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What We're Reading: Md. Takes Aim at Drug Prices; Molina Healthcare Breach; Treating Addicts
New Maryland Law Targets Drug Prices
A new law in Maryland represents the first of its kind to target steep price increases for generic drugs. According to The Wall Street Journal, the law not only prohibits “unconscionable” price hikes, but allows the state to sue companies to roll back some increases. The Republican governor expressed concern with the bill because of its vague definition of price gouging, but he allowed it to become law without his signature.
Potential Data Breach at Molina Healthcare
Molina Healthcare is investigating a potential data breach, but at this time is unsure how many patient records may have been exposed. In response to the potential breach, the insurer shut down its online patient portal, reported California Healthline. The potential breach involves a security vulnerability that exposed patient medical claims without any authentication—by changing a single number in the website address of an online medical claim, anyone could view another patient’s claims. The company covers 4.8 million lives in 12 states, plus Puerto Rico.
Getting Rich Off of Addiction Treatment
A new article from STAT highlights how brokers profit from recruiting addicts to drug rehab centers. These brokers arrange for young addicts from the Northeast and Midwest to get treatment in Florida, and in return earn tens of thousands of dollars a year. Unfortunately, according to law enforcement, these treatment centers often provide few services and sometimes are run by people with no expertise in drug addiction treatment.
CMS' 340B Repayment Proposal May Harm Vulnerable Hospitals, Reward Those With Higher Revenues
April 26th 2024The 340B hospitals not receiving an offsetting lump-sum payment from CMS following 2018-2022 cuts later ruled unlawful are disproportionately rural, publicly owned, and nonacademic, according to a new study.
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Examining Low-Value Cancer Care Trends Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
April 25th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the April 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on the rates of low-value cancer care services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Empowering Community Health Through Wellness and Faith
April 23rd 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. In the third episode, Camille Clarke-Smith, EdD, MS, CHES, CPT, discusses approaching community health holistically through spiritual and community engagement.
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Kaiser Permanente was hit by a data breach in mid-April, impacting 13.4 million health plan members; GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) sued Pfizer and BioNTech for allegedly infringing on its messenger RNA technology patents in the companies’ COVID-19 vaccines; the CDC announced the first-known HIV cases transmitted via cosmetic injections.
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