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What We're Reading: California Commissioner Wants to Try a Public Option
What we're reading, September 23, 2016: California's insurance commissioner wants to try a public option; Valeant avoids double-digit price hikes with 9.9% increases; maker of Suboxone being sued by 35 states and the District of Columbia for keeping generics off the market.
California’s insurance commissioner said he wants to try a public insurance option at the state level. According to California Healthline, the idea of a public option is being revived with insurers pulling back on their involvement in the Affordable Care Act (ACA)’s insurance marketplaces. Health insurers oppose the idea of a public option and the concept was debated as part of the ACA, but did not make the final version of the legislation.
Double-digit price hikes have become a source of great controversy, and Valeant Pharmaceuticals has avoided such a large price hike for 3 of its eye medicines. Instead, Valeant increased all 3 drugs by exactly 9.9%, reported STAT. In the past, Valeant had bought a pair of heart drugs and immediately increased their prices by 525% and 212%. One analyst believes this move is a sign of things to come. A bill in Congress introduced last week would require drug makers justify their pricing before raising prices by more than 10%.
A British company that makes Suboxone (buprenorphine) is being sued by 35 states and the District of Columbia for trying to keep generic versions of the drug off the market. Reuters reported that states are alleging the company took steps to block generic versions when its exclusive right to sell Suboxone neared expiration. Buprenorphine is used to treat patients addicted to painkillers.
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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