All News

Medicare beneficiaries who live in housing that offers supportive social services use the hospital less than seniors who live in the same neighborhoods in housing without such amenities.

Results of a study about an implantable device for chronic pain relief showed it reduced disability by about 27%, according to patient-reported outcomes about this nondrug pain treatment.

Starting April 1, 2019, Express Scripts will offer its SafeGuardRx Migraine Care Value program, which will help patients achieve better outcomes with preventive therapies and offer a value-based design for plan sponsors.

With a decision from the FDA for its use in moderate-to-severe asthma expected by the end of the week, the biologic dupilumab showed positive results from a pivotal phase 3 trial for inadequately controlled chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.

The FDA has developed 2 lists with molecular targets to increase drug development for pediatric cancers; there have been at least 62 cases in 2018 of children who have been affected by a rare paralyzing illness; a recent survey has found that health insurance has failed in its basic function of protecting people from financial ruin in case of costly health issues.

Piecemeal solutions to implement value-based payment arrangements will not be able to effectively enact change. Authors in The New England Journal of Medicine argue that a range of complementary solutions need to be pursued simultaneously based on previously successful tactics on a smaller scale.

The novel vaccine—eOD-GT8 60mer—stimulates the immune system to initiate a key first step in the generation of potent proteins, known as broadly neutralizing antibodies.

Treating lung conditions like asthma in pregnant women is a challenge, as it requires knowledge of both the safety of treatments during pregnancy as well as understanding the risks of the disease for both the woman and the infant, noted a review of a new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) information system for prescribers.

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) have the potential to enhance drug development, regulatory decisions, and shared decision making, and the benefits of using PROs are broadly agreed upon, but there are a variety of challenges facing stakeholders.

CMS Administrator Seema Verma touted the growth in enrollment in Medicare Advantage programs during an appearance at a conference run by America’s Health Insurance Plans on Tuesday.

The idea for putting drug prices in TV ads was part of the blueprint, American Patients First. The pharmaceutical industry opposes the plan on First Amendment grounds.

Oral theophylline has been used as a bronchodilator to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for decades, but it has fallen out of favor due to the side effects that come with the higher doses that are required to achieve any beneficial effect. A recent study sought to determine if adding low-dose theophylline to inhaled corticosteroids for COPD would reduce the number of exacerbations.

President Donald Trump named a Maine official opposed to Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act for a position that puts her in charge of the national program; an unvaccinated child in Florida has died from the flu, becoming the first person to die from the disease this season; Kaiser Health News has created a database to track up to 10 years of pharmaceutical company contributions to any or all members of Congress.

A large meta-analysis did not find any beneficial effects to vitamin D supplementation for reducing fractures, falls, and bone mineral density, according to a recent study published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology.

As CareMore Health touts success in keeping Medicaid patients out of the emergency department, a separate report shows lack of access to Medicaid keeps the poor in many states from seeking care.

Medicare Advantage (MA) plans have been improperly denying many medical claims to both patients and physicians; low-income people in states that haven't expanded Medicaid are much more likely to forgo needed medical care, citing costs, than those in other states; dozens of vulnerable House Republicans have recently signed on to bills or resolutions in support of protecting pre-existing conditions.

Myeloproliferative neoplasms have varied progression rates, and a complex genetic landscape may contribute to heterogeneity in the outcomes of patients with these diseases.

Multiple myeloma (MM) occurs 2 to 3 times more frequently in Americans of African descent than in Americans of European descent, and a new study has identified 3 gene types that account for this disparity.

Accountable care organizations (ACOs) have not had a significant impact on cancer care costs and utilization. While cancer care costs did decline from before the introduction of ACOs to after, there was no significant difference in spending decreases between ACO practices and non-ACO practices caring for patients with cancer.

The analysis of data from EMPA-REG OUTCOME arrives as the FDA weighs the future of these large trials.

A recent study looked at regimens concordant with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines for Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) in order to describe categories of nonconcordant treatments; evaluate patient- and provider-level factors associated with nonconcordance; and determine the impact of nonconcordance on mortality, Medicare spending, and rates of healthcare utilization.

The time is right for providers to rethink how patients are able to check in for their visits.

A new study identified 3 novel genetic variants associated with chronic back pain, which is a leading cause of disability worldwide.

The FDA said Friday it is asking 21 e-cigarette companies for more information about whether more than 40 products, including some flavored e-cigarette products, are being illegally marketed and are outside the agency’s current compliance policy. The move comes a month after the agency warned of a teen vaping epidemic and said it would be cracking down on the sale of the devices to kids.

Here are 5 breast cancer risk factors for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

In some instances, migraine can be treated without medicine, meaning some patients with migraine can cut down on their medication use, according to a new study that demonstrated efficacy with an inhaler that slightly changes the body’s own molecules.

The number of infants born through caesarean section (C-section) almost doubled between 2000 and 2015—from 12% to 21% of all births—according to The Lancet. The surgery is still unavailable for many women in low-income countries and regions, yet is overused in many middle- and high-income settings, said the journal, which published a series of papers on the topic Thursday.

Coverage of our peer-reviewed research and news reporting in the healthcare and mainstream press.

Practices in the US Oncology Network received an average positive payment adjustment under the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) of 1.90% for performance in 2017, and 99% of the Network’s physicians were in the top tier of performers. The maximum allowable adjustment is 2.02%. The adjustment based on a clinician’s performance in 2017 impacts the clinician's Medicare reimbursement for 2019.

This week, the top managed care news included the Department of Justice giving the green light for the CVS–Aetna merger; premiums for employer insurance plans are on the rise; and the new North American trade deal includes protections for drug makers that will hurt biosimilars.