CBO Won’t Fully Score Latest Repeal Effort Before Vote
With just 12 days to vote on a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act before reconciliation rules expire, the Senate likely won’t see a full assessment of the Cassidy-Graham bill. According to Politico, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) will only have a “bare-bones” assessment that will include basic budgetary estimates. However, there will not be enough time for the CBO to estimate coverage implications of the bill or effects on insurance premiums. Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) has already announced he will not vote for the bill, which means Senate Republicans can only afford to lose 1 more vote and still pass the bill.
Grading the World’s Health
Progress on global health in 18 indicators has been great, according to a report card from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The report assessed progress on indicators including infant mortality, AIDS, vaccine use, smoking rates, and more. While there has been progress, the Gateses warn that donor fatigue could become an issue, and that deep cuts in global aid from the United States cannot be covered by other countries and private charities. The report card, called Goalkeepers, was 3 years in the making and will be issued annually.
Call for Nonaddictive Pain Medications
A meeting between the White House opioid commission and pharmaceutical companies has led to an agreement on a way to combat the opioid addiction epidemic. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who chairs the commission, announced that drug makers will work to develop nonaddictive pain medications and treatments to deal with opioid addiction, reported AP. While there is agreement that nonaddictive medications should be created, there is no timeline for when they might reach market.
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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Gene and Cell Therapies Hold Potential—but How Can Payers Manage Their Costs?
April 18th 2024Presenters at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) 2024 annual meeting discussed the current promise and future potential of gene and cell therapies, as well as payer management strategies for these costly treatments.
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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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