What We're Reading: Ohio Work Requirements; Healthcare Data Breaches; Patients Try to Lower Drug Costs

CMS Approves Ohio’s Medicaid Work Requirements

Ohio has become the ninth state to get approval for its Medicaid work requirements, reported the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The waiver, which was submitted to CMS in April 2018, will require most able-bodied adults to work or participate in community engagement for 80 hours a month. The requirements include exemptions for approximately 36,000 people in the state, including those with severe disabilities, pregnant women, caretakers, and able-bodied adults living in counties with high unemployment rates.

Healthcare Data Breaches in February Affect 2 Million

More than 30 data breaches were reported by providers, health plans, and their business associates in February, according to Modern Healthcare. These healthcare data breaches compromised data from more than 2 million people, up more than 500% from the 309,644 people affected in February 2018. The majority of these breaches were attributable to hacking or information technology incidents.

How Patients Try to Lower Drug Costs

A report from the CDC found that 1 in 5 adult patients reported asking their provider for a cheaper drug option in 2017. The report also found that 11% of patients reported not taking their medication as prescribed and more than 5% used alternative therapies in order to control their drug spending. All 3 of these strategies were more common among women and uninsured adults.