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What We're Reading: Consumers Shocked by High Deductibles on ACA Plans
What we're reading, November 16, 2015: consumers face sticker shock on Affordable Care Act plans when they get sick and face high deductibles; Medicare spending on hepatitis C drugs nearly doubled in 2015; and US maternal mortality has worsened since 1990.
Consumers Face Sticker Shock With Sky-High ACA Plan Deductibles
Sky-high deductibles for Affordable Care Act health plans are leaving some consumers feeling just as vulnerable as when they didn’t have coverage, according to The New York Times. A review from the publication found that more than half of the plans offered through HealthCare.gov have deductibles of $3000 or more in many states. So although the plans don’t seem expensive when consumers purchase them, they are facing sticker shock when they actually get sick.
Hepatitis C Drug Spending in Medicare Nearly Double
Whether or not Medicare beneficiaries have hepatitis C, their insurance costs will go up as spending on medications for the virus nearly doubles this year, reported the Associated Press. Estimates from Medicare’s Office of the Chief Actuary place hepatitis C drug costs at $9.2 billion in 2015, a 96% increase from 2014, which accounts for nearly 7% of drug costs for all of the Part D program.
US Maternal Mortality Worsens Since 1990
What do the United States, North Korea, Zimbabwe, and Venezuela have in common? They are part of a small group of just 13 countries where the rate of maternal mortality in 2015 is worse than it was in 1990. Women in the United States are twice as likely to die from pregnancy or childbirth as they are in Canada, according to a new study from the United Nations and the World Bank. While the US is still far ahead of the target (140 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030), the average has slipped from 12 to 14 deaths per 100,000 live births, reported Reuters.
Real-World Study Reveals Key Insights into DLBCL Treatment Patterns, Outcomes
April 18th 2024A recent study offers valuable insights into the characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in patients across different lines of therapy, providing a look into the landscape of DLBCL management.
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Navigating Health Policy in an Election Year: Insights From Dr Dennis Scanlon
April 2nd 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with Dennis Scanlon, PhD, the editor in chief of The American Journal of Accountable Care®, about prior authorization, price transparency, the impact of health policy on the upcoming election, and more.
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Collecting SDOH Data Can Assess Risk of Medical Nonadherence, Improve HEI and Star Ratings
April 18th 2024At the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) 2024 annual meeting, a panel of presenters explored changes coming to Medicare that incorporate social determinants of health (SDOH) data to improve patient and health system outcomes.
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Exploring Medicare Advantage Prior Authorization Variations
March 26th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the March 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on variations in prior authorization use across Medicare Advantage plans.
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Prices for care at hospital trauma centers vary across hospitals; drug shortages reached a record high during the first quarter of 2024; although 3 of the biggest makers of asthma inhalers pledged to cap out-of-pocket costs for some US patients at $35, these do not apply to daily inhalers used by the youngest kids with asthma.
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Commonwealth Fund Report Details Pervasive Racial and Ethnic Disparities in US Health Care, Outcomes
April 18th 2024Using 25 health system performance indicators, the Commonwealth Fund 2024 State Health Disparities Report evaluated racial and ethnic disparities in health care and health outcomes both within and across US states and highlighted the urgent need for equitable health care policies and practices in the US.
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