Brooke McCormick

A small 5-year all-cause mortality risk increase among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using roflumilast was found in Germany and the US.

Compared with those without vitiligo, patients with vitiligo have higher health care access and utilization but report a lower quality of life.

Ty J. Gluckman, MD, FACC, FAHA, of Providence St. Joseph Health, emphasizes the need for better prevention of cardiovascular risks and discusses upcoming advances in glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) therapies.

Ian Neeland, MD, of University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve University, recommended a team-based, comprehensive approach to managing diabetes and its related complications.

Manisha Jhamb, MD, MPH, of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), is excited about CMS's negotiated drug prices under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) for patients with kidney disease; conversely, she highlights the challenge of low kidney disease awareness.

Ty J. Gluckman, MD, FACC, FAHA, of Providence St. Joseph Health, reacted positively to CMS' drug price cuts under the Inflation Reduction Act, but he also expressed concerns about the potential future impact on drug innovation.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telehealth nationwide, revealing significant benefits while also exposing ongoing challenges.

Researchers found low rates of patient involvement in first-line ovarian cancer treatment decisions in Europe and the US from 2017 to 2020 despite the increasing use of targeted therapies, like poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors.

Symptom-triggered testing via the fast-track pathway identified early-stage high-grade serous ovarian cancer in 1 in 4 women, potentially leading to better survival outcomes.

The accuracy of the cancer antigen (CA)–125 test in predicting ovarian cancer varies by ethnicity, primarily due to factors like age and comorbidities rather than ethnicity itself.

Eli Lilly has introduced discounted single-dose vials of tirzepatide (Zepbound) for self-pay patients with obesity to increase accessibility.

Alex Jahangir, MD, MMHC, of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, discusses innovative technologies to combat burnout and improve specialty care.

Kristen Whitney, DO, FAAD, dermatologist within the Allegheny Health Network, discusses advancements in dermoscopy, predicting that emerging technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) will improve dermatologists' efficiency in monitoring and diagnosing skin conditions.

PfizerForAll aims to help improve health care by offering telehealth services, prescription services, vaccination scheduling, and savings programs.

Katherine Baker, MD, MMHC, of Tennessee Oncology, highlights the need for physician-payer collaboration to tackle challenges and drive innovation in specialty care.

Fahad Tahir, MAS, MBA, FACHE, of Ascension St Thomas, discusses health system innovation and entrepreneurship, highlighting specialty care advancements and leadership strategies for fostering innovation.

Samyukta Mullangi, MD, MBA, of Tennessee Oncology and Thyme Care, discusses the future of specialty value-based care and how attendees can apply what they learned at the Institute for Value-Based Medicine event on August 22.

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the author of a study published in the August 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® that reviews the US obesity epidemic and discusses inadequate obesity management insurance coverage.

Most patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remain untreated after diagnosis, leading to frequent exacerbations.

Patients with vitiligo and psychosocial comorbidities face significantly higher overall health care utilization and costs, although their vitiligo-related expenditures remain similar to those without such comorbidities.

Some groups praised CMS after it announced the 10 negotiated Medicare drug prices while others criticized its potential impacts on drug competition and development.

Health plans can improve their Medicare Advantage Star Ratings by focusing on member relationships, ensuring proper documentation, grouping measures, staying updated with regulatory changes, and optimizing their strategy based on numerical targets.

Malnutrition significantly increases the 180-day hospital readmission rates among patients 65 years or older with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), highlighting the importance of monitoring and improving their nutritional status.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is associated with an increased risk of cervical cancer but not ovarian or endometrial cancers.

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we discuss strategies to improve 2025 Medicare Advantage Star ratings, especially for smaller plans, with Marge Ciancetta, the product manager of Cotiviti's Star Intelligence solution.

Patients with cardiometabolic diseases who follow an anti-inflammatory diet have better brain health and a lower risk of dementia.

The FDA has approved nemolizumab (Nemluvio; Galderma) to treat patients with prurigo nodularis based on successful phase III trials demonstrating significant reductions in itch and sleep disturbances.

Homebound beneficiaries of a national Medicare Advantage (MA) plan had higher health service use and mortality rates, highlighting the need for tailored care strategies for this population.

Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment has grown to 32.8 million in 2024, representing 54% of total Medicare spending, with significant variation in enrollment across states and counties.

Medicare Advantage beneficiaries with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who were invited to enroll in a program that reduced inhaler costs and provided medication management had higher inhaler adherence; however, there was no significant impact on exacerbations or overall health care spending.