Express Scripts Will Lose Its Biggest Customer
Anthem is unlikely to continue contracting with Express Scripts after its current contract expires at the end of 2019. The Wall Street Journal reported that at this time there is no reason why Anthem will end the partnership, but last year the insurer sued Express Scripts for allegedly violating its contract and charging excessive prices. Express Scripts has handled Anthem’s pharmacy services since 2009.
Opioid Deaths May Be Underreported
The opioid epidemic already has the nation’s attention, but the situation may be worse than initially thought. Some deaths caused by opioids may be misreported since the painkillers can cause people to be more susceptible to infections, reported NBC News. Research into unexplained deaths in Minnesota has found that deaths reported as being caused by pneumonia or other infectious diseases may actually have been caused by opioid abuse.
Keeping Seniors Who Live Alone Safe
Hundreds of police agencies across the country are taking it upon themselves to check on the safety of senior citizens living alone. According to The Washington Post, telephone check-in programs are a fairly inexpensive way to check on seniors who live alone. The call asks seniors to press a button if they are ok; if they don’t answer the phone after multiple attempts, an emergency contact is called. Programs like these are increasingly important with the senior population growing in the United States and nearly half of women aged 75 or older living alone.
Health Equity Adjustments in Medicare HVBP Program Will Benefit Safety Net Hospitals, Study Says
March 29th 2024Medicare’s upcoming health equity adjustment in the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) program will reduce disproportionate penalization among safety net hospitals and those serving high proportions of Black patients, according to a recent study.
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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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Navigating Health Literacy, Social Determinants, and Discrimination in National Health Plans
February 13th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the February 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on how health plans can screen for health literacy, social determinants of health, and perceived health care discrimination.
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FDA Approves Ravulizumab-cwvz for Rare Autoimmune Disease
March 28th 2024Ravulizumab-cwvz (Ultomiris) received a label expansion by the FDA for the treatment of adult neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder in patients with anti–aquaporin-4 antibodies after trials results showed it could prevent relapses.
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