- Center on Health Equity and Access
- Clinical
- Health Care Cost
- Health Care Delivery
- Insurance
- Policy
- Technology
- Value-Based Care
What We're Reading: Long-Term Hospice Care Weighs on Medicare
What we're reading, February 19, 2016: long-term hospice care is weighing on Medicare; both the pope and the World Health Organization suggest women in Zika infected countries have access to contraception; and Texas health official steps down after co-authoring study on Planned Parenthood.
Although the Medicare hospice program is supposed to cover patients with 6 months or less to live, care is being routinely extended to patients with ailments whose declines cane take years. The Wall Street Journal reported that between 2005 and 2013, more than 100,000 patients received hospice care for nearly 1000 days over the course of 4 or more years. Although these patients account for just 1.3% of Medicare’s hospice patients, they cost the program 14% of its overall hospice spending.
With cases of the Zika virus multiplying in Latin America, 2 very different authorities have suggested the use of contraception. The World Health Organization issued a call for women in countries with the Zika virus to have access to emergency contraception, and Pope Francis suggested that the use of contraceptives may be morally acceptable to prevent the spread of the virus. The pope, returning from Mexico, made it clear that abortion was absolutely out of the question, but that contraception to prevent pregnancies may be a solution.
After co-authoring a study that suggested cuts to Planned Parenthood restricted access to women’s healthcare in Texas, a state health official is stepping down from his post. According to The New York Times, the official broke policy by working on the study during taxpayer time and he faced strong criticism from Republicans. The official is eligible for retirement and will leave in March.
What We’re Reading: Abortion Privacy Rules; Alzheimer Drug Hurdles; Nursing Home Staffing Overhaul
April 23rd 2024New health privacy rules aim to protect patients and providers in an evolving abortion landscape; some physicians express concerns about efficacy, risks, and entrenched beliefs in treating Alzheimer disease; CMS addresses longstanding staffing deficits in nursing homes.
Read More
Navigating Health Policy in an Election Year: Insights From Dr Dennis Scanlon
April 2nd 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with Dennis Scanlon, PhD, the editor in chief of The American Journal of Accountable Care®, about prior authorization, price transparency, the impact of health policy on the upcoming election, and more.
Listen
Survey Results Reveal Potential Factors Slowing the Decline in Cardiovascular Mortality Rate
April 23rd 2024Research indicated that worsened glycemic, blood pressure, and obesity control, as well as increased alcohol consumption, leveled lipid control, and persistent socioeconomic disparities may have contributed to the decelerated cardiovascular mortality decline in recent years.
Read More
Exploring Medicare Advantage Prior Authorization Variations
March 26th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the March 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on variations in prior authorization use across Medicare Advantage plans.
Listen
