Sen. Bernie Sanders Vows to Introduce Single-Payer Health Plan
In the wake of the American Health Care Act (AHCA)’s failure, Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, told CNN he plans to introduce a “Medicare-for-all” single-payer health plan in Congress, Politico reported. Sanders was optimistic that he could muster bipartisan support for the plan, in part because it could lower prescription drug prices, which has been a goal of President Donald J. Trump. Sanders also voiced satisfaction that the AHCA, which he called “a disastrous piece of legislation,” had been withdrawn by Republicans.
HHS Inspector General to Investigate Freeze of HealthCare.gov Enrollment Ads
The decision by the Trump administration to pull ads for insurance enrollment on HealthCare.gov will be investigated by the office of the HHS inspector general, Modern Healthcare reported. The office sent a letter announcing its intended “fact-finding review” to Senators Patty Murray, D-Washington, and Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, on Friday. After the advertising freeze was announced in late January, the administration later said it would allow the use of social media and e-mails to promote the open enrollment period, but most TV commercials were canceled, which may have played a part in the reduced number of sign-ups.
Maryland Lawmakers Unite to Speed Up Opioid Bill Passage
Legislators in Maryland are putting political affiliation aside as they race against the clock to pass a package of laws aimed at fighting the opioid epidemic before the legislative session ends in 2 weeks, according to the Washington Post. The bills include measures that would establish new treatment centers across the state, require public schools to have overdose-reversal drugs accessible, and provide a yearly boost to the state’s reimbursement rates for substance abuse clinics, among other provisions. Governor Larry Hogan has also proposed legislation that would enforce longer sentences for fentanyl dealers and require physicians to adhere to prescribing guidelines.
Study Links COVID-19 Pandemic to Rise in Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Ovarian Cancer in US
April 17th 2024There was greater use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy among US patients with ovarian cancer (OC) during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce potential COVID-19 exposure and cancer treatment-related complications.
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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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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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Study Highlights Disparities in Access to In-Network Mental Health Care vs Medical Care
April 17th 2024While health plans often employ reimbursement rates as a tool to incentivize provider participation within their networks, study results showed reimbursement rates for office visits with medical/surgical clinicians were on average 22% higher than behavioral health clinicians.
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