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What we're reading, February 3, 2016: President Obama is asking Congress for $1.1 billion to combat the opioid abuse epidemic; 7 blockbuster drugs with the potential for more than $1 billion in sales each are expected in 2016; and less than half of infants are vaccinated against the flu.

Pediatric oncologists from across the country covened a task force to develop an ethical framework that guides decisions on allocation based on curability, prognosis, and the incremental importance of a drug to a patient’s outcome

CDC is concerned about the effects of alcohol consumed before women know they are pregnant, in light of studies that show women are now drinking almost as much as men.

Among 7 developed countries, the United States has the lowest proportion of deaths that occur in the hospital and the lowest number of days spent in the hospital during the last 6 months of life.

Coordinating mental health and treatment of chronic disease has gained traction since the passage of the Affordable Care Act.

Nearly one-third of national medical malpractice complaints involve some form of communication failure, according to the report “Malpractice Risks in Communication Failures” from CRICO.

What we're reading, February 2, 2016: Aetna joins other major insurers raising concerns over the Affordable Care Act's insurance exchanges; Sanofi announces plans to develop a Zika vaccine; and Martin Shkreli expected to testify despite dismissing the subpoena.

Contrary to popular perceptions that healthcare financing in the US is predominantly private, Americans pay the world’s highest health-related taxes, study finds.

Annual report from the United States Renal Data System reveals positive and negative trends in kidney disease and touches on several topics related to the prevalence, costs, and treatment of the diseases.

The generic manufacturer may try to maximize profits during the initial exclusivity period, says an expert from a leading health plan.

Medication adherence among patients with chronic conditions is estimated to cost $100 billion in North America.

With increasing evidence of comparable efficacy and reduced toxicity of proton beam therapy, payers may have to reevaluate coverage policies.

What we're reading, February 1, 2016: some medical researchers disagree with sharing raw data used in their research; the medical community is torn on whether or not the annual checkup is worthwhile; and Donald Trump vows to extend healthcare coverage to the lower class.

Providing cancer patients with multiple life-threatening conditions with earlier palliative care consultation can be helpful in bringing down healthcare spending in enormous proportions, according to a new study published in Health Affairs.

Each month, The American Journal of Managed Care hosts a Twitter chat (#AJMCchat) with a different expert. This month’s chat covered care pathways and featured Robert W. Dubois, MD, from the National Pharmaceutical Council.

Biopharmaceutical and diagnostic companies from around the world have come together to call for improved incentives to develop antibiotics that fight superbugs.

Top managed care news of the week includes new recommendation to screen all adults for depression, new issue of The American Journal of Managed Care places attention on mental health care, and Donald Trump calls for Medicare to negotiate drug prices.

A study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology concluded that tbo-filgrastim is similar to filgrastim for ASCT mobilization in patients with MM or NHL.

A study comparing the efficacy of tbo-filgrastim with filgrastim when used to mobilize peripheral blood stem cells or to accelerate engraftment after autologous stem cell transplantation found no clinically meaningful differences, plus tbo-filgrastim saved money.

Republican Congressional Committee members question MACPAC leadership’s conflicts of interest.

An infographic that looks at what it means to be a physician leader, based on an interview with Anthony D. Slonim, MD, DrPH, president and chief executive officer for Renown Health.

Mortality in adolescent and young adult Hodgkin lymphoma patients is significantly affected by ethnic and socioeconomic factors, as well as insurance status, according to a new study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

Study finds a link between maternal obesity and diabetes and a significant increase in the risk of autism spectrum disorder in children.

CMS has proposed changes to accountable care organizations benchmarks in the Medicare Shared Savings Program, as well as a way to better facilitate the transition to performance-based risk.

Learn where clinical care pathways stand today and what the future holds with respect to developing and implementing them.

What we're reading, January 29, 2016: newly approved hepatitis C cure will increase competition; California will vote on a proposition to control the cost of prescription drugs; and a special report details drug shortages and rationing decisions.

A new Blue Cross Blue Shield Association report provides the company’s snapshot of US health insurance trends.

The FDA has created the Drug Trial Snapshot, which provides details on the demographic profiles of participants in clinical trials of approved drugs.

The announcement said the collaborative seeks to raise the standards of care, address poor health statistics and find savings.

The 3 prescriptions for reforming the 340B Drug Discount Program proposed by authors in the December issue of Evidence-Based Oncology would limit safety net hospitals' abilities to treat vulnerable patients.