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What We're Reading: Harsh Flu Season; Potential Hospital Giants Merger; ACA Sign-Up Deadline
Health officials are warning of an unusually harsh flu season; Ascension and Providence St. Joseph Health are in talks about a possible merger; and heavy traffic is expected as the final week of ACA sign-ups begins.
Health Officials Warn of Harsh Flu Season
Possible Merger Between Hospital Giants
Deadline Week for ACA Sign Ups
This year’s flu season may be particularly harsh, health officials are warning. According to NPR, the concern comes from several factors, including signs that the season started a few weeks earlier than usual. The early start could signify a longer season, leading to more people with the flu. Health officials are also taking Australia’s flu season as an indicator, as the country suffered from a severe season this year.Hospital systems Ascension and Providence St. Joseph Health are allegedly in talks about a possible merger, reported The Wall Street Journal. The merger between the 2 nonprofits would create the largest hospital system in the US, with 191 hospitals in 27 states, numerous clinics, and approximately $45 billion in annual revenue; the merger would also dethrone the country’s current largest hospital operator, the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA).Heavy traffic is expected as the final week for Affordable Care Act (ACA) sign-ups has begun. December 15 is the last day for people to enroll in subsidized coverage in the 39 sates serviced by the federal HealthCare.gov website. There is an exception for people living in hurricane-affected areas; they will receive an extension until December 31 if they contact the HealthCare.gov call center. ABC News reported that the expected heavy traffic could slow down the website and create long hold times at the federal call center.
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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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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Gene and Cell Therapies Hold Potential—but How Can Payers Manage Their Costs?
April 18th 2024Presenters at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) 2024 annual meeting discussed the current promise and future potential of gene and cell therapies, as well as payer management strategies for these costly treatments.
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Prices for care at hospital trauma centers vary across hospitals; drug shortages reached a record high during the first quarter of 2024; although 3 of the biggest makers of asthma inhalers pledged to cap out-of-pocket costs for some US patients at $35, these do not apply to daily inhalers used by the youngest kids with asthma.
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