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Tennessee is set to become the first state to transition its Medicaid program to a block grant; a federal judge has blocked cuts to Medicare rates for 340B hospitals but did not grant permanent injunction; Senator Elizabeth Warren has unviled a plan to combat the opioid epidemic that would spend $100 billion over 10 years.

The number of patients requiring first-line chemotherapy is expected to increase by more than 50% from 2018 to 2040, and in order to deliver optimal treatment, a significant increase in the chemotherapy workforce is needed.

An analysis of adoption of and adherence to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines in the primary care setting unearthed disappointing results, finding suboptimal use of pulmonary function tests, no routine use of validated symptoms scales for diagnosis, and variation in pharmacotherapy.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed a "heartbeat" abortion bill into law as legal battles over abortion continue across the nation; a new CDC study found that most pregnancy-related deaths could be prevented; lawyers of former NFL players are fighting a rule that limited retired players to attending physicians within 150 miles of their homes for dementia diagnoses.

The Trump administration on Wednesday announced a final rule requiring drug manufacturers to disclose drug prices in television ads for drugs covered by Medicare or Medicaid if the wholesale acquisition cost is $35 or more for a month’s supply.

According to Willis Towers Watson’s Health Care Access and Delivery Survey, a growing number of employers have implemented new strategies to provide their employees with increased access to high-quality, convenient, and affordable healthcare.

Bisphosphonates, which are used to treat osteoporosis and prevent fractures, are increasingly being used more effectively in a population more likely to benefit, according to results presented at ENDO 2019, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting.

Witnesses appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee discussed the need to maintain innovation for new drug discoveries while ensuring patients have access to treatments for chronic diseases as well as potentially curative therapies. In addition, Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, raised the idea of giving the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) more authority to cut through patent thickets; his office said later he will propose a bill doing just that.

Researchers from the University of Buffalo surveyed pharmacist students, finding high awareness of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and generally positive attitudes towards it. However, the survey also revelaed gaps in knowledge, highlighting the need for more education.

Rates of low birth weight and premature birth are higher in the United States than most other developed nations, and these factors are believed to contribute to nearly 36% of infant mortality. A recent study sought to evaluate whether Medicaid expansion was associated with changes in rates of low birth weight and preterm outcomes, both overall and by race/ethnicity.

The use of the circulating tumor DNA workflow demonstrated a proof of concept for this system of guiding treatment in the most common form of ovarian cancer.

Federal prosecutors have reached a $17 million settlement with Acadia after Medicaid fraud allegations; rates of heart failure–related deaths are on the rise among adults between 35 and 64 years old; the FDA has asked manufacturers of sunscreen to review the safety of the chemicals used in their products after a new study found that many of the ingredients in sunscreen may be absorbed into the bloodstream upon use.

The FDA approved Pfizer’s transthyretin stabilizer tafamidis, the first treatment for cardiomyopathy of wild-type or hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis (ATTR-CM), a rare, incurable disease. Pfizer will sell the oral drugs under the names Vyndaqel and Vyndamax.

The FDA has shut down a program that concealed medical device records for over 2 decades; more than 1000 Ebola-related deaths in 2 trading cities have been reported; Germany considers fining parents of school-age children who are not vaccinated for measles.

Patients with cancer who receive high doses of bisphosphonates, used to treat bone cancer, can experience jaw damage. New preclinical research published in Bone Science Direct could prevent these patients from experiencing this loss of jawbone tissue after routine oral surgery.

Older patients who are improperly diagnosed may not gain access to insulin and delivery and monitoring tools, such as pumps or continuous glucose monitoring.

Psoriasis might increase the risk of migraine, according to a recently published study, which theorized that the link involves inflammatory processes.

A recent review examined the current evidence regarding risk factors, molecular characterization, and treatment options for myeloproliferative neoplasms.

During World Health Care Congress 2019, healthcare stakeholders from around the globe convened to discuss all things healthcare, ranging from Medicare for All to social determinants of health.

According to a recent study, patients with common lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung fibrosis are significantly more likely to develop cardiovascular disease.

While most people with employer-sponsored insurance were satisfied with their coverage and used positive words to describe their health plan, people with low incomes, chronic conditions, or high deductibles faced healthcare affordability challenges.

According to the FDA, there is not enough data to ban sales of textured breast implants that have been associated with a rare cancer.

A recent study found that younger patients with migraine had greater cerebrovascular reactivity impairment in the posterior cerebral artery, which could lead to an increased risk of stroke.

Parkinson disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder found in the elderly, currently affecting an estimated 2% of individuals 60 years or older. PD is a multifactorial disease in which both environmental and genetic factors are significantly associated with disease onset. Although symptoms of the disease may present with a tremor or perhaps a speech problem, by the time the symptoms are evident, it is often too late to stop the progression of the disease.

This week, the top managed care news included CMS Administrator Seema Verma calling for more disruption to the healthcare system; former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, reflecting on the agency’s record of innovation; liraglutide demonstrating promise for youth with type 2 diabetes.

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

Insys Therapeutics’ founder and 4 executives have been found guilty for participating in a scheme that bribed doctors to prescribe its addictive painkiller and misled insurers to pay for the drug; the FDA has approved the first vaccine against dengue fever with some restrictions; Senator Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, has released a $100 billion to combat addiction and improve mental health care.

The venture should help Amgen make use of new FDA guidance allowing broader use of real-world evidence to speed approval of oncology drugs to market.

A randomized controlled trial found that patients hospitalized for an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive poulmonary disease (COPD) experienced reduced rates of treatment failure when adding azithromycin to their standard of care.