What we're reading, December 7, 2015: Mylan is subpoenaed over pricing of generic doxycycline antibiotic products; Congressional hearing this week on drug pricing controversy; new superbug on the rise; and Obamacare penalty for being uninsured may not be enough to get people to sign up.
Mylan is the latest company to face federal scrutiny over drug pricing. The Department of Justice has subpoenaed the company in regards to the pricing and marketing of its generic doxycycline antibiotic products, according to Reuters. The decades-old antibiotic is used to treat acne, pneumonia, Lyme disease, chlamydia, syphilis, and more.
Soaring drug prices continue to dominate the news with a Congressional hearing this week that will focus on the price hikes for several medicines. The Senate Special Committee on Aging has been investigating the new tactic of companies to purchase drugs already on the market and then raise the price, reported The Wall Street Journal.
The US is also facing the rise of a dangerous superbug that has been dubbed “phantom menace.” The superbug belongs to a family of bacteria known as CRE, which is often resistant to most antibiotics and often deadly, too, The Washington Post reported. Up to half of patients who become infected die from the bacteria.
Lastly, the penalty for remaining uninsured will increase a third and final time, but critics claim the penalty still won’t be enough to prod millions of Americans to purchase health coverage, according to a report from the Washington Examiner. The fine in 2016 will be $695 or 2.5% of taxable income, whichever is greater.
Dr Kathy Zackowski Discusses the Importance of Rehabilitation Research and Trials in MS
April 26th 2024Kathy Zackowski, PhD, National MS Society, expresses the inherent value of quality rehabilitation trials for broadening clinical understandings of multiple sclerosis (MS) and bettering patient outcomes.
Read More
Examining Low-Value Cancer Care Trends Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
April 25th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the April 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on the rates of low-value cancer care services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Listen
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.
Listen
Kaiser Permanente was hit by a data breach in mid-April, impacting 13.4 million health plan members; GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) sued Pfizer and BioNTech for allegedly infringing on its messenger RNA technology patents in the companies’ COVID-19 vaccines; the CDC announced the first-known HIV cases transmitted via cosmetic injections.
Read More