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With the increasing emergence of less expensive biologic alternatives, some health systems are making the switch. For a large healthcare system, the arrival of a cheaper alternative to filgrastim prompted the conversion to using tbo-filgrastim as the preferrred granulocyte-colony stimulating factor. The results were shared in a study published by the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy.

This week, the top managed care news included a new proposal from CMS that insurers warn will cause confusion; a new review examines the prevalence and cost of chronic conditions in Medicaid; and a study finds 42% of all new US cancer cases in 2014 were due to potentially modifiable exposures.

Coverage of our peer-reviewed research and news reporting in the healthcare and mainstream press.

A growing number of clinicians specializing in nursing home care indicates the beginning of a new trend in healthcare, but the impact of these new specialists on outcomes remains unclear.

Flu season in North America is off to an early start; exercising regularly might not offset a generally sedentary lifestyle; short-term health plans are being packaged to circumvent Obamacare restrictions.

Records show that in 2016, there was an average of 1 healthcare data breach per day, and consumers are responding to these reports.

The gap between patients and technology can be overcome with workforce ready to handle innovation and communicate value to patients.

Scaling back the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement model and canceling an expansion proposed under the Obama administration represents a shift in philosophy from mandatory to voluntary bundled payment models. But some say that commercial payers and employers will demand change no matter what CMS does.

A recent study indicates that parents are able to take high-quality photos of their child's skin condition to send to a dermatologist for an accurate diagnosis.

Alex Azar faces skepticism regarding his ability to regulate drug prices given his past employment; Kellyanne Conway is named America's opioid czar; a study finds childhood trauma can have a generational impact.

Liver and endometrial cancer accounted for high numbers of new cases; increases of these cancer types have been attributed to rising rates of diabetes and obesity.

The immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab has demonstrated manageable side effects and durable antitumor activity in patients with heavily pretreated, advanced esophageal cancer. The immunotherapy drug results, released from the KEYNOTE-028 trial, showed an overall response rate of 30%.

After a year-long process, Shawnee Mission Health (SMH) is now a certified member of the MD Anderson Cancer Network, the top ranked cancer center in the US. The 2 will work together to raise the standard of cancer care in the Kansas City metropolitan community through patient-centered care.

Analysis of the results from an early phase multicenter study have found that while ipilimumab is safe in women with metastatic or recurrent cervical cancer, it did not improve patient response to treatment.

In an interview with The American Journal of Managed Care®, Kashyap Patel, MD, Carolina Blood and Cancer Care, discussed risk factors that contribute to the development of neutropenia, how to minimize the risk of development, the effects of neutropenia, and what he recommends to patients who have been treated for the condition.

Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to identify people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder from patients without the condition, according to a new study.

While African Americans are 3 times more likely than Caucasians to be diagnosed with multiple myeloma (MM)—and twice as likely to die of the disease—they are underrepresented in MM disease research.

A meta-analysis finds a connection between atopic dermatitis and occupational hand eczema.

A look at the millions of tax filers who chose the penalty over insurance coverage; the cost of unnecessary or excessively expensive medical care; Takeda begins the first Zika vaccine trial.

High prevalence of chronic conditions has been a key driver of healthcare costs in the United States, and Medicaid beneficiaries tend to have higher rates of chronic diseases than people not on Medicaid.

Health insurers warned that giving states the ability to define their own essential health benefits will confuse consumers and undermine the insurance markets.

Physical activity, even of a low-intensity, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease in older adults, according to a study published in The European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Although the authors found similar associations for individuals under age 55 and individuals aged 55-65, the results were not statistically significant.

A newly published study finds that oral glucocorticoid use has decreased over time, with both reduced initiation and increased cessation of treatment with these drugs.

A study published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians found that 42% of all incident cancer cases in US adults age 30 years or older in 2014 were attributable to potentially modifiable exposures. Exposures included smoking, alcohol intake, physical inactivity, and low fiber intake.

New skinny plans cause confusion in the healthcare marketplace; the health risks associated with frequent travel need to be studied more; a doctor lacking computer skills loses license to practice.

Patients are significantly overestimating the pain they will feel after surgery, indicating that providers can do a better job of educating patients on what they can expect.

A study published in JAMA Oncology found that a significant number of patients newly diagnosed with cancer have had a prior cancer. The prevalence differed among age group and incident cancer type.

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Board of Governors approved $57 million to support 14 new comparative clinical effectiveness research studies, including studies on dementia, prostate cancer, and anxiety disorders.