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The WalletHub scores examine overall obesity rates, health indicators such as diabetes and cholesterol, and habits such as fruit and vegetable consumption.

Among the measures on the ballot for Californians this Election Day is Proposition 61, the Drug Price Standards Initiative. The measure, which would restrict the amount state agencies pay for drugs, has a multitude of supporters and opponents who have amassed a combined $125.84 million in contributions as of Monday.

What we're reading, November 2, 2016: Donald Trump attacks Obamacare while drug makers pour funding into Republican candidates, and Anthem considers reducing Affordable Care Act participation and is under fire in California for auto-renewals.

Gains in health coverage for children have been steady since 2008, but they picked up steam after 2013.

A total of 27 million Americans under the age of 65 remain uninsured, and 43% of them are eligible for financial assistance through the Affordable Care Act either by enrolling in Medicaid or through subsidies for purchasing coverage.

The annual campaign from the American Diabetes Association raises awareness of the public health crisis that is diabetes and the people living with the disease.

A new study suggests that a Web-based intervention could improve a cancer survivor’s cognitive function post treatment.

CVS Health has reversed its decision on physician dispensing of specialty drugs, originally meant to be implemented by January 1, 2017.

What we're reading, November 1, 2016: despite law, women in California still struggle to access birth control; Americans mostly believe obesity can be fixed through willpower; and Facebook is going after pharmaceutical advertisements.

A small, early-stage study in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma who had failed multiple treatments or relapsed after stem cell transplant indicates that pembrolizumab could be a favorable treatment option in these patients.

Low-value care can harm consumers both financially and physically. During the final panel at the VBID Summit, speakers discussed how to address and reduce low-value care.

Various stakeholders in the healthcare industry are trying to determine value in healthcare, and speakers representing the pharmaceutical industry, research, and the patient perspective discussed the topic during the VBID Summit.

The updated position statement comes after a wave of recent research linking long periods of sedentary activity with poor health outcomes.

A new report looks at how Medicaid in states that expanded the program are pursuing alternative payment models in order to better respond to the complex health and social needs of beneficiaries.

Congress would have to approve some recommendations from the White House task force, which seeks to levy fines against health plans that do not follow the 2008 law.

A perspective piece, published by researchers from Rutgers University, laments the lack of interest shown by researchers in a clinical trial data-sharing project launched in January 2014.

What we’re reading, October 31, 2016: a CDC survey found that although almost 4 in 5 physicians have electronic health record (EHR) systems in place, only one-third use them; Community Health Options, an ACA Marketplace exchange in Maine, will no longer cover elective abortions; CMS improves its Dialysis Facility Compare website and adds patient ratings.

Underinsurance is a byproduct of the many changes being brought to the healthcare system, said Robert W. Dubois, MD, PhD, chief science officer and executive vice president of the National Pharmaceutical Council, during a session at the VBID Summit.

A new study by Avalere Health identified the key challenges facing health insurance exchanges created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and considers a range of potential policy options that could be combined to improve the sustainability of the market into the future.

Instead of the 30-day hospital readmission indicator used by CMS to rate hospital quality and levy penalties for excessive unplanned readmissions, shorter intervals of 7 days or fewer are more accurate measures, according to a new study.

Increase in Medicare spending on hospice care from 2007 to 2015 was mainly driven by increases in the number of patients receiving services as per-patient costs remained flat, a new study found.

In conjunction with the state of Vermont, CMS announced the Vermont All-Payer Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Model on Wednesday. The new model is the first of its kind and represents an advancement in the goal of redesigning the healthcare delivery system with an emphasis on high-value care and improved health outcomes.

An animal study conducted at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, has identified a mechanism to strengthen the immune response of T cells in cancer patients who are treated with checkpoint inhibitors.

This week, the top stories in managed care included an announcement that premiums on Obamacare plans are set to increase by 25% on average, a discussion of Medicare Advantage growth at America's Health Insurance Plans' National Conference on Medicare, and recommendations for success with the Oncology Care Model.

Frustration with high prescription drug prices remains an issue that cuts across party lines. Majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and independents want the government to protect access to high-cost treatments for those with chronic conditions.

A coalition of 9 universities in the United States has been awarded $6.3 million by the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences to bring patient-reported outcomes front and center in the clinic.

At the fall live meeting of the ACO & Emerging Healthcare Delivery Coalition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, attendees heard presentations and participated in workshops that discussed care management, value-driven payment systems, and the future of healthcare.

What we're reading, October 28, 2016: Medicare blocks some efforts to automatically move customers eligible for Medicare into Medicare Advantage; the first lung cancer vaccine developed in Cuba will be tested in the US; and American Red Cross and Teladoc partner for disaster relief.

A review of our appearances in the healthcare and mainstream press.

The connection between soda consumption and rising rates of diabetes and obesity has been well established. The World Health Organization has called for soda taxes and marketing limits, especially for advertising aimed at children.