Growth in Government Managed Care a Major Feature of Aetna, Humana Merger
July 6th 2015Aetna's purchase of Humana would create a managed care company with $115 billion in revenues, of which 56% would be from government business. In addition, the combined company would have the largest enrollment of members on public exchanges, with 1.7 million members.
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As Managed Care Embraces Telehealth, Medicare Slower to Change
June 23rd 2015Concern from Congress about the potential cost of widespread use has kept telehealth from expanding in traditional Medicare. But things are starting to change as ACOs gain the ability to use telehealth, and rule changes allow its use for mental health and other services.
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JAMA Authors Report Two-Thirds of US Adults Are Overweight or Obese
June 22nd 2015The authors analyzed data from 2007 to 2012 to report their findings. They say that population health efforts must go beyond screenings for chronic conditions associated with overweight and obesity and identify those at normal weight in danger of weight gain.
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Missouri Mental Health Advocate Not Optimistic About Medicaid Managed Care
June 19th 2015The discussion about managed care comes as lawmakers continue to ignore pleas to expand Medicaid to 191,000 uninsured residents in Missouri. A White House report released earlier this month made a case for expansion but was largely ignored by expansion opponents.
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California Auditor Slams Medi-Cal for Poor Access; Advocates Cite Shift to Managed Care
June 17th 2015The findings of inadequate access to providers and outdated information were no surprise to healthcare advocates. Many of the issues are addressed in a giant proposed rule issued by CMS in late May.
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Exploring the New Rules of Patient Engagement: AJMC's ACO and EHDC Spring 2015 Live Meeting
June 12th 2015As accountable care organizations (ACOs) work to deliver population health, patient satisfaction, and cost savings, the need to engage patients as partners in their own healthcare has never been greater. The ACO and Emerging Healthcare Delivery Coalition convened April 30-May 1, 2015, at the historic Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, California, to explore ways to make patients the starting points of healthcare, not just its recipients.
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ELIXA Trial Results Find No Cardiac Risk, Benefit for Lixisenatide
June 9th 2015Results are the first from a cardiovascular safety trial in the GLP-1 agonist class. A commentator at the 75th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association asked whether the FDA-mandated studies are giving physicians the right information.
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Sitagliptin Does Not Cause Adverse Cardiovascular Effects, TECOS Trial Finds
June 9th 2015The long-awaited results, presented Monday at the 75th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association, are expected to strengthen sitagliptin's position against its competitors in the DPP-4 inhibitor class.
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ITCA 650 Results Point to "Transformational" Method to Deal With Poor Adherence in Type 2 Diabetes
June 9th 2015In a packed session at the 75th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association, the lead investigator told attendees how a matchstick-size device delivered exenatide, producing lower blood glucose levels.
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Real-World Data on Canagliflozin in Managed Care Setting Presented at ADA
June 8th 2015Patients who received canagliflozin from their health plan showed significant A1C improvement, even though the study group had poor glycemic control despite treatment with multiple therapies. The study period covered the months immediately following FDA approval.
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Two Diet Studies, Two Approaches to Finding Keys to Weight Loss, Reduced Risk Factors
June 7th 2015Studies presented at the 2015 American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions take different approaches on what percentage of carbohydrates should be part of a diet for persons with type 2 diabetes.
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5-Year Follow-up After Lifestyle Intervention Examines Cardiovascular Effects of Keeping Weight Off
June 7th 2015Osama Hamdy, MD, PhD, and other researchers at Joslin Diabetes Center showed that patients with obesity and diabetes who lost at least 7% of their weight the first year stood a better chance of keeping it off.
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Session on Population Management Highlights Shift Toward Value-Based Models in Diabetes Care
June 6th 2015Just as diabetes care started the movement toward population management, it is leading the way to new payment models, according to speakers who appeared at a symposium to open the 75th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association.
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