April 24th 2025
Asembia's AXS25 Summit will unite more than 8000 key decision-makers to explore pharmacy innovation, artificial intelligence, policy, and patient care from April 27 to May 1 at Wynn & Encore in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Same-Day Breast Imaging Gaps Reveal Health Care Disparities
February 18th 2025For this retrospective study, the authors examined data on more than 3 million screening mammographies for more than 1 million female patients; of the screenings, 23.6% had abnormal results and only 6.7% were recommended for biopsy.
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Medical Policy Determinations for Pharmacogenetic Tests Among US Health Plans
This analysis demonstrated significant variability in medical policy determinations and evidence cited for clinically relevant pharmacogenetic tests among major US health insurers and laboratory benefit managers.
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Medicaid Unwinding Left Thousands of Pediatric Patients Uninsured
February 7th 2025During the unwinding of continuous Medicaid provisions, 8.7% of pediatric patients at community-based health organizations became uninsured, with higher rates among older children, females, and those with chronic medical conditions.
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Understanding Insurance Coverage Policies for Incretin Mimetics for Weight Management
The high cost of incretin mimetics for weight management limits insurance coverage and potentiates variation in utilization management strategies to control near-term spending.
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Executive Orders Suggest Swift Pivot in Managed Care and Health Policy
January 22nd 2025President Donald Trump's initial executive orders target previous efforts to reduce health care costs, pandemic preparedness, and international partnerships, showing a stark contrast to the Biden administration.
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Telephone Follow-Up on Medicare Patient Surveys Remains Critical
Including a telephone component in Medicare Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey administration continues to be valuable because telephone responses comprise a substantial portion of responses for several underserved groups.
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Quantifying the Altruism Value for a Rare Pediatric Disease: Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Altruism values for treatments of rare, severe pediatric diseases have not been estimated. This study found the altruism value for a hypothetical new Duchenne muscular dystrophy treatment to be $80 per year.
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Health Equity & Access Weekly Roundup: January 11, 2025
January 11th 2025ACA enrollment rate hits a milestone, though IRA subsidies may not extend beyond 2025; network adequacy standards fail to translate into efficient access to mental health care for Medicaid enrollees; research examines racial disparities in postpartum hypertension and vaccine uptake.
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Year-End Spending Bill to Feature Reforms for Pharmacy Benefit Managers and Telehealth Access
December 18th 2024The health care provisions include key reforms targeting pharmacy benefit managers, extensions of Medicare telehealth flexibilities, and measures aimed at combating the opioid crisis and preparing for future pandemics.
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Small Firms, Big Costs: Employer Health Coverage Disparities
December 13th 2024A new report from The Commonwealth Fund compares trends in health plan spending and employee costs for 2014 through 2023 between small and large businesses, taking into account plan premiums, employee contributions, and deductibles. It also highlights that although small firms do not even have to offer health benefits, large firms are required to do so by the Affordable Care Act.
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Disconnects Between Provider Network Directories and Patient Preferences
This study found widespread instances of disconnect in online provider directories between information needed by patients and data availability.
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Out-of-Pocket Spending for Cardiac Rehabilitation and Adherence Among US Adults
Among commercial and Medicare supplemental beneficiaries with cost sharing, higher out-of-pocket spending for the first cardiac rehabilitation session was associated with lower program adherence.
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Medicare Competitive Bidding Program Cuts Spending Without Impacting COPD Outcomes
November 29th 2024While the Medicare Competitive Bidding Program reduced spending, it did not significantly impact supplemental oxygen use or clinical outcomes among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
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