Laura Joszt, MA

Two abstracts at the 2019 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting analyzed bone metastases in cancer.

Long-term use of ozanimod may be associated with improved cognitive speed and higher rates of no evidence of disease activity among patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to 2 new abstracts presented at the 33rd Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers.

Creating a healthcare system that prioritizes a well-informed consumer and rewards improvements in quality requires overhauling the current system. Through a series of programs and initiatives, CMS, under Administrator Seema Verma’s leadership, is trying to fix some of the issues that plague the current US health system and make accessing care challenging for patients.

Testing for minimal residual disease (MRD) is increasingly being used in patients with cancer because deep MRD negativity is associated with better outcomes for patients and MRD status can help make decisions regarding treatment. Two abstracts presented at the 2019 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting validated use of MRD testing in the real world and found it was cost-effective.

Patients who switched from ozanimod HCI 0.5 mg or interferon β-1a to ozanimod HCI 1.0 mg in an open-label extension study experienced sustained reduction in their annualized relapse rate. Patients who continued on with the 1.0 mg dose also experienced a sustained reduction.

Spanish researchers have identified 3 biomarkers, including minimal residual disease negativity, that can help define those elderly patients with multiple myeloma (MM) who are likely to achieve long-term disease control.

New research has identified how bone cells subdue cancer cells that have reached the bone so that the cancer cells remain dormant for decades. The finding may help researchers develop new treatments to prevent or treat metastatic disease and put cancer cells to sleep permanently.

Patients with ovarian cancer are undertested for the presence of mutations that could help guide healthcare decisions, according to research published in Journal of Clinical Oncology.

A study of readmission rates by primary care providers (PCPs) finds a lack of variation and calls into question implementing pay-for-performance programs that incentivize or penalize PCPs for readmissions.

Multifraction radiotherapy is standard to treat pain in patients with bone metastases that are mostly not in their spine, but new research has shown that single-fraction stereotactic body radiotherapy had higher rates of overall pain response and better local disease control.

Deductible Relief Day, the day when enrollees will, on average, have spent enough on healthcare to hit the average deductible in an employer plan, will be May 19 this year, far later in the year than a decade ago when it was March 18.

In oncology, precision medicine is already well established with targeted therapies approved based on the patient’s genetic makeup or genetic variants of their tumor, and using precision medicine successfully means also using diagnostics and next-generation sequencing (NGS). Last year, CMS finalized coverage of NGS tests, which are to be used to identify patients that may benefit the most from approved treatments. And it looks like other payers may be following CMS’ lead.

Adults with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) who are treated with ozanimod have less gray matter volume loss than patients treated with interferon, according to a post hoc analysis from the phase 3 RADIANCE Part B trial. The research was presented at the 2019 American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting.

Mental health disorders are rising in prevalence around the world and will cost the global economy $16 trillion by 2030. Here are 5 things about mental health during Mental Health Month this May.

Programs that address chronic conditions have the potential to improve employee satisfaction, reduce costs, and improve employee health, said speakers at the Midwest Business Group on Health’s 39th Annual Conference, held May 8-9 in Chicago, Illinois.

Hospital prices of privately insured patients are more than twice the price that Medicare pays, according to a new report from RAND and supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National Institute for Health Care Reform, the Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis, and participating employers.

Trust is crucial when employers are trying to have successful healthcare programs and engage employees to change behaviors, said panelists at the Midwest Business Group on Health’s 39th Annual Conference, held May 8-9 in Chicago, Illinois.

As the United States debates the feasibility and benefits or harms of a single-payer system, the important thing is to have a fact-based discussion and to ask questions, Jan Berger, MD, JD, chief executive officer of Health Intelligence Partners and medical director of the Midwest Business Group on Health (MBGH), said during a session at MBGH’s 39th Annual Conference, held May 8-9 in Chicago, Illinois.

Bisphosphonates, which are used to treat osteoporosis and prevent fractures, are increasingly being used more effectively in a population more likely to benefit, according to results presented at ENDO 2019, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting.

Healthcare is very comfortable with treating a disease, but it’s not as good with handling cures. However, the advent of gene therapy and precision medicine means more and more expensive cures are coming down the pipeline, said panelists on the last day of Asembia’s 15th annual Specialty Pharmacy Summit, held April 29 to May 2 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Patients with cancer who receive high doses of bisphosphonates, used to treat bone cancer, can experience jaw damage. New preclinical research published in Bone Science Direct could prevent these patients from experiencing this loss of jawbone tissue after routine oral surgery.

While most people with employer-sponsored insurance were satisfied with their coverage and used positive words to describe their health plan, people with low incomes, chronic conditions, or high deductibles faced healthcare affordability challenges.

Out-of-pocket (OOP) costs remain a problem, and even patients who are receiving co-pay assistance worry about these expenses. Unfortunately, charitable foundations that provide financial assistance are under increasing strain as demand rises, with funds running out of money quickly, explained Ayesha Azam, senior director of medical affairs, Patient Access Network Foundation.

Analyses of real-world data have broadened the understanding of multiple sclerosis (MS) and provided a snapshot into patient conditions and healthcare costs in the years leading up to and the years after an MS diagnosis, explained Bruce Pyenson, FSA, MAAA, Principal, Consulting Actuary, Milliman, Inc, during a session highlighting findings of a recent Milliman white paper at Asembia’s 15th annual Specialty Pharmacy Summit, held April 29 to May 2 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

During a session at Asembia’s 15th annual Specialty Pharmacy Summit, Greg Simon, president, Biden Cancer Initiative, outlined commitments that came out of the Cancer Moonshot, the work of the Biden Cancer Initiative, and ongoing challenges that patients with cancer face.

During his keynote speech at Asembia’s 15th annual Specialty Pharmacy Summit, Scott Gottlieb, MD, reflected on governing principles he learned during his time as FDA commissioner, highlighted secular trends for which FDA wrote modern rules, and outlined ongoing reimbursement challenges. He even discussed the likelihood of some form of Medicare for All passing.

A policy from the Trump administration to benefit patients and alleviate the high cost of prescription drugs would eliminate rebates from pharmaceutical companies to pharmacy benefit managers. However, there is still a lot of uncertainty around the rule. Two speakers from Deloitte Consulting LLP outlined what models are expected to result from the changes to rebates and how they will affect various stakeholders in healthcare.

In a session at Asembia's 15th annual Specialty Pharmacy Summit, held April 29 to May 2 in Las Vegas, speakers highlighted a pilot program to gather and use real-world evidence to compare outcomes at 7 large academic medical centers for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and malignant melanoma.

As the number of health system specialty pharmacies grows, and they become more complex, they have a role to play in integrating at the point of care to collect data and drive value-based care, said panelists at Asembia's 15th annual Specialty Pharmacy Summit.

Transforming a practice to become proactive in delivering care, rather than reactive, will be crucial in improving patient care and reducing costs, said Thomas Graf, MD, president, Ascension Medical Group, at the spring session of the National Association of Accountable Care Organizations, held April 24-26 in Baltimore, Maryland.