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Democratizing the complex field of cancer care is not easy. We are providing patients with key information that their own cancer is unique and needs to be treated as such, but there is a great deal of work to be done in putting that knowledge to work.

This week in managed care Kentucky elected a new governor who could bring big changes to the state's Medicaid program, researchers reported that costs of dementia in the last 5 years of life surpass even cancer, and the latest Hospital Safety Score report was released.

Findings being presented in San Francisco show which patients may be able to stop anti-TNF therapy, and which ones will do well with conventional drugs as second-line treatment.

While care models are being designed to improve outcomes and reduce costs for complex needs patients, there is only modest evidence of their impact and there are a number of barriers to wider adoption of these care models in practice.

The FDA's meta-analyses, following results of the DAPT trial in 2014, have found no association between treatment with the blood thinner clopidogrel (Plavix) and increased incidence of, or death due to, cancer.

The Supreme Court has decided to hear a challenge from religious nonprofits who say the Affordable Care Act's requirement to provide birth control violates their religious beliefs.

Our homes should be sanctuaries-places of refuge and safety-but sadly, fraud is alive and thriving in home healthcare, endangering one of our most fragile and vulnerable patient populations: the homebound and often bed-bound. Defenseless people who may be totally alone, without family or friends.

An obscure notice on CMS' website outlines a proposed revised formula that would take effect in 2017.

From CMS to private health plans, professional healthcare organizations to patients and advocacy groups, the discussion nowadays seems to end up with value.

What we're reading, November 6, 2015: Americans want more aggressive measures to keep healthcare costs in check; the uninsured rate fell to 9% in the first half of 2015; and the federal government warns against restricting access to pricey hepatitis C drugs.

ADA's theme for American Diabetes Month encourages healthier eating to promote better disease management and prevention.

Nearly 15% of federal marketplace insurance plans completely lack in-network physicians for at least one specialty.

A blood test that can detect mutations in the androgen receptor can predict response to abiraterone in prostate cancer.

A list that seeks both the causes and effects of obesity.

Independent community pharmacists can network across diverse practice settings to improve patients' adherence to health-promoting prescription drug regimens.

New research, published in JAMA Oncology, presents evidence of how the use of disease-specific hashtags on Twitter can help those with common interests collectively share information.

What we're reading, November 5, 2015: defensive medicine actually does reduce malpractice risk; patients would like more options for using digital technology with their healthcare; and Americans are eating healthier.

The deal is part of Sanofi's effort to recover ground in the diabetes market.

Physicians broadly mistrust healthcare insurers and believe they interfere with their ability to provide high-quality patient care

Published in the journal Cancer, the study evaluated the short-term and long-term costs of treating patients with low-risk prostate cancer across the entire care spectrum.

The bipartisan panel has asked 4 drug makers, including Turing Pharmaceuticals, to submit documents to the US Senate's Special Committee on Aging.

According to a study published in The International Journal of Cancer, tubal ligation can reduce the risk of serous, endometrioid, and clear cell ovarian carcinoma.

Departing Governor Steve Beshear's full embrace of the Affordable Care Act brought health coverage to 500,000 people in Kentucky, including many who had never had insurance. Preventive services increased by more than 100%.

What we're reading, November 4, 2015: drug deaths become the next big 2016 presidential campaign issue; and Blue Shield of California and Anthem Blue Cross receive large fines for misleading information about Affordable Care Act Plans.

Approximately half of patients prescribed statins for lowering cholesterol discontinue use within the first year and the adherence rate only goes down from there.

A new research study published in the Journal of Dermatology has found that propranolol, a commonly used antihypertensive agent, could substantially reduce proliferation of angiosarcoma.

Fifty organizations, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology, have expressed their confidence in Robert Califf, MD, to lead the FDA.

The study found that drugs to treat high cholesterol and diabetes were among those experiencing increased use between 1999-2000 and 2011-2012.

There is not a lot of information about primary medication nonadherence, but it could have a huge impact on patients, as discussed by a speaker at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy Nexus 2015 meeting.

This year's Nobel Prize winner in economics and his wife uncover sad statistics on how substance abuse and suicide are taking their toll on white Americans at midlife. Princeton's Angus Deaton speculates that the trends reflect the broader picture of inequality.