Data from menstrual tracking apps may be used against people in certain states if Roe v Wade is overturned; 100 million Americans, including 41% of adults, have health care debt; Express Scripts reported results of its program to lower diabetes-related costs.
The Wall Street Journal published a guide to the privacy implications of menstrual tracking apps if Roe v Wade is overturned. According to the guide, while the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act may protect information shared between health care providers and patients, they do not necessarily protect information submitted to applications. Further, legal experts say prosecutors may be able to use data from menstrual tracking apps against the users in areas where laws criminalize undergoing or aiding in an abortion. The Wall Street Journal suggested users review their app’s privacy policy to better understand how their personal data is being used.
An investigation by Kaiser Health News and NPR found that 100 million Americans have health care debt, including 41% of adults. A poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation revealed that a quarter of adults in the United States who have health care debt owe more than $5000, and a fifth said they don’t expect to ever be able to pay it off. The poll also showed that more than half of adults reported medical and dental bills as the cause of these high levels of debt in the past 5 years. Most people in debt added that they have put off health care needs due to the cost, and 1 in 7 have been denied access to a hospital, doctor, or other provider due to their unpaid bills.
Express Scripts said its Patient Assurance program for diabetes costs increased adherence and savings for patients, according to a statement. The 2020 program started with insulin and then expanded to include dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists, and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors. Insulin is capped at $25 for a 30-day supply. In 2021, program members with type 2 diabetes improved medication adherence by 2.5% overall, and by 5.7% for those with a household income of less than $50,000. Members also had collective savings of $42.7 million among 220,000 patients. Program members also had their total diabetes-related costs decrease by 50.5% when enrolled.
Research Shows Prior Authorization Denials Delay Critical Immunology Care
May 10th 2024Results featured at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy 2024 annual meeting revealed a pattern of prior authorization rejections that could delay necessary therapeutic treatments for various patient groups.
Read More
Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity: Urban Health Outreach
May 9th 2024In the series debut episode of "Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity," Mary Sligh, CRNP, and Chelsea Chappars, of Allegheny Health Network, explain how the Urban Health Outreach program aims to improve health equity for individuals experiencing homelessness.
Listen
Looking Back on ISPOR 2024: Hot Policy Topics, Welcome Focus on Employers, and More
May 10th 2024Kimberly Westrich, MA, chief strategy officer of the National Pharmaceutical Council, reflects on the most valuable learnings from the 2024 meeting of ISPOR—The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research, including lively discussions of the Inflation Reduction Act and workshops on value assessment.
Read More
CMS Medicare Final Rule: Advancing Benefits, Competition, and Consumer Protection
May 7th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with Karen Iapoce, senior director of government products and programs at ZeOmega, about the recent CMS final rule on Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage.
Listen
Patients With Advanced, Recurrent Melanoma May Experience Lasting AEs From ICM Therapy
May 9th 2024A cross-sectional, mixed-methods study found that adverse effects (AEs) can occur even after 1 year of treatment with immune checkpoint modulator (ICM) therapy in patients with melanoma.
Read More