Trump Declares Opioid Epidemic a National Emergency
President Donald Trump has said that his administration is drafting papers to officially declare the opioid epidemic a national emergency. According to Reuters, a formal declaration could mean additional funding and improved access to treatment. The opioid epidemic will present a different challenge than previous national emergencies, which tended to be short-term crises. Earlier this week, Trump had spoken of law enforcement’s role in stopping the epidemic without declaring a national emergency.
Arkansas Seeks New Type of Medicaid Waiver
The Trump administration has already indicated it is more open to giving states greater flexibility when it comes to Medicaid, and Arkansas is looking to take advantage of that. The state is looking to partially expand Medicaid up to only 100% of the federal poverty line instead of 133%, reported Vox. The state is likely looking to limit its Medicaid expansion population because the federal government will not pay for 100% of the costs. However, it will cover all costs for people on the insurance exchanges.
Discharged From Hospice Before Death
There has been an increase in the number of people being discharged from hospices before they die, and a study has found that these “live discharges” are more profitable, according to NPR. Although there was an association between high rates of live discharges and high profit margins, the researchers were unable to determine the cause. Nearly 1 in 5 patients in hospices are being discharged before they die, a number that has steadily climbed since 2000. The study found that the rate of live discharges is highest in the South.
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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