Policy

An independent FDA advisory panel endorses Moderna boosters for select groups; circuit court lets Texas abortion law stand, paving the way for appeals; Robert Califf, MD, is reportedly being eyed to head the FDA again.

Participation in the 340B Drug Pricing Program by general acute care hospitals and critical access hospitals has not been associated with increased provision of uncompensated care.

The Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) has seen its growth slow, but CMS has an opportunity to act on proposals that would address benchmarking and more fairly allocate savings to accountable care organizations in the program.

Pfizer and BioNTech ask FDA to authorize their COVID-19 vaccine in children; the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended widespread use of the world’s first malaria vaccine; a US judge blocks Texas’ strict abortion law.

Although physicians’ clinical decisions serve as the biggest drivers behind the cost of care, hospitals have long been reluctant to take financial accountability. If such accountability is to be transformed from a diffuse fear to a manageable managerial task, institutional engagement with physicians will be a critical next step.

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Susan Quaggin, MD, FASN, a nephrologist and the chief of nephrology/hypertension and director of the Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute at Northwestern University, as well as current president of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN). She discusses the recommendations of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and ASN Task Force on Reassessing the Inclusion of Race in Diagnosing Kidney Diseases and what comes next for laboratories, clinicians, and patients.

Results of a representative study of patients at federally qualified health centers found Medicaid expansion was associated with reduced rates of uninsurance, improved blood pressure and diabetes control measures, and progress in closing racial care disparities over 5 years.

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

Long-awaited reports released Thursday call for eliminating race in estimated glomerular filtration rate equations and point to alternatives in an effort to eliminate disparities in chronic kidney disease.

President Joe Biden reportedly will increase global COVID-19 vaccine donations; the pandemic may have led to an increase in home births; use of Biogen’s Adulhelm, an Alzheimer disease drug, does not hit initial projections.

An updated report shows that the long-term cost of treating the health effects of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)—$4.3 billion—is even higher than $3.7 billion it takes to diagnose and treat immediate issues that present for women who are of reproductive age.

Pfizer says a newly formulated dose of its vaccine is safe and effective in children; CDC data underscore the efficacy of the 3 COVID-19 vaccines; Biden aims to reform health care with trillion-dollar package.

Considering the personal, societal, and economic toll of treatment-resistant depression, we must make it easier to access medicines and care that provide value, both for the patient and for the health care system.

A new analysis of 2014-2018 data among all states plus Washington, DC, for those who have either indications for preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) or current prescriptions for the preventive treatment, shows a widening gap in PrEP uptake, with states considered early adopters pulling ahead of those considered late adopters.

The advisory committee voted against COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for individuals 16 years and older, but unanimously voted for booster shots for people 65 years and older or who are at high risk of severe COVID-19.

Looking forward to the 10th anniversary of the Patient-Centered Oncology Care® (PCOC) conference, taking place in a hybrid format September 23-24, 2021, Joseph Alvarnas, MD, of City of Hope, editor-in-chief of Evidence-Based Oncology™, and co-chair of the meeting, discusses the takeaways that attendees can expect to hear about in the areas of patient care, payment and quality, and multidisciplinary collaboration among specialists.

The fallout from COVID-19 has spotlighted the limitations of US mental health care, prompting the question if alternative treatments—like psychedelics—could help address current and impending crises.

COVID-19 hospitalizations among the unvaccinated cost billions between June and August; the Department of Justice called for a temporary block on the Texas abortion law; legislators limited the power of public health officials in at least 26 states, a report shows.

Through innovations increasing the ease of scheduling and the efficiency of conducting annual wellness visits (AWVs), a large Medicare accountable care organization has been able to increase AWV rates among eligible beneficiaries.

Findings published in this issue add to the growing literature showing that multiple types of accountable care organizations (ACOs) can be successful, whether they are confederations of smaller, independent primary care practices or larger, integrated systems.

This retrospective cohort study compared the results of 5 Medicare Shared Savings Program accountable care organizations (ACOs) vs both ACO benchmarks and regional comparators over 4 years.

Innovative therapies for rare diseases such as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), when paid for by public budgets in the European Union and elsewhere, are often managed by agreements between payers and drug companies, but details can be hard to discern.

In part 2 of a 2-part series, we look at the mental health risks affecting 9/11 rescuers, the lessons learned that apply to health care workers during the current pandemic, as well as continued barriers to care.

The FDA misses the deadline to pull e-cigarette products from the market; Los Angeles public schools require COVID-19 vaccines for those over age 12; rates of still births are on the rise in Mississippi.

The Department of Labor rules will affect employers with 100 or more workers.

The administration said it would make the results of its drug price negotiations with manufacturers, as well as its approach to value-based care models, open to a variety of payers.

Symptoms of late-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were more controlled when patients received palliative care, according to the Swedish study.

South Dakota executive order controls distribution of abortion medication and telemedicine abortions; some states receive funds to improve access to affordable health insurance; Idaho activates “crisis standards of care” due to volume of COVID-19 patients in hospitals.

Researchers have found that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused potentially millions of children to miss routine vaccines. During a time of back-to-school excitement and reversals of transmission prevention efforts in some states, children may be at risk of facing a slew of non-COVID-19 viral outbreaks.

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with one of the authors of a recent book looking at the erosion of trust in health care, the factors that influence trust, and what can be done to restore trust.