What We're Reading: 7 Insurers Allegedly Discriminate Against Patients With HIV
October 18th 2016What we're reading, October 18, 2016: Pfizer's Remicade biosimilar set to launch in late November; HHS receives allegations that 7 insurers are discriminating against patients with HIV; and most staff changes in the Department of Veterans Affairs are just manager moves.
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What We're Reading: Insurer Troubles Mean ACA Coverage Could Shrink in 2017
October 17th 2016What we're reading, October 17, 2016: more than 1 million Americans will lose their current Obamacare plan; physicians grow increasingly frustrated over insurance trends; and how overactive bladder disorder could benefit from less drug treatments.
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What We're Reading: Bernie Sanders Supports California's Drug Price Control Measure
October 14th 2016What we’re reading, October 14, 2016: Senator Bernie Sanders will speak in support of a California bill that would require the state to pay less for prescription drugs; HHS reaches out to consumers ahead of open enrollment period; and CDC warns that contaminated heart surgery devices could cause severe infections.
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What We're Reading: Awaiting Alzheimer's Drug Clinical Trial Results
October 13th 2016What we’re reading, October 13, 2016: researchers, Alzheimer’s patients, and their families anxiously await the results of a clinical trial that could help slow the disease’s progress; many breast cancers detected by mammograms are overtreated even though they likely would not be fatal on their own; stock prices fall for Humana and Cigna as CMS says a minority of their patients are in plans rated 4 stars or higher.
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What We're Reading: Limiting Use of Fentanyl, the Drug Fueling the Opioid Epidemic
October 12th 2016What we're reading, October 12, 2016: a US senator calls for a limit to prescription fentanyl; healthcare costs aren't skyrocketing, despite claims; IBM's Watson will identify cancer treatment and clinical trials for IBM employees.
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What We're Reading: Tying Medical Organization Recommendations to Insurance Coverage
October 11th 2016What we're reading, October 11, 2016: USPSTF recommendations maybe shouldn't be tied to insurance coverage; growing dispute over homeopathy research; and the harm of pharmaceutical companies' copay assistant programs.
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What We're Reading: Anthem Will Not Cover First Drug Approved for Duchenne
October 10th 2016What we're reading, October 10, 2016: Anthem will not cover Exondys 51, the first drug approved for treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy; big soda has sponsored 96 health and medical groups; and new Illinois program seeks to fill care gaps for working poor.
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What We're Reading: Customers Sue UnitedHealth for Overcharging on Drugs
October 6th 2016What we're reading, October, 6, 2016: UnitedHealth is sued for allegedly overcharging on prescription drugs; the Obama administration could point consumers to remaining insurance options as insurers leave the Affordable Care Act exchanges; and human life spans may have it a ceiling.
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What We're Reading: US Healthcare System Ranked 50th of 55 in Efficiency
October 4th 2016What we’re reading, October 4, 2016: US healthcare system is the 50th most efficient out of 55; health agencies will spend Zika funds on vaccine trials and local prevention efforts; Americans have little confidence in their healthcare decisions as 69% say they are confused by terminology.
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What We're Reading: Is There a Future for the ACA?
October 3rd 2016What we're reading, October 3, 2016: President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act will have to change to survive; pharmacy benefit managers getting blamed for rising drug prices; and veterans could go without health insurance because states won't expand Medicaid.
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What We're Reading: Treasury Lost Funds in Favor of ACA Insurers
September 30th 2016What we're reading, September 30, 2016: HHS prioritized payments to Obamacare insurers over the Treasury; the CDC is concerned flu vaccinations may be down; and UnitedHealth Group and University of California come together for new partnership.
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What We're Reading: Senate Passes Government Budget Bill With Zika Virus Funding
September 29th 2016What we're reading, September 29, 2016: as part of the bill to prevent a government shutdown, the Senate has finally approved Zika virus funding; electronic health record breaches skyrocketed from 2014 to 2015; and California passes "right to try" law for terminally ill patients.
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What We're Reading: New Company Helps Fight Medical Bills
September 28th 2016What we're reading, September 28, 2016: a new company will help people fight their medical bills; prescription drug monitoring programs may not be helping the opioid crisis; and why banning pay-for-delay deals may not help to lower costs.
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What We're Reading: Panel Recommends Expanding Preventive Services for Women
September 27th 2016What we're reading, September 27, 2016: a panel of experts recommends expanding preventive services for women with no cost sharing; BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee is exiting 3 Obamacare exchanges; and Pfizer will not split into 2 companies.
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What We're Reading: Physician Bias Leads to Worse Care for Obese Patients
September 26th 2016What we're reading, September 26, 2016: the obesity rate in America has been rising steadily, but the health system is ill equipped to treat these patients; the pros and cons of mail-order medications; and barring recipients of federal funding from preventing money from going to Planned Parenthood.
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What We're Reading: California Commissioner Wants to Try a Public Option
September 23rd 2016What we're reading, September 23, 2016: California's insurance commissioner wants to try a public option; Valeant avoids double-digit price hikes with 9.9% increases; maker of Suboxone being sued by 35 states and the District of Columbia for keeping generics off the market.
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What We're Reading: New Bill Would Cap Out-of-Pocket Spending for Medicare
September 22nd 2016What we're reading, September 22, 2016: a new bill would cap out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries; world leaders agreed to a global effort to curb the spread of superbugs; and Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, MD, will donate $3 billion over 10 years to cure disease.
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What We're Reading: Law Implementing Late Fees in Missouri Medicaid in Limbo
September 21st 2016What we're reading, September 21, 2016: Missouri law to charge Medicaid patients for missed doctor's appointments is in limbo; generic drugs' potential to bring down costs; fitness trackers cause people to lose less weight.
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What We're Reading: CDC Reports Rising Use of Powerful Antibiotics
September 20th 2016What we're reading, September 20, 2016: CDC reports widespread use of powerful antibiotics in hospitals; Gilead Sciences is backing advocates who want states to pay for expensive drugs; and Zika travel advisory lifted in 1 Florida zone.
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What We're Reading: Government Wants Clinical Trial Findings More Widely Available
September 19th 2016What we're reading, September 19, 2016: the government update rules on reporting clinical trial findings; hospitals say they aren't receiving discounts for Valeant's heart drugs; and the FDA approved the first treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
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