Laura Joszt, MA

Most emergency department (ED) visits may not be as preventable as once thought. A new study in the International Journal for Quality in Health Care pointed out that while some estimates of "avoidable" ED visits have run anywhere between 4.8% and 90%, the reality is even lower.

The assumption in the United States is that once someone with cancer is cured, done with treatment, and healthy, that they are now okay. However, the reality is that survivors contend with lingering challenges that aren’t visible and make it difficult for them to ask for help or admit they need it.

Psoriasis severity has been linked to increased risk of death in a new study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. Researchers found that the risk of death increased for patients who had more surface area covered by psoriasis.

Despite trials showing that antitumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy is safe and effective to treat inflammatory diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis, but adherence rates remain low.

A once-daily treatment that lasts up to 16 hours post-dose for patients older than 13 years who have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is now available in the United States.

The FDA has approved the first chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) treatment, tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah), for the treatment of B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia in certain pediatric and young adult patients. The therapy represents a new frontier in cancer care.

Patients with heart failure tend to have other health issues, requiring cardiologists to understand how to care for heart failure while keeping in mind treatment for these other comorbidities, said panelists at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2017, held August 26-30 in Barcelona, Spain.

For each level of cardiovascular risk, lifestyle factors remain a significant contributor that can be modified to reduce risk. However, some risk will remain nonmodifiable and require therapy, according to panelists during a session on cardiovascular prevention at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2017, held August 26-30 in Barcelona, Spain.

Rivaroxaban plus aspirin has significant benefits for patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and stable coronary artery disease, according to the results of the COMPASS (Cardiovascular OutcoMes for People using Anticoagulation StrategieS) trial, presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2017, held August 26-30 in Barcelona, Spain.

A free-market system with competition should lead to reduced prices and savings-theoretically. In the case of healthcare, being able to shop around for the best priced service or product not only isn’t easy, but isn't always feasible.

Since taking office, President Donald Trump has toyed with the idea of eliminating the cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments to insurers under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Doing so would actually decrease the number of uninsured individuals starting in 2020, but would increase the federal deficit by $194 billion from 2017 through 2026, according to a new report released by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

Patrick Conway, MD, MSc, will leave his position as the deputy administrator for Innovation and Quality at CMS and the director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to lead Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC).

AJMC®TV interviews let you catch up with experts on what’s new and important about changes in healthcare. The interviews provide insights from key decision makers-from the clinician, to the health plan leader, to the regulator. When every minute in your day matters, AJMC®TV interviews keep you informed. You can access the video clips at ajmc.com/interviews.

After Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) returned to Congress last week after surgery and a brain tumor diagnosis, he called on his fellow senators to put aside partisan differences and work together on healthcare reform. In the House of Representatives, a bipartisan group is trying to do just that.

With Senator John McCain of Arizona joining with Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, Republicans were unable to pass the skinny repeal option.

The Senate voted mostly along party lines in support of the motion to proceed to debate a replacement for the Affordable Care Act. Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine were the only 2 Republicans who voted against the motion.

Many accountable care organizations participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program focus on disease control and medication use, but a new study published in JAMA Cardiology has found that the programs have not made any meaningful changes in medication use or adherence.

A review of past literature on topical corticosteroid phobia in atopic dermatitis sought to better understand a phenomenon that is a major factor in treatment failure.

In a study designed to identify the relevant cost per number needed to treat for the 2 biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs tocilizumab (TCZ) and abatacept, researchers determined that TCZ had a higher efficacy.

There are multiple factors that can affect how patients respond to treatment or how their health is maintained. One that is gaining more attention is how social interactions can benefit a person’s health.

With plans to repeal and simultaneously replace the Affordable Care Act derailed now that 4 Republican senators have announced they would oppose the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) is returning to an older plan: repeal and delay.

With 2 more Republicans announcing that they oppose the Senate healthcare bill, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) no longer has enough votes to pass the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017, which would repeal and replace parts of the Affordable Care Act.

Proposed change to the payment rate under the 340B program for certain Medicare Part B drugs would cut reimbursement rate in attempt to address rising drug costs.

An analysis of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) in healthy adults in the primary care setting found that 1 in 5 had a previously unrecognized variant associated with a rare disease, according to a study published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

From 2011 to 2014 the use of high-intensity statins following hospitalization for myocardial infarction (MI) increased progressively, according to a study published in Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Whipple’s disease (WD) is a rare disease that predominantly affects middle-aged white men, and its diagnosis is often delayed because it is misdiagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis. A new study in Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases aimed to describe clinical symptoms of WD and appropriate treatment.

On Thursday, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would reform medical malpractice by capping noneconomic damages at $250,000. Supporters say the reform would reduce frivolous claims and prevent doctors from practicing costly defensive medicine. Here’s a look at 5 aspects of medical malpractice in the United States.

With half a year behind us, The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®) is reflecting back on the journal articles published through all journals in the franchise over the first half of 2017. The topics of interest ranged from alternative payment models to yoga and all focused on providing better care and better outcomes for patients.

With the year 2017 halfway over, The American Journal of Managed Care® is looking back at the news of the first half of the year. Here we bring you the most read news stories, including conference coverage, a take on the new president’s first executive order, reimbursement challenges, and more.

Republican leaders in the Senate unveiled a long-awaited healthcare reform bill, called the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017, that will roll back the Affordable Care Act’s taxes and Medicaid expansion, although at a slower timeline than included in the House of Representatives’ American Health Care Act, which was passed on May 4 by a vote of 217-213.