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This week, the top managed care news included progress made in diabetes technology coverage and access among Medicare beneficiaries; an inside look into how colleges and universities addressed the COVID-19 pandemic; a recap of the Patient-Centered Oncology Care® 2020 virtual meeting.

The researchers found that just 13% of participating providers adhered to the recommended low dose (40 mg) of oral prednisone for patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD).

Results from a study on Canadian women who did and did not participate in a population-based breast cancer screening program show that interval breast cancers are more aggressive and deadlier than screening-detected cancers.

Andre Goy, MD, of John Theurer Cancer Center, discussed what we’ve learned from existing chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR T)-cell therapies in managing cytokine responses.

In patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM), membrane contraction contributed to increased choroidal thickness, according to study results published in PLoS One.

Former e-cigarette users were found to be more likely to report sleep deprivation compared with never users, according to study findings.

A House panel found pharmaceutical companies exponentially increased drug prices to boost profits; CDC data show an increase in alcohol-related deaths, especially among women; 4 million more Americans enroll in Medicaid.

Patients testing positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019, are presenting more often with signs of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Efficacy and safety of atezolizumab as first-line therapy for metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with high levels of PD-L1 expression is not known, the authors said.

The majority of patients with asthma have type 2 inflammation, and the introduction of dupilumab has changed the treatment space for these patients, said Neal Jain, MD, FAAP, FAAAAI.

Study results presented during the virtual European Society for Medical Oncology meeting demonstrated the superiority of cemiplimab (Libtayo) plus ipilimumab vs cemiplimab monotherapy for non–small cell lung cancer.

Amid disruption precipitated by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a survey by the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions shows employers are maintaining or accelerating their health benefit strategies for 2021 and 2022.

A new review article said there are hurdles to bringing minimal residual disease (MRD) into the clinic as a decision-making tool, but the day is likely not far away.

Research into children and adolescents with nonremission acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has been sparse, but a new analysis suggests that allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a good fit for some patients.

The aftereffects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are being studied in recovering patients; Regeneron’s COVID-19 antibody cocktail may induce quicker recovery; Timothy Ray Brown, the first patient reportedly cured of HIV, has died.

There were a myriad of factors considered when deciding how to reopen higher education institutions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in prioritizing the safety of students, faculty, and community members, as well as the quality of education delivered.

Despite decades of experimentation, there have not been large increases in health care quality in the United States. What will move the needle?

Minority men who have sex with other men (MSM), especially Hispanic/Latino and African American/Black men, account for most new HIV diagnoses but poor care uptake.

At the time of the 2-year analysis, 88% of the 17 infants who received the therapeutic dose of risdiplam for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) were alive and did not require permanent ventilation.

In patients with type 2 diabetes admitted to the hospital for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), treatment with sitagliptin at the time of hospitalization was associated with reduced mortality and improved clinical outcomes compared with standard-of-care treatment.

Researchers assess the optimal balance of levodopa in patients with Parkinson disease (PD), which wanes in efficacy as PD progresses and can contribute to uncontrollable, involuntary bodily movements if given in too high of a dosage.

HHS said it will send 100 million rapid COVID-19 tests to states by year’s end; CDC says teens twice as likely to get coronavirus infection than young children; several private health insurers to stop waiving telehealth copays.

Tailoring treatment to individual patients is the ultimate goal in the complex decision-making process of managing progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), noted Burcu Zeydan, MD, assistant professor of neurology, assistant professor of radiology, Mayo Clinic.

A new analysis shows that ertugliflozin matched renal results seen in trials for a pair of rival sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors.

Form will determine in which patient populations, and why, a vaccine is not indicated for administration, said Maura Abbott, PhD, AOCNP, CPNP, RN, assistant professor of nursing at the Columbia University School of Nursing.

In addressing sleep-related challenges prior to and influenced by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, researchers outline factors that contribute to optimal sleep hygiene among children and adolescents.

New research published in JAMA Neurology highlights disparities in migraine based on sexual orientation in the United States.

There is a clear need for better therapies to treat triple-negative breast cancer, especially when progression-free survival is around 2%, says Aditya Bardia, MBBS, MPH, breast medical oncologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School.

Speakers at Patient-Centered Oncology Care® highlighted injustices in the US health care system, the risk of financial toxicity, and how providers can do a better job to ensure their patients achieve health equity, during a panel discussion.

Recently, 2 district courts secured a pair of victories for Medicare beneficiaries who use continuous glucose monitor technologies to manage their diabetes, while senators introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at increasing access to the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program.