Laura Joszt, MA

A new rule from the Trump administration finalizes ability for small businesses and self-employed individuals to band together to purchase health insurance that is less expensive and does not have to fully comply with the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

An investigational drug has prolonged survival in patients with a rare and deadly form of acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

At the Accountable Care Delivery Congress, speakers discussed ways to address social determinants of health, use payment mechanisms as levers, and forge connections through technology.

A new approach using gene editing technology could allow chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells to target CD33 in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) but prevent the cells from attacking healthy stem cells, too.

At its annual meeting, the American Medical Association's (AMA) House of Delegates voted to adopt new policies on a wide range of issues, including its stance on lockout provisions in Medicaid, how to achieve health equity, providing access to evidence-based substance use disorder treatment, and more.

A stem cell mutation that leads to bacterial translocation may help identify patients at risk of developing leukemia.

Healthcare organizations have sent a letter to HHS, urging it to count physician participation in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans toward participation criteria for the Advanced Alternative Payment Model track of the Quality Payment Program.

With few Americans receiving all the preventive services recommended for them, efforts across the full delivery system are needed to increase the use of preventive services, according to a paper published in Health Affairs.

A study of baseline characteristics and spending of hospitals participating in Medicare's voluntary and mandatory orthopedic bundled programs found that there were few differences, indicating that mandatory programs could engage more hospitals that otherwise would not have participated in voluntary programs.

The interim analysis of the phase 3 A.R.R.O.W. trial found that once-weekly carfilzomib at 70 mg/m2 had superior progression-free survival and overall response rates compared with twice-weekly carfilzomib at 27 mg/m2.

An experimental drug for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with mutations in the gene encoding isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) was found to be safe with durable remissions.

Two abstracts presented at the International Society of Pharmacoeconomic and Outcomes Research Annual International Meeting highlighted patient experiences in blood cancers. One highlighted the worries of patients with acute myeloid leukemia, and the other analyzed economic burdens and resource utilization for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Exercise and healthy eating can have substantial impacts on reducing the risk of or managing serious chronic health conditions. However, in order to see the benefits of these health-protective behaviors, patients need to perform them consistently.

Erenumab is the first calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitor to be approved by the FDA for the prevention of migraine. The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review assessed the comparative effectiveness and value of erenumab with 2 other CGRP inhibitors that are still under FDA review.

Two study abstracts presented at the International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research Annual International Meeting look at the cost burden of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). One analyzed the lifetime cost of relapsed/refractory DLBCL, including third-line and subsequent treatments, and the other examined how being diagnosed with DBLCL can increase the cost burden of chronic conditions among Medicare beneficiaries.

An analysis of the 4 years of the Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative found slowed growth in emergency department visits, but no significant changes in Medicare spending or claims-based quality of care.

Without data, research on efforts, and an understanding of the local resources, addressing social determinants of health in a meaningful way won’t be possible.

A new study analyzed the burden of multiple myeloma around the world, as well as access to effective treatments. From 1990 to 2016, incident cases and deaths from the disease have grown substantially.

From 2000 to 2016, there have been improvements healthcare access and quality improvements around the world, but in some countries, progress has slowed or stalled, and disparities between countries remained similar.

As part of a settlement with the Department of Justice, Pfizer will pay the government nearly $24 million to resolve kickback allegations; both blue and red states worry association health plans could become targets for scam artists; a prototype of a swallowable sensor that can send results to a smartphone app will provide a peek into the digestive system.

Analysis of patient-reported outcomes found patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia who were treated with inotuzumab ozogamicin reported better quality of life, functioning, and symptom scores compared with patients receiving standard-of-care chemotherapies.

As new treatments come to market that have a substantial impact on diseases, or even cure them, the healthcare system is facing the challenge of how to value these treatments. A panel of experts highlighted what evidence there needs to be, methods of valuing therapies, and the ethical implications of having cures.

Posters presented at the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) 23rd Annual International Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, highlighted healthcare costs for patients with treatment-resistant depression, off-label drug use in children with depressive disorder, and incidence of depression in patients diagnosed with late-stage cancer.

A phase III randomized trial, with results being presented in June at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, found the addition of nelarabine to standard chemotherapy regimen in patients with T-cell malignancies can improve disease-free survival rates.

While technology continues to improve, healthcare has not always been quick to keep up with changes. Panelists at The American Journal of Managed Care®’s Accountable Care Delivery Congress highlight the ways their organizations are using technology to improve care.

So far, the move to accountable care has been promising, but more needs to be done to encourage providers into risk, said panelists at The American Journal of Managed Care®’s Accountable Care Delivery Congress.

Employers may be intimidated by the idea of purchasing healthcare, but they are getting more involved in it and they are in a position to transform the market and promote value-based care, said Suzanne Delbanco, PhD, MPH, executive director of Catalyst for Payment Reform, during her keynote at The American Journal of Managed Care®’s Accountable Care Delivery Congress.

Since its inception, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) has implemented 37 models testing healthcare delivery and payment reform. A new Goverment Accountability Office assessment found that CMMI has partially met goals for performance targets.

Surveys collected as part of the Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index found that the uninsured rate increased significantly in 17 states from 2016 to 2017. At the same time, no states reported statistically significant decreases in the uninsured rate. This is the first time since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act that states have reported increases in the uninsured rate.

The FDA has approved daratumumab in combination with bortezomib, melphalan, and prednisone to treat patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant.