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What We're Reading: Azar to Announce Healthcare Actions; Opposition to CMS Opioid Limits; Diabetes Disagreement
HHS Secretary Alex Azar said the administration will announce actions to lower healthcare costs, as well as a move to give patients control of their data; doctors and patients with chronic pain oppose proposed prescribing limits sought by CMS for opioids; doctor groups are disagreeing about blood sugar targets for patients with diabetes.
Azar: Expect Announcement About Lowering Healthcare Costs, Giving Patients Control of Data
HHS Secretary Alex Azar told the annual public policy conference of the Federation of American Hospitals in Washington, DC, that the administration will take actions aimed at lowering healthcare costs, and said there will be an announcement Tuesday about a move to “put patients in control of their health data,” The Hill reported. Azar said HHS will also “experiment” with payment models in Medicare and Medicaid to “drive value and quality.”
Doctors, Pain Patients Oppose CMS Opioid Prescribing Limits
A CMS rule would restrict opioid doses to Medicare patients to the equivalent of 90 milligrams of morphine per day. On Monday, a last-minute coalition of doctors, pain patients, and public health experts opposed the rule, STAT reported. Monday was the last day for public comment on the rule, which is set to be finalized April 2. Critics said the regulation is heavy handed.
Doctor Groups Differ About Blood Sugar Targets
The American College of Physicians (ACP), representing internists, suggested that doctors who treat people with type 2 diabetes can set less aggressive blood sugar targets. But the American College of Endocrinologists and the American Diabetes Association, both of which specialize in diabetes, sharply disagree, NPR reported. The ACP said doctors can aim for glycated hemoglobin in the range of 7% to 8%, not the lower levels that other groups recommend.
How Can Employers Leverage the DPP to Improve Diabetes Rates?
February 15th 2022On this episode of Managed Care Cast, Jill Hutt, vice president of member services at the Greater Philadelphia Business Coalition on Health, explains the Coalition’s efforts to reduce diabetes rates through the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP).
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Balancing Care Access and Fragmentation for Better Outcomes in Veterans With Diabetes
April 22nd 2021The authors of a study in the April 2021 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® discuss the possible reasons behind the link between care fragmentation and hospitalizations in veterans with diabetes, as well as potential opportunities to address disjointed care in the context of the widespread telehealth uptake seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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What We’re Reading: ACA Perception; FDA Blood Sugar Warning; AI and Physician Burnout
February 22nd 2024More than half of US adults have a favorable view of the Affordable Care Act (ACA); smartwatches and rings that claim to measure blood sugar levels without piercing the skin could be dangerous and should be avoided; many believe artificial intelligence (AI) could be the solution to physician burnout.
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