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Clinical and policy decisions made using early trial results could be misguided, according to a study that found early results in chronic disease trials are often exaggerated compared with findings in subsequent trials.

A liberal think tank released a universal healthcare plan modeled on Medicare that would also preserve employer-based insurance coverage as an option for those who are satisfied with their current plans. The Center for American Progress (CAP) is calling its program “Medicare Extra for All” and said it would be available to everyone regardless of income, health status, age, or insurance status.

Cell-free DNA derived from liquid biopsy offers the potential for minimally invasive genome-wide profiling of tumor alterations without tumor biopsy and can predict patient survival outcomes for patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer, according to a team of researchers.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted 12-2 to return the injectable nasal spray flu vaccine FluMist to the CDC list of recommended vaccines; HHS Secretary Alex Azar suggested that action on drug prices could happen without Congress; drug overdose deaths fell in 14 states.

The FDA has tentatively approved Mylan’s New Drug Application for Dolutegravir, Emtricitabine, and Tenofovir Alafenamide Tablets, 50mg/200mg/25mg, for the treatment of HIV/AIDS, and the drug will be immediately available in developing countries as a first-line regimen.

African American patients and uninsured patients are more likely to have diminished employment participation 2 years after being cancer free than are those with no history of cancer, according to new research published in Cancer.

Medicaid became a leading payer for inpatient hospital stays among certain age groups between 2000 and 2015, a brief from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) recently reported. AHRQ’s Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Statistical Brief presents data on hospital inpatient stays from 2000 through 2015 by age group and primary payer.

CAR T-cell therapies tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah, Novartis) and axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta, Kite Pharma/Gilead) may come with hefty price tags, but the cost-effectiveness of both therapies fell below or within commonly cited thresholds of $50,000 to $150,000 per quality-adjusted life years, according to a report by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review.

Research analyzes the cost of processing healthcare bills; supermarket operator Albertsons will buy drugstore chain Rite Aid; a review of phase 1 clinical trials finds just 1 in 10 children with cancer see improvements.

Patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who have a sustained deep molecular response can maintain treatment-free remission for at least 48 weeks after using second-line nilotinib, according to a new study published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Integrating nonmedical social services with medical services is necessary for the United States healthcare system to address unmet social needs, according to a case study published in Health Affairs.

In response to Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter's executive order allowing Idaho insurers to offer insurance plans that do not comply with the Affordable Care Act, Blue Cross Idaho introduced Freedom Blue, 5 individual health insurance plans.

In Kentucky, Medicaid enrollees now facing a work requirement will experience barriers that limit their ability to reach the requisite 80 hours’ worth of “community engagement” activities or document exemptions including low educational attainment, health limitations, and a lack of access to a vehicle and the internet.

The Trump administration on Tuesday proposed extending the time period that Americans can stay in short-term, limited-duration insurance plans from 3 months to 12 months. The administration claims that the proposed changes are intended to provide affordable coverage options for individuals and families that cannot afford premiums for policies that meet the full requirements set by the Affordable Care Act, such as 10 essential health benefits and other care.

Anthem says that most cataract surgeries can be conducted without an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist involved; the GOP-controlled House of Delegates in Virginia will support the expansion of Medicaid, but their plan will also include work requirements; the federal government has released an interim final rule for the Common Rule that governs the processes of conducting medical research, including protection for human subjects involved in research.

Adults with serious mental illnesses are at high risk of developing chronic diseases, resulting in shortened lifespans. Patient self-directed and provider-supported approaches significantly increase patient activation in care, engagement in primary and specialty care, and perceived mental health status among patients with serious mental health issues, according to new research.

Long-term use of inhaled corticosteroids, which are widely used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, are associated with an increased risk of fractures, according to a new study in CHEST.

In the aftermath of the mass shooting at a Florida high school last week that killed 17 students and adults, 6 medical organizations are calling on President Trump and Congress to treat gun violence as a national public health epidemic amid a press report that attitudes are loosening on Capitol Hill about putting more research money into the issue.

A survey of healthcare executives finds that ongoing issues with interoperability are holding back the transition to value-based reimbursement mechanisms. Humana's Chief Medical Officer, Roy A. Beveridge, MD, said the healthcare system must demand the same level of seamlessness seen in the banking industry.

Cancer survivors may be able to manage the extreme fatigue they experience after treatment by knowingly taking a placebo pill, according to researchers at University of Alabama at Birmingham and Harvard Medical School.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) recently asked CMS to delay the application deadline for its new bundled payment model by about a month so that additional programmatic information can be communicated to healthcare providers, systems, and clinicians. The AHA asked for the new information to be released by March 1 and for the program’s application deadline to be delayed from March 12 to April 16.

On a humanitarian mission to Puerto Rico, Adam Sharp, MD, learned that to improve health, the essentials of food, housing, and water must be available and should be prioritized over medications, surgeries, and therapies.

Burdened by high prescription drug costs, states are looking northward to Canada; more hands-on nursing care can help fight hospital-acquired pneumonia; and doctors should talk to teens about contraceptive options.

Among high-, middle-, and low-income countries, more than 1 in 10 patients who had gastrointestinal surgeries worldwide resulted in a surgical site infection within 30 days of the operation, according to a study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

Drug maker Vertex has announced that the FDA has approved tezacaftor/ivacaftor and ivacaftor (Symdeko) for the treatment of the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis (CF) in patients aged 12 or older who have 2 copies of the F508del mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene, or who have at least 1 genetic mutation that is responsive to treatment with tezacaftor/ivacaftor.

The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends against screening for ovarian cancer in asymptomatic women who are not known to have a high-risk hereditary cancer syndrome because evidence shows that screening does not reduce ovarian cancer mortality.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare disease, but it's getting less rare. Study results presented at the American Academy of Dermatology 2018 Annual Meeting found that cases of MCC increased 95% between 2000 and 2013

A new protocol is being tested at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center called an ECPR alert. The alert is designed for usage after ventricular fibrillation has been administered 3 times and the patient has remained in this rhythm.

Anthem said that it was adjusting its policy on paying for emergency department (ED) visits, but some advocates and healthcare associations said Friday the changes by the insurer don’t go far enough. In addition, lawmakers in the Missouri House and Senate will consider legislation that would require a board-certified emergency physician to review the patient’s medical history regarding the ED visit before sending a bill, according to a published report.

As the conversation surrounding healthcare spending in the United States persists, topics such as drug prices, increased annual spending, and government funding stay at the forefront. Here are 5 things about healthcare spending that are being currently discussed and addressed.