Linking Cigarette Price and Rates of Quitting Smoking
Increasing the price of cigarette packs by just $1 is tied to a 20% increase in the rate of people who quit smoking. According to The New York Times, the price increase even led to a reduction in the average number of cigarettes smoked by heavy smokers. A price increase could have a substantial impact on older people who have smoked longer and are usually more difficult to motivate to quit.
Ruling on “Voluntary” Workplace Wellness Programs
A group that brought a lawsuit against voluntary workplace wellness programs that impose penalties for workers who opt out were victorious in court. A federal court rules those types of programs cannot be called “voluntary,” reported STAT. However, for now, the rules will stay in place since unwinding the penalties and incentives would be disruptive—employees may not be able to pay back incentives they received and employers may or may not be able to pay back penalties they collected from workers.
Red States Use Waivers to Change ACA
Although Congress did not pass a healthcare bill to overhaul the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Republican-led states have found they can take matters into their own hands. Using waivers, red states are making the ACA more conservative, according to Vox. Iowa is a perfect example. The state wants to standardize benefits for plans; transition to a flat dollar subsidy based on income and age; eliminate cost-sharing reductions; and create a reinsurance program for insurers covering high-cost enrollees. Oklahoma is also preparing its own waiver proposal.
Brodalumab Is Effective, Safe in Patients With Moderate to Severe Psoriasis
March 18th 2024Posters presented at the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting demonstrated both short- and long-term efficacy and safety profiles of brodalumab in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis.
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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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AstraZeneca joins efforts to address high drug prices by capping out-of-pocket costs for its inhalers; Opill, the first OTC birth control pill, is now accessible through online sales; expansion prompts questions on the effectiveness and regulation of remote monitoring technology.
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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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Health Equity and Access Weekly Roundup: March 16, 2024
March 16th 2024This week, the Center on Health Equity and Access highlighted expert opinions on a mental health paradigm shift in the workplace, the impact health care algorithms can have on patient outcomes, and social factors linked with hidradenitis suppurativa severity, in addition to addressing the health needs of justice-involved populations.
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