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What We're Reading: No ACA Death Spiral; Goodbye MNsure; Direct-to-Consumer Drug Ads
Report: No “Death Spiral” for ACA
An analysis from Standard & Poor’s found that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) may be healthier than previously thought. According to The New York Times, the report found that not only are insurers likely to break even this year, but most could see small profits in 2018. There are now signs that the market will be manageable for most insurers and is not in a so-called “death spiral.” This news came the same week that Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Aetna said they would exit the Iowa exchange.
Minnesota Scraps State ACA Exchange
 Minnesota will move to the federally run health insurance exchange on January 1, 2019. A bill that passed the House would get rid of the state-run exchange, MNsure, which enrolled more than 100,000 Minnesotans this year, reported Post-Bulletin. With Minnesota moving to the federal exchange, there will only be 10 states and the District of Columbia still operating state-run exchanges under the ACA.
Curtailing Direct-to-Consumer Drug Ads
 America is one of just 2 developed countries that allow TV ads for prescription drugs, but that may change. According to STAT, Democrats want to make it less economically viable for companies to advertise directly to consumers, and Republicans may join the cause. The proposal being considered would force drug companies to pay taxes on advertising expenses–currently, they can write off those expenses.
Standard Criteria for Loss of Ambulation Needed in DMD
April 19th 2024A recent study suggests the differences between ambulation definitions for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) can impact the identification of ambulant vs nonambulant individuals, and standard criteria across settings are needed.
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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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An Overview of Health Care and Pharmaceutical Trends, 2023-2024
April 19th 2024Douglas M. Long, BA, MBA, was featured as the keynote speaker on the closing day of The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy 2024 annual meeting, with a session dedicated to surveying the health care and pharmaceutical trends of the last year.
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Drs Raymond Thertulien, Joseph Mikhael on Racial Disparities in Multiple Myeloma Care Access
December 28th 2023In the wake of the 2023 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition, Raymond Thertulien, MD, PhD, of Novant Health, and Joseph Mikhael, MD, MEd, FRCPC, FACP, chief medical officer of the International Myeloma Foundation, discussed health equity research highlights from the meeting and drivers of racial disparities in multiple myeloma outcomes.
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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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