AJMC Staff

Almost half of all Americans struggle to afford quality health care and prescription medications; the cyberattack on UnitedHealth Group's Change Healthcare unit will cost the company between $2.3 billion and $2.45 billion in 2024; CMS releases the final part 2 guidance for plan outreach and education for the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan.

Senate Democrats are meeting with Novo Nordisk executives to address the decision to stop selling a long-acting insulin in the country; research is attempting to prove the health benefits of new weight loss drugs beyond weight loss abilities in order to reimburse expensive medications; Vertex Pharmaceuticals is suing HHS over financial support of its gene-editing therapy.

Up to one-third of Americans have been affected by data stolen through the Change Healthcare cyberattack; research highlights potential cognitive and psychiatric benefits of semaglutide; over 40 Iowa hospitals have ended their labor and delivery services.

A small trial by investigators at the National Cancer Institute holds promise to bring personalized cell therapy into the solid tumor arena, after more than a decade of success in blood cancers.

Pfizer announced plans for a once-a-day weight-loss pill; toxic metals have been found in over a dozen popular tampon brands across the US; CMS proposed a new rules impacting telehealth in the Medicare physician fee schedule (PFS) for 2025.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is preparing a lawsuit against the 3 largest drug middlemen over their use of rebates for insulin and other drugs; Sen Bernie Sanders (I, Vermont) feels confident that Novo Nordisk will cut Ozempic and Wegovy costs after hearing; CMS proposed a payment rule that would increase Medicare reimbursement for hospital outpatient departments by 2.6% next year.

CMS recently launched a voluntary, nationwide dementia care program; the number of physicians who reported at least 1 symptom of burnout has dropped below 50% for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic; diabetes drugs have all been in short supply over the last 18 months, partly due to people using them off label for weight loss.

More patients achieve significant weight loss with tirzepatide; new data show significant increases in sexually transmitted disease (STD) diagnoses; many individuals in cardiology deserts are left at higher risk of dying from heart disease.

Researchers link vaccination and reduced asthma symptoms; providers warn against overburdening and security risks; insurers’ practices lead to questionable diagnoses

Medicare tightens rules after alleged $3 billion fraud scheme; new Alzheimer disease diagnostic criteria are causing controversy; loss of Medicaid is tied to struggles affording health care.

Insurers continue to raise consumer costs despite covering fewer drugs and having more drug coverage restrictions; the Biden Administration is investing hundreds of millions of dollars to train geriatricians; the Federal Trade Commission has opened an investigation into Teva Pharmaceuticals after the company refused to take down patents for its asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease inhalers.

Coverage from the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, held May 31 to June 4 in Chicago, Illinois.

Experts urge enhanced monitoring as avian influenza spreads beyond birds; emergency abortion access still in legal limbo; leaders call for federal probe into potential misuse of health insurance subsidies.

Heatwaves are causing unexpected surges in heat-related illnesses; the CDC recommends updated COVID-19 vaccines for all ages; prioritizing RSV vaccines for the highest-risk adults.

The use of Plan B fell by 60% in states that implemented near-total abortion bans after Roe v. Wade was overturned; the Biden administration will impose inflation penalties on 64 prescription drugs in the third quarter of 2024; the FDA recently released draft guidance to ensure that drug companies and medical device makers enroll more women and people of color in clinical trials.

The CDC issued a warning to doctors on Tuesday to look out for dengue cases amid a global surge; HHS has finalized disincentives to prevent health care organizations from unreasonably blocking the exchange of electronic health record (EHR) information; patients in some states, like West Virginia, cannot afford weight-loss medications due to the high costs and lack of insurance coverage.

Rising gun deaths and injuries call for safety measures and research; rise in cases linked to summer travel, gatherings, and emerging variants; a facility will become the largest life sciences investment in North Carolina history

A federal appeals court has ruled a key part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) unconstitutional, which allows a health task force to require insurers to cover preventive health measures without out-of-pocket costs; the FDA’s recent decision to authorize 4 menthol vaping products drew harsh criticism from pediatricians and antitobacco groups; rising health care prices are lowering American wages and causing job losses.

Change Healthcare will begin notifying individuals whose data may have been exposed when hackers disrupted the claims processing system; experts advocate for early diagnosis of gestational diabetes to mitigate risks for both mother and child; researchers worry that the slow rollout of bird flu tests may hinder outbreak detection and response.

Coverage of our peer-reviewed research and news reporting in the health care and mainstream press.

The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends that kids 6 years and older with a high body mass index receive intensive behavioral interventions; Amazon’s pharmacy unit is expanding eligibility for RxPass to patients enrolled in Medicare insurance plans; Sen Bernie Sanders (I, Vermont) is trying to lower the prices of popular antiobesity drugs.

The rate of uninsured Americans will rise to 8.9% over the next decade; Senator Bernie Sanders (I, Vermont) wants a government watchdog to investigate why women are still being charged for contraception considered free under federal law, and proposed Medicare Advantage Star Ratings target top performers.

Over $3 billion in payments were issued to health care providers and suppliers; a recent poll highlights growing demand to alleviate medical debt; preliminary data show a decrease in uninsured individuals since 2019.

Ageing with HIV comes with greater risks of other health complications; behavioral counseling programs for obesity are scare and often not covered by insurance; the surgeon general is calling for legislative action to protect youth when they interact with social media.

Bringing the bispecific T-cell engager into the frontline consolidation phase "redefines the standard of care" for patients with B-ALL, an investigator said.

The arrests of the founders of Done Global, a telehealth company that provides attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication to adults, for allegedly providing prescriptions to unqualified patients and defrauding the government have raised concerns about future access to these medications; US health care spending rose to $4.8 trillion in 2023; bipartisan legislation has been introduced to reform prior authorization with Medicare Advantage.

Coverage of our peer-reviewed research and news reporting in the health care and mainstream press.

Data on new treatments for chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) show significant symptom reduction very early during treatment.

FDA and the Department of Justice were criticized during a Senate hearing on the youth vaping crisis; a new COVID-19 vaccine promises easier storage and superior protection; the Supreme Court ruled to allow mifepristone to be mailed to patients without an in-person doctor’s visit.

Judge rules Florida's ban on gender-affirming care for minors unconstitutional; first consensus definition for long COVID aims to standardize diagnosis and care; pilot program for clinical trial diversity discontinued due to high cost and lack of impact.