April 26th 2024
The 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.
Getting to Know Dr Shauna Downs, Public Health Nutritionist
February 23rd 2024Shauna Downs, PhD, MS, is an associate professor in the Department of Health Behavior, Society, and Policy at the Rutgers School of Public Health. A former figure skater, her research now focuses on interventions to promote healthy and sustainable food choices and exploring how our changing climate, food systems, diet, and nutrition are inextricably linked.
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What We’re Reading: ACA Perception; FDA Blood Sugar Warning; AI and Physician Burnout
February 22nd 2024More than half of US adults have a favorable view of the Affordable Care Act (ACA); smartwatches and rings that claim to measure blood sugar levels without piercing the skin could be dangerous and should be avoided; many believe artificial intelligence (AI) could be the solution to physician burnout.
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What We’re Reading: Weight Loss Drug Coverage; COVID Vaccine Potential AEs; Shifting Medicaid Policy
February 20th 2024Insurers grapple with expanding overage for weight loss medications; a new analysis reveals a potential correlation between COVID-19 vaccinations and various adverse effects (AEs); reshaping Medicaid programs remains an ongoing debate about ensuring health care access.
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Health Equity and Access Weekly Roundup: February 17, 2024
February 17th 2024This week in health equity and access includes challenges for independent physicians due to Medicare cuts, inequities in access to State Health Insurance Assistance Program counseling, a study on patient experiences in national health plans, strategies for building trust in cancer care, and increasing breast cancer rates in young Black women.
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Part of the recent Medicare reimbursement cuts could be addressed in a spending package next month; Medicaid/Medicare dual eligibles are expected to generate big profits for health insurers; FDA sent warning letters to online vendors selling unapproved and misbranded versions of semaglutide and tirzepatide.
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What We’re Reading: Medicare Lawsuit Dismissed; COVID Isolation Guidelines; Millions Have Long COVID
February 13th 2024A ruling against Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America marks victory for efforts to lower health care costs; new guidelines align with flu and respiratory syncytial virus protocols; children and pregnant individuals are burdened with long-term health symptoms in the aftermath of COVID-19.
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Potential Inequities in Access to In-Person SHIP Counseling Services
The federal State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) provides counseling and education on Medicare coverage options. This article highlights potential inequities in in-person SHIP service access.
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Dr David Eagle: CMS Reimbursement Cuts Encourage Trend of Independent Physician Exodus
February 12th 2024Over the past 20 years, Medicare physician pay has plummeted by 26% when adjusted for inflation, while hospital reimbursement has surged by 70%, prompting over 100,000 doctors to abandon independent practice for hospital or corporate employment since 2019.
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A wave of drug supply chain problems would occur if the FDA pulled cough and cold medications containing the active ingredient phenylephrine from shelves; lawmakers in 19 states are considering bills allowing medically assisted death; tuberculosis awareness is lagging as state and local health departments lack the resources to keep up with prevention and control efforts.
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Part D Drug Spending Cap Could Save Money for 1.5 Million Medicare Beneficiaries Next Year
February 8th 2024A provision in the Inflation Reduction Act will implement a $2000 out-of-pocket cap on Medicare beneficiaries’ prescription drug spending, which could save money for more than 1 million enrollees when it takes effect next year.
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Medicare Value-Based Purchasing Program Yields Comparable 30-Day Mortality Rates Across Hospitals
February 5th 2024Although 30-day mortality rates did not worsen for Medicare beneficiaries at hospitals with high proportions of Black patients compared with other hospitals, gaps in outcomes widened for Black adults with pneumonia under the Medicare Value-Based Purchasing Program.
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Health Equity and Access Weekly Roundup: February 3, 2024
February 3rd 2024The Center on Health Equity and Access provides real-time updates, shares cutting-edge research, and supports continuous efforts dedicated to tackling health care disparities and enhancing widespread access to high-quality health services.
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Contributor: Navigating Health Equity in 2024: The Evolution of Accountability, Part 2
February 2nd 2024The article emphasizes the significance of accreditations in addressing health disparities and promoting health equity, highlighting programs for achieving accreditation and advocating for the integration of social determinants of health (SDOH) and health equity practices within pharmacy and health care.
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Bevey Miner: Unpacking the 21st Century Cures Act, the Role of Open Comment Periods
February 1st 2024Bevey Miner, executive vice president of health care strategy and policy, Consensus Cloud Solutions, discusses the complex landscape of proposed health care rules, and the potential impact of CMS' Advancing Interoperability and Prior Authorizations Rule.
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Older Adults in Traditional Medicare Spend Weeks Per Year on Health Care Contact Days
February 1st 2024Days spent obtaining health care outside the home may show access to needed care, but also add up to substantial time, effort, and cost burdens to patients and those who care for them, according to the study authors.
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UnitedHealthcare is incorporating real-world evidence into pathways design and policy formulation, leveraging its members' data to evaluate the impact of different regimens on health resource utilization and costs, explains Lucy Langer, MD, MSHS, national medical director of oncology and genomics at UnitedHealthcare.
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Drug Prices and OOP Costs Increased Beyond Inflation Rates 2009-2018, But Were Not Related
January 31st 2024Drug prices in the US increased 4.4% annually and median out-of-pocket (OOP) costs increased 9.6% annually from 2009 to 2018, but there was no direct link between these amounts for individual drugs.
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Health Discrepancies in Criminal Justice System Intrinsically Tied to Public Health
January 31st 2024Research on the state of health care, health outcomes, and health inequities in the criminal justice system continually advocates for structural-level reform and the recognition that carceral health issues are in fact public health issues.
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What We’re Reading: ADHD Medication Mix-Up; Surge in ACOs; Mifepristone Restrictions
January 30th 2024Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication packets are found with incorrect pills; CMS data reveal record numbers of providers and beneficiaries participating in accountable care organizations (ACOs); Supreme Court will hear arguments over FDA regulations on abortion medication in March.
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