speaks their language caused Latino patients to ask more questions and report better communication with the physician.

While one study identified novel mutations and gene amplifications, the other found a wider gap in racial disparity with respect to mortality rates.

The Obama administration set in motion a process that called for Medicare to pay for the Diabetes Prevention Program starting January 1, 2018.

Although national guidelines call for men and women at average risk for colorectal cancer (CRC) to begin screening for the disease at age 50, by some estimates, compliance is a mere 38%.

The US District Court for the District of Columbia has blocked the Aetna-Humana merger on the grounds it is anticompetitive.

The current chair of the Federal Trade Commission will like to make a decision on the proposed merger of Walgreens and Rite Aid pharmacies before she leaves office-but the fate of the merger remains unclear.

A study published last October indicated that hospitalist groups with a higher ratio of physician assistants to physicians achieved the same outcomes at lower cost in a community hospital setting. Lead author Timothy Capstack, MD, explained to The American Journal of Managed Care® how these hospitalist models can benefit patients in a variety of healthcare settings.

What we're reading, January 23, 2017: it is currently unclear what the impact President Donald Trump's executive order will have on the Affordable Care Act; New York requires that insurers cover birth control and abortions; and hospitals reexamine guidelines for opioid prescribing.

There is a new administration in the White House and the top priority is repealing the Affordable Care Act; however, a replacement plan still has not been presented. We break down the latest report from the Congressional Budget Office regarding the impact of a repeal with no replace.

With the Affordable Care Act poised to become repealed, or at least changed, researchers sought to understand the health and healthcare utilization of people at risk to lose their insurance.

After his inauguration, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order ordering federal agencies to ease the burden of his predecessor’s landmark healthcare law.

Rates of food insecurity remain high in American Indian communities, and a recent study indicates that inadequate food quality and quantity may put these populations at higher risk of diabetes, obesity, and hypertension.

Despite being up to 15 times more likely to be HIV positive, people with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and major depression with psychosis aren’t much more likely than the general population to be tested for the virus.

Two fundamental reasons explain why patient engagement is critical for success as a Medicare Advantage provider.

"Voluntary" is the key word in today's wellness programs, after EEOC rules were tested in court.

After great effort to resolve apparent conflicts between the ACA and older statutes, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, a repeal of the healthcare law may send regulators back to the drawing board.