Tennessee has become the second state to pass a law allowing pharmaceutical companies to market their products for off-label uses; a House panel advanced legislation that would expand access to private sector care outside of the Veterans Affairs (VA) health system; and nearly half of oncologists recommend medical marijuana to their patients.
Tennessee has become the second state to pass a law allowing pharmaceutical companies to market their products for off-label uses, as long as the information given to doctors is accurate. The law goes into effect July 1 and comes amid rising pressure for the FDA to loosen regulations for off-label use, reported STAT News. Arizona became the first state to enact such legislation last March.Earlier this week, a House panel advanced legislation that would expand the number of veterans who are eligible to see private health specialists and would entitle veterans enrolled in the Veterans Affairs (VA) health system to see a private doctor twice a year without a co-pay, according to The Hill. The reform package, called the VA Mission Act, also includes $5.2 billion to keep the Veterans Choice Program funded until the implementation of the new system.A new survey of 237 oncologists nationwide found that approximately 80% discuss medical marijuana with their patients, NPR reported. Although less than 30% of them feel they have sufficient knowledge to advise them about medical use, nearly half do recommend medical marijuana for their patients. The survey also indicated that the majority of conversations about medical marijuana were initiated by the patient.
CMS' 340B Repayment Proposal May Harm Vulnerable Hospitals, Reward Those With Higher Revenues
April 26th 2024The 340B hospitals not receiving an offsetting lump-sum payment from CMS following 2018-2022 cuts later ruled unlawful are disproportionately rural, publicly owned, and nonacademic, according to a new study.
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
Empowering Community Health Through Wellness and Faith
April 23rd 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. In the third episode, Camille Clarke-Smith, EdD, MS, CHES, CPT, discusses approaching community health holistically through spiritual and community engagement.
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