Christina Mattina

Despite concerns that an influx of newly insured patients from the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act could make it more difficult for new patients to get a primary care appointment, availability remained stable for privately insured patients and actually increased for Medicaid beneficiaries.

Clinical guidelines suggest that adequate physical activity after an acute coronary syndrome event is a key component of preventing reoccurrence, but a recent study found disappointingly low levels of compliance with these recommendations.

A study of 3 low-cost pill reminder devices found that their use did not meaningfully increase medication adherence among the patients who had received them.

A recent cost-effectiveness analysis of 4 colorectal cancer screening initiatives found that some strategies may be more valuable than others in reducing screening disparities.

A new Kaiser Health Tracking Poll that asked Americans their opinion on the future of the US healthcare system found the country is deeply divided, but not only on questions of health policy. Americans also have widely varying feelings on which media sources they can trust for healthcare news — if they can trust any at all.

A study of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease worldwide found that higher self-reported symptom burden was associated with more severe impairment of work and activities, as well as increased utilization of healthcare services.

Patients treated by primary care providers with a high volume of patients experienced worse management of their disease. However, if a physician specifically treated a higher number of diabetics, the quality of the diabetes care received by patients was significantly higher.

Over 65,000 ineligible providers have been culled from the Medicaid program due to a component of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that requires periodic recertification of eligibility.

At the 5th annual Patient-Centered Oncology Care® meeting, stakeholders shared their views on how bundled payments, clinical pathways, and other value-based approaches can be implemented in cancer care while ensuring adequate care quality.

Panelists from diverse vantage points in the cancer care landscape discussed the effects of cost sharing on patients in a discussion at the 5th annual Patient-Centered Oncology Care® meeting.

A recent literature review, examining evidence on lifestyle changes that can reduce the risk of recurrence or death for women diagnosed with breast cancer, found that exercise can reduce the risk of both outcomes.

A popular strategy to help stem the tide of opioid-related deaths has been the implementation of laws that expand access to naloxone, the drug that halts and reverses overdoses. A recent paper has found that these laws did in fact save lives.

Critical access hospitals in rural areas continue to be threatened by unsustainable operating costs, but a recent blog post on Health Affairs proposed an innovative solution to ensure access to care persists in these areas: freestanding emergency centers.

At the 5th annual Patient-Centered Oncology Care® meeting, Nell Wood Buhlman of Press Ganey explained that oncology providers must focus on patient needs and minimize suffering in order to truly provide value in cancer care.

Bruce A. Feinberg, DO, moderated a panel at the 5th annual Patient-Centered Oncology Care® meeting that brought stakeholders together to share their cancer care predictions for the upcoming year.

Adverse events from cancer clinical trials are currently reported by trial investigators, but a recent feasibility study found that patients can successfully and accurately report their own symptoms if given the opportunity.

New research indicates that Medicare patients were more likely to continue using opioid painkillers a year after a visit to the emergency department if they had been treated there by a physician that frequently prescribes opioids.

Weill Cornell Medicine and Boehringer Ingelheim have announced a collaboration that will investigate novel approaches to treating chronic respiratory disease.

A study in Diabetes Care examined the effects of high-deductible health plans on healthcare utilization for diabetes patients with varying incomes.

A look at Seema Verma’s approach to reforming healthcare policy, and what it could mean for Medicare and Medicaid if she is confirmed as CMS administrator.

Following similar actions by Cigna and Anthem, Aetna has announced it will do away with requirements that force doctors to get approval from the insurer before prescribing medications to treat opioid addiction.

A study of breast cancer survivors’ cognitive performance before and after chemotherapy sheds light on the problem of cancer-related cognitive impairment.

The Senate Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a hearing today to discuss mental health treatments and services, as witnesses discussed the progress they had seen and further steps needed to solve the crisis.

Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act may have helped reduce the rates of an unromantic phenomenon: medical divorce.

The legislature is expected to give final passage to the nation's strictest treatment mandates and a 5-day cap on the initial opioid prescription. Governor Chris Christie's plan has met little resistance, even though the cost is unknown.

A program linking elderly cancer patients to lay navigators was shown to substantially reduce costs and decrease hospitalizations, making it an appealing tool for providing value-based oncology care.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has conducted numerous initiatives in hopes of preventing hospital readmissions, but a recently proposed project would examine ways to achieve this goal with a focus on the primary care setting.

Community health records have the potential to transform the way stakeholders work to improve health at the community level by aggregating local data on the social and physical determinants of health, according to a recent commentary in the American Journal of Public Health.

Children’s National Health System has announced the formation of the Children’s National Rare Disease Institute to advance the care of children and adults with rare genetic diseases.

A study assessed the effectiveness of a support intervention delivered by community health workers in the homes of low-income diabetics and found that it may have improved outcomes for those with poor glycemic control.