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A CDC report said that, overall, fentanyl continues to drive drug overdose deaths, but in almost half of the country, methamphetamine is the leading killer; backers of Medicaid expansion in Oklahoma said they submitted more than enough signatures to get the measure on the ballot in 2020; the Federal Trade Commission is suing publishers of "The Doctor's Guide to Reversing Diabetes in 28 Days" on the grounds that they are falsely promising a cure without dietary changes or exercise and stating that those changes will make diabetes worse.

This week, the top managed care news included the average Affordable Care Act premiums falling 4%; the FDA approving a triple combination treatment for cystic fibrosis; House Republicans releasing part 1 of their healthcare plan.

Insufficient sleep among 2 adolescent groups aged 6-12 and 13-17 was linked with decreased childhood flourishing, a measurement of behavioral and social well-being that affects school performance, as well as, physical and mental health, according to a study to be presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics 2019 National Conference & Exhibition in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Two employers, Candace Shaffer from Purdue University and Natalie Roberts from Monarch Beverage Company, discuss in a fall webinar series how they have used the RAND Transparency findings to drive referrals.

The advantage of empagliflozin, and the sodium glucose cotransporter 2 class generally, is that its unique mechanism expels excess glucose through the urine, thus offering the possibility of reducing glucose variability—eliminating the “roller coaster” effect that many with type 1 diabetes experience that can cause long-term microvascular damage.

A recent study identified the pretransplant characteristics contributing to delayed engraftment (DE) following autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT).

The FDA proposed new warnings on breast implants, requiring manufacturers to detail complications; Arizona suspends implementation of Medicaid work requirements; Amgen will lower the list price of evolocumab by 60%.

With increasing awareness of genetic testing and advancements in precision medicine, more patients are seeking counsel from clinicians about what steps they should take if mutations are found. This requires physicians to become more informed, and a recent article discusses the hypothetical case of an Ashkenazi Jewish woman with breast cancer.

Serum neurofilament light chain is associated with brain atrophy and disability worsening, which means it can be used as an objective surrogate of ongoing disease activity in multiple sclerosis (MS), according to research published in JAMA Neurology.

Republicans in the House of Representatives released their healthcare plan aimed at replacing the Affordable Care Act; Johnson & Johnson’s chief executive officer said in a deposition earlier this month that the company’s baby powder was free of asbestos 13 days before the FDA announced it had discovered the carcinogen in a container of the product; the House Ways and Means Committee will discuss a bill to to tax vape products at the same rate as cigarettes.

Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), whether or not they had experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI), were more likely to experience rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder than veterans without TBI or PTSD, according to the findings of a new study.

Pairing a cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor with fulvestrant significantly improved overall survival (OS) for women with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced breast cancer, according to 2 abstracts presented at the European Society of Medical Oncology 2019 Congress.

Innovaccer, a healthcare data activation company, released its state of the union report, which provides an analysis of multiple payment modes speculating care delivery for the 2020s and discusses trends in value-based payment models.

Fremanezumab was shown to clinically improve headache-related disability outcomes in patients with either chronic or episodic migraines and reported inadequate response to 2 to 4 classes of migraine preventative medications, according to a study presented at the 144th Annual Meeting of the American Neurological Association.

Student sick days are being expanded in some states to include mental health; vaped THC remains understudied due to its distinction as a controlled substance; drug company Biogen seeks approval for Alzheimer's treatment.

HHS Secretary Alex Azar said his messaging about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will be simple if the federal 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, in a decision that is expected any day now, sides with the administration in Texas vs Azar in finding the 2010 landmark health law unconstitutional. “Keep calm and carry on,” he said, as he and CMS Administrator Seema Verma released information about 2020 ACA premiums and health plan choices.

Millennials and Generation Z consumers are driving significant change in the US healthcare system.

Researchers have identified a group of genetic variants related to the starting point of Parkinson disease.

The FDA approved the triple combination of elexacaftor, ivacaftor, and tezacaftor, to be sold under the name Trikafta, as a novel treatment among patients with the most common cystic fibrosis mutation.

A Colorado-based company, SonderMind, seeks to take on the financial risk associated with reimbursement for mental healthcare so that therapists will be more willing to see patients using their insurance coverage.

An August study reveals that a school-based human papillomavirus (HPV) immunization program attributed to a dramatic reduction of cervical precancer rates among women living in British Columbia, Canada.

A recent study illustrated the benefits of tildrakizumab for patients with psoriasis with comorbid metabolic syndrome.

People who are former smokers or who smoke fewer than 5 cigarettes a day were shown to have long-term damage to their lungs, which can increase the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to a study.

While targeted testing for HIV has helped more individuals to be diagnosed and treated, the CDC recommends routine, universal HIV screening for all individuals aged 13 years to 64 years as a way to reach populations who may be less likely to seek out or participate in HIV testing. Emergency departments (EDs) in particular may play an important role in universal screening, as evidenced by the experience of 2 academic EDs in San Diego, California.

Results are based on the DECLARE-TIMI 58 cardiovascular outcomes trial, presented last year at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions.

Two Ohio counties reached a $260 million settlement case with 4 opioid distributors; doctors stress the need for flu shots among pregnant women and those with chronic illnesses; a health system reports a data breach in its e-commerce website.

Although 93% of employers say curbing the cost of healthcare and increasing its affordability is a top priority over the next 3 years, 63% of employers see healthcare affordability as the most difficult challenge, according to the 24th annual Best Practices in Health Care Employer Survey by Willis Towers Watson.

Data from EXPLORE, a prospective, multinational, natural history study, is used to characterize disease activity and clinical management of patients with acute hepatic porphyria (AHP) who experience recurrent attacks. The findings highlight the high unmet need for effective treatments.