Brooke is an associate editor for The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®). She joined AJMC in 2023, where she produces written content covering multiple disease states.
She has a BA in journalism from Seton Hall University. You can connect with Brooke on LinkedIn.
Disparities Persist Among Minority Children Despite Telemental Health Surge During Pandemic
Despite a surge in telemental health use after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, minority racial/ethnic group children had lower utilization rates than White children, according to Xin Hu, PhD, MSPH.
Ruxolitinib Cream Shows Long-Term Safety in AD, Potential for PN Treatment
Two posters presented at the 2025 American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting reaffirmed the impact of ruxolitinib cream (Opzelura; Incyte) in atopic dermatitis (AD), while late-breaking research highlighted its potential efficacy in prurigo nodularis (PN).
Shaping Dermatology's Future by Increasing Access, Data, and Advocacy
Thy N. Huynh, MD, FAAD, Bruce A. Brod, MHCI, MD, FAAD, and Melissa Piliang, MD, FAAD, discussed expanding access to pediatric dermatology, dermatology data aggregation, and advocacy for Medicare physician payment reform, respectively.
Navigating Future Public Health Emergencies With Pandemic Lessons on Ovarian Cancer
Optimizing telehealth during public health emergencies to minimize in-person appointments puts less burden on patients and may lead to better outcomes, according to Chun Chao, PhD, MS, of Kaiser Permanente Southern California.
Higher UTI Risk After Spinal Fusion in Patients With Certain Comorbidities
A study investigated the incidence of postoperative urinary tract infections (UTIs) in patients undergoing spinal fusion for deformities, finding that patients with more than 12 levels fused had the highest UTI rates.
Further Research Into Medicare Advantage Upcoding, Documentation Accuracy Needed
Andrew S. Oseran, MD, MBA, MSc, hypothesizes that higher Medicare Advantage (MA) risk scores may result from either a more accurate capture of beneficiaries' comorbidities or inappropriate "upcoding" of conditions.
Chronic Condition Prevalence Similar in Medicare Advantage, Traditional Medicare Beneficiaries
The excess payments Medicare Advantage plans receive for higher risk scores may be more influenced by differences in coding practices rather than actual differences in disease burden between MA and fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries, according to Andrew, S. Oseran, MD, MBA, MSc, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Unpacking Medicare Advantage Criticism With Dr Andrew S. Oseran
Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, with fixed payments based on medical complexity, incentivize aggressive coding of comorbidities, potentially inflating costs for the federal government, according to Andrew S. Oseran, MD, MBA, MSc, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Enhancing Diversity, Addressing Racial Disparities in Psoriatic Arthritis Research
Although her recent study acknowledges potential differences between White and non-White patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), Rebecca Haberman, MD, NYU Langone Health, emphasizes the need for further research to understand what these differences are and why they occur.
5 Key Health Care Moments During President Trump's First Month Back in Office
President Donald J. Trump pushed for significant health care changes during his first month back in office, through executive orders affecting managed care, drug pricing, and clinical trial diversity guidance.
Clinical Insights, Strategies for Delivering Equitable Psoriatic Arthritis Care
Recognizing psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in non-White patients is the first step toward providing more equitable care for those of all backgrounds with PsA, according to Rebecca Haberman, MD, of NYU Langone Health.
Ovarian Cancer Outcomes Linked to Preoperative Immunonutritional Status
In patients with early-stage ovarian cancer, a high prognostic nutritional index improved survival, while a high systemic immune-inflammation index worsened it. In advanced stages, both affected overall survival but not progression-free survival.