April 15th 2025
While findings around hospital and emergency department use were similar at the individual and neighborhood levels, the use of outpatient services differed.
Employer Health Centers Expand Virtual Care Services Amid Pandemic
February 4th 2021A survey by Willis Towers Watson found that nearly half of employer onsite and near-site health centers expanded virtual care services during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, including in chronic condition management and behavioral health.
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Experts Issue Recommendations for Improving Health Care, Costs in 2021
February 1st 2021With the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, a rising number of uninsured Americans, and a new Democratic president and Senate majority, 2021 is shaping up to be a dynamic year for health care policy.
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How Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Can Improve Patient Inequities, Workforce Culture
January 31st 2021Through an organizational commitment to diversity and inclusion initiatives, the biopharmaceutical industry can better serve historically underserved populations and cultivate a more diverse workforce and inclusive culture.
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More Americans Choosing Medicare Advantage Plans Amid Pandemic
January 30th 2021A 9% year-over-year increase was observed in the number of US Medicare beneficiaries who enrolled in a Medicare Advantage health plan in 2020, with the increase in enrollment influenced by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and its related effects.
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Biden Reopens ACA Enrollment, Rescinds Global Gag Rule, Will Reexamine Work Requirements
January 28th 2021The Biden administration will reopen the health exchanges created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA); direct HHS and other agencies to reexamine other health policies, including Medicaid work requirements; and reverse the so-called global gag rule while affirming support for reproductive health.
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Mental Health Dangers for the Front Lines During COVID-19
January 26th 2021On this episode, we speak with the coauthor of a paper looking at the mental health stressors facing first responders and health care workers during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The paper found that a sizable number of these frontline workers are at risk for psychiatric illnesses at severity levels higher than other national disasters, including 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina.
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President Joe Biden reportedly will take executive action to reopen federal marketplaces selling Affordable Care Act (ACA) health plans; Moderna investigating booster shot designed to be more effective against emerging variants of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Brazil coronavirus variant is found in Minnesota.
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Spotlighting Top Health Care Issues to Monitor in 2021
January 25th 2021Several factors will have a significant impact in the health care industry in 2021, such as management of disparities in vaccine administration and greater investment in telehealth, said Gurpreet Singh, MBA, US Health Services Leader at PwC.
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Examining the Association, Nature of Skin Disorders in Parkinson Disease
January 22nd 2021Although Parkinson disease (PD) is often characterized as a motor disorder, the presence of nonmotor symptoms, such as skin disorders, is common and may provide insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying PD.
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Medical Claim Denial Rates Rising, Highest in Initial COVID-19 Hotspots
January 21st 2021Findings of the Change Healthcare 2020 Revenue Cycle Denials Index indicate that since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, medical claim denials have risen 11% nationwide, with the most denial rates found in regions with the highest first wave of outbreaks.
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Promoting Equitable Access to Telemedicine During the COVID-19 Crisis
January 19th 2021The authors of a Clinical research article in the January 2021 Health IT issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® discuss their findings and suggestions for making telehealth access more equitable for all.
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Addressing Health Insurance Consumer Behavior in 2020, Potential Trends to Watch in 2021
January 15th 2021Based on US health insurance consumer behavior reported in the eHealth Insights: 2020 Retrospective report, notable trends of the past year to watch for in 2021 include the popularity of $0 premium Medicare Advantage plans, the rise of telemedicine, and potential hesitancy against taking a vaccine for coronavirus disease 2019.
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Growth of Electronic Consultations in the Veterans Health Administration
This study evaluates the growth in electronic consultation use over the first 7 years after its implementation across the entire Veterans Health Administration system.
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Multiple Factors Hinder Uptake of Monoclonal Antibody Therapeutics for COVID-19
January 14th 2021The US Surgeon General, Vice Admiral Jerome Adams, MD, and other officials urged for greater uptake of FDA-approved treatments for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in an effort to slow the surge of cases requiring hospitalization. However, logistic, monetary, and efficacy concerns may have drastically limited the amount of biologic treatments actually administered to patients.
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Cost Savings Associated With Electronic Specialty Consultations
This retrospective cohort evaluation found that patients receiving electronic, compared with face-to-face, specialty consultation had significantly lower health care costs for at least 3 months.
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Endocrine Society Calls for Negotiated Insulin Prices in Medicare
January 13th 2021The statement is aimed at drug companies, policymakers, pharmacy benefit managers, employers, and others, and calls to attention soaring insulin costs, which were the subject of several Congressional hearings in 2019.
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How COVID-19 May Drive Changes in Health Care Delivery, Investment in Value-Based Care
January 13th 2021As coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to drive significant change in health care delivery, physician leaders affiliated with the Council for Accountable Physician Practices have worked to increase investment in strategies to address disparities in care exacerbated by the pandemic, such as value-based care and telemedicine.
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