A roundup of top healthcare news stories: January 26, 2017.
GOP Plans to Repeal and Replace Obamacare by April
As part of the legislative agenda for 2017, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, explained that Republicans would repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by April, reported POLITICO. Ryan is looking to fast-track the ACA’s repeal, but replacing it will need support from Democrats. The agenda also plans to fund the wall along the Mexican border and approve a tax reform package all before August.
Massachusetts Businesses With Employees on Medicaid Could Face Penalties
In a bid to combat escalating Medicaid enrollment, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker has proposed penalizing businesses with workers that enroll in Medicaid. According to The Wall Street Journal, the penalty would be $2000 per worker that enrolls in Medicaid and is supposed to incentivize businesses to shoulder more of health insurance costs. Employers with more than 10 full-time workers who cover less than 80% of the workforce would be penalized. Employers opposed the proposal, claiming they will be punished for an issue they did not cause.
Reduction in Sugary Drink Intake Stalls
For nearly 2 decades, the number of calories consumed through sugary beverages has dropped steadily, but the number has not made much more progress since 2009. STAT reported that children are drinking about 143 calories per day (down from 220 in 2003) and adults are drinking 145 calories per day (down from 188), but it’s probably still too much. Currently, adults get 6.5% of their total daily calories from sodas, fruit juices with added sugars, sport drinks, energy drinks, and other sugar-sweetened beverages.
Standard Criteria for Loss of Ambulation Needed in DMD
April 19th 2024A recent study suggests the differences between ambulation definitions for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) can impact the identification of ambulant vs nonambulant individuals, and standard criteria across settings are needed.
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Navigating Health Literacy, Social Determinants, and Discrimination in National Health Plans
February 13th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the February 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on how health plans can screen for health literacy, social determinants of health, and perceived health care discrimination.
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An Overview of Health Care and Pharmaceutical Trends, 2023-2024
April 19th 2024Douglas M. Long, BA, MBA, was featured as the keynote speaker on the closing day of The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy 2024 annual meeting, with a session dedicated to surveying the health care and pharmaceutical trends of the last year.
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Drs Raymond Thertulien, Joseph Mikhael on Racial Disparities in Multiple Myeloma Care Access
December 28th 2023In the wake of the 2023 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition, Raymond Thertulien, MD, PhD, of Novant Health, and Joseph Mikhael, MD, MEd, FRCPC, FACP, chief medical officer of the International Myeloma Foundation, discussed health equity research highlights from the meeting and drivers of racial disparities in multiple myeloma outcomes.
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Real-World Study Reveals Key Insights Into DLBCL Treatment Patterns, Outcomes
April 18th 2024A recent study offers valuable insights into the characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in patients across different lines of therapy, providing a look into the landscape of DLBCL management.
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