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While nivolumab failed to surpass the outcomes of chemotherapy as first-line treatment in programmed death ligand-1—expressing patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), pembrolizumab bettered chemotherapy in improving survival in a similar cohort.

As part of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network's new clinical guidelines for myeloproliferative neoplasms, a group of rare blood cancers, Jakafi has been recommended for the treatment of myelofibrosis.

A large majorities of Americans favor a wide range of policy changes to curb prescription drug costs, including those that give government a greater role in negotiating or limiting drug prices, according to the latest Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Poll.

Although hospitals in Medicare’s Value-Based Purchasing program already receive patient experience points based on achievement, improvement, and consistency, placing more emphasis on improvement points could benefit hospitals serving minority patients

Cost sharing for hospitalizations among nonelderly adults increased 37% between 2009 and 2013, more than the rate of medical inflation, according to a review of national hospital claims from 3 major commercial insurance plans.

Health is improving around the world, but 7 out of 10 deaths are now due to noncommunicable diseases, like stroke, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and drug use disorders, according to a special issue of The Lancet.

Specialty pharmacy pipelines, healthy behaviors, and regulation took the stage at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP)’s 2016 Nexus conference, which was held October 3-6 in National Harbor, Maryland.

A retrospective analysis has found that longer term adjuvant treatment with tamoxifen significantly decreases the risk of contralateral breast cancer.

This week, the top managed care stories included conference coverage from the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy's 2016 Nexus, Bill Clinton courted controversy when discussing the Affordable Care Act, and research finds fear of a job loss can increase the risk of diabetes.

Nationally, nongroup marketplace premiums are 10% lower than the average employer-sponsored insurance premiums, according to an analysis by the Urban Institute.

A short online test evaluates respondents’ health status to determine their risk of having prediabetes. However, some doctors worry that too many people will fall into the high-risk category, contributing to an overuse of resources.

Highlights of our peer-reviewed research in the healthcare and mainstream press.

HHS has been banned from using a patient identifier but several organizations, including national payers, providers, and prescription drug networks, want this reversed.

What we’re reading, October 7, 2016: providers brace for Hurricane Matthew; lead exposure in children has dropped; and most physicians would not apologize to their patient after a mistake.

What we're reading, October, 6, 2016: UnitedHealth is sued for allegedly overcharging on prescription drugs; the Obama administration could point consumers to remaining insurance options as insurers leave the Affordable Care Act exchanges; and human life spans may have it a ceiling.

Persistent low income in young adulthood and middle age may raise the risk for worse cognitive function by age 50, according to a study of more than 3300 adults who were followed for more than 2 decades. In addition, the study suggested that poverty and perceived hardship may be important contributors to premature aging among disadvantaged populations.

The first winner of the Seema S. Sonnad Emerging Leader in Managed Care Research award in 2015 writes about winning the award and 3 dimensions of the experience that were particularly meaningful.

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found an increased rate of resection and a reduction in the probability of emergent resection for colorectal cancer (CRC) as a result of insurance expansion in Massachusetts.

States that have not expanded Medicaid are finding that rural hospitals struggle because they must still treat uninsured patients who show up for care, but they get less help from the federal government than in the past.

It is well known that the current A1C test could be more accurate. A group of researchers at Harvard believes they have found a way to personalize the test.

According to the 2016 Community Oncology Practice Impact Report, about 15 community practices in the United States have either closed or were acquired, each month since 2008.

During a campaign event on Monday, Donald Trump said that veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) “can’t handle” what they’ve seen in combat. Criticism of his comments, as well as research, show his choice of words could perpetuate harmful stigmas about mental health, especially in the military.

The study finds a molecular pathway to explain patterns long observed by those who work with patients being treated for both alcohol abuse and depression.

While the researchers found a "modest risk" of diabetes associated with job insecurity, they said it pointed to the need for policies that promoted job stability and better wages.

A draft guidance issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) rejected use of Merck's programmed death-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

With 6 years under his belt, Patrick Conway, MD, is the longest serving chief medical officer in CMS history. During those 6 years, he has seen alignment with private payers increasing, Conway said during a plenary session at the fall meeting of the National Association of Accountable Care Organizations.

What we’re reading, October 5, 2016: Flint residents’ reluctance to wash with water may have led to shigellosis cases; 88 innovative scientists receive grants for groundbreaking research; and free-standing EDs spark regulation concerns.

At the Institute for Clinical Immuno-Oncology National Conference, a panel of care providers presented institutional experiences with immunotherapy, and how a collaborative care approach helped the process.

The former president said that Obama's signature law works well for those who are enrolled in Medicaid or who qualify for subsidies, but others have seen premium increases with lower benefits. The White House noted that Hillary Clinton supports improvements to the law.

Data released by HHS today revealed that up to 2.5 million Americans currently purchasing health insurance through an off-Marketplace plan could qualify for ACA tax credit assistance if they switch to a Marketplace plan for 2017.