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Bimekizumab-bkzx, the Newest Psoriasis Treatment, Is Now Available

Bimekizumab-bkzx (Bimzelx) is the first dual interleukin 17A (IL-17A) and interleukin 17F (IL-17F) inhibitor to treat moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. It launches with a list price of $7200 per syringe.

Changes in Opioid Marketing Practices After Release of the CDC Guidelines

After the CDC guidelines’ release, total opioid marketing spending and encounters per physician decreased, but spending per encounter subsequently increased.

TeleConnect: Digitally Connecting Physicians Across the Health Care System

TeleConnect introduces the concept of connecting primary care physicians and specialists by leveraging technology. Improving communication in a health care system betters patient care.

Impact of Functional Recovery on Patients Having Heart Surgery

This article describes the positive impact that actively managing functional recovery has on postacute placement for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery.

Rewriting the Rules on Multiple Myeloma Resistance: Ajai Chari, MD

Ajai Chari, MD, unpacks resistance mechanisms, treatment sequencing, and why myeloma’s future may be brighter than anyone predicted.

Measuring Continuity of Care for Diabetes: Which Visits to Include?

This study examined how inclusion of different provider specialties affected Continuity of Care Index values, year-to-year stability, and association with emergency department visits.

Accountable Care Organizations and HPV Vaccine Uptake: A Multilevel Analysis

The authors evaluated whether adolescents receiving care at accountable care organizations (ACOs) vs non-ACOs were more likely to initiate and complete the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination series.

Evaluating Alternative Methods of Comparing Antihypertensive Treatment Intensity

Medication dose captures modification of hypertension treatment intensity more precisely than medication count, and this measure should be preferred in studies that aim to improve hypertension management.

Safety vs Price in the Generic Drug Market: Metformin

The generic drug market focuses on price. However, multiple generic metformin drugs have been recalled due to poor drug quality. The authors examine price and quality after these recalls.

Non–Face-to-Face Care Management and Service Utilization in Patients With Diabetes

CMS began reimbursement for non–face-to-face chronic care management in 2015, and results from Louisiana show that it increases outpatient visits but decreases inpatient and emergency department encounters.

First-Time Medicare Advantage Enrollees Demonstrate Increasing Demographic and Clinical Diversity

As Medicare Advantage grows, first-time enrollees demonstrate increasing demographic and clinical diversity, indicating that benefits should be designed to reflect the population’s changing composition.

Journey to Anticoagulant Access Following Payer Rejection of Apixaban

Formulary restrictions can create treatment barriers for patients with atrial fibrillation, including unnecessary delays in treatment and prescription abandonment, with vulnerable populations at greater risk.

The Cost of Implementing and Sustaining the Massachusetts Model

This article presents a microcosting analysis of resources needed for the implementation and sustainment of the Massachusetts model evaluated in the PROUD trial.

Patient Experience After Modifying Visit Delivery During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was associated with immediate weekly visit trend decreases for overall, primary care, and specialty care with long-term recovery trends; transformation to virtual visits; and increasing long-term trends for meeting patient scheduling and visit needs.

Planning for the Future of Population Health: The Johns Hopkins Medicine Experience

Johns Hopkins Medicine underwent a reorganization of its population health services, with a new structure, set of priorities, and development of a 3-year strategic plan.

Social Needs Screening and Supplemental Benefits in Medicare Advantage

The authors describe Medicare Advantage plans that screen for and provide supplemental benefits addressing social needs and explore how these benefits meet communities’ social needs.

Stripped of Fucose, Powerful Monoclonal Antibody Shows Promising Results in MDS Dosing Study

Nicole Grieselhuber, MD, PhD, of The Ohio State University, discusses results from Part D of a dosing study involving patients with previously untreated higher-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) who were treated with a combination of SEA-CD70 and azacitidine.

Pharmacist-Led Review of Empagliflozin and Ertugliflozin Following Formulary Update

Management of empagliflozin and ertugliflozin may be suboptimal following an insurance carrier’s formulary updates. Pharmacists may improve the management.

Refining a Diagnostic Code List to Investigate Low-Acuity Utilization by Veterans

The authors updated a diagnosis list to identify low-acuity emergency department visits by veterans and applied it to examine trends and predictors of veterans’ low-acuity utilization.

Treating Depression to Prevent Dementia

According to new research, treating depression in older adults could decrease risk of dementia by 51%.

The Cost of Implementing and Sustaining the Massachusetts Model

This article presents a microcosting analysis of resources needed for the implementation and sustainment of the Massachusetts model evaluated in the PROUD trial.

The Implementation of Opioid Prescribing Report Cards in Medicaid Managed Care: A Community Quality Collaborative

This article describes the Philadelphia Medicaid Opioid Prescribing Initiative that was launched by a multidisciplinary team and mailed local Medicaid providers individualized prescribing report cards.

Contributor: Congress Must Do More to Cover Nonopioid Alternatives

Preventing addiction is key to ending the opioid epidemic—2020 alone saw more than 93,000 overdose deaths—as are expanding access to treatment, promoting recovery, and building a multifaceted strategy that incorporates nonopioid alternative and their coverage by providers. Although appropriate in certain situations, opioids are not a one-size-fits-all approach.

Experience Incentivizing Reduction of Racial and Ethnic Disparities in a Medicaid Hospital Quality Incentive Program

Construction of a composite measure, use of a summary disparity statistic, and measure selection are key considerations in the design of equity-focused payment programs.

Preventive Care: Vaccines Matter

A database of information about more than 30,000 patients verified improved morbidity and mortality due to vaccines and preventive health care in prospective trials.

Disparities in Physician Access for Rheumatology, Dermatology, and Gastroenterology: A Systematic Review

This article presents a systematic review of US health care disparities in physician specialist access across rheumatology, dermatology, and gastroenterology and a call to action.

Investigators Advocate for Ongoing Comparison of Cancer Outcomes Among MA, FFS Beneficiaries

Galen Shearn-Nance, BS, and Johnie Rose, MD, PhD, of Case Western Reserve University, acknowledge key limitations of their study and prioritize areas for further research.

Primary Care Video and Telephone Telemedicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Treatment and Follow-up Health Care Utilization

Telephone visits may offer a simple and convenient option to address patient primary care needs without raising safety concerns.

Geographical Variation in Kidney Function Testing and Associations With Health Care Costs Among Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease and Type 2 Diabetes

Appropriate ED Utilization Leading to Better Care Coordination

Addressing avoidable emergency department (ED) utilization takes interventions in partnership with providers.