Center on Health Equity & Access

In September, The American Journal of Managed Care® joined 4 individuals whose involvement with UPMC Health Plan, a Strategic Alliance Partner of AJMC®, has proved to be instrumental in furthering health equity and providing high-quality care in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland.

At this year’s Community Oncology Alliance Payer Exchange Summit on Oncology Payment Reform, leaders from across all facets of the cancer care space engaged in thought-provoking panel discussions and debates. They have a common aim: to optimize cancer care delivery and ensure patients have a positive experience throughout their cancer care journey.

“Unfortunately, limited access to these therapies worldwide appears to be a major challenge,” the researchers wrote.

Coverage from The US Oncology Network Payer Transformation Summit, held September 27-29, 2023, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Coverage from The US Oncology Network Payer Transformation Summit, held September 27-29, 2023, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Coverage from The US Oncology Network Payer Transformation Summit, held September 27-29, 2023, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Peter Katzmarzyk discusses contributing factors to obesity and the chronic disease preventions and implementations collaborative care teams like nutritionists, psychologists, and physical therapists should support.

A new survey from the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions found that employers are planning to place a larger focus on obesity management, women’s health, and health equity in 2024 and beyond.

These findings suggest that addressing socioeconomic disparities and inequities that impact access to health care and services may help improve survival outcomes across racial/ethnic groups of male patients with early breast cancer.

David Fajgenbaum, MD, MBA, MSc, cofounder of Every Cure, shared that the organization is able to reduce clinical trial costs to $1 to $5 million per drug trial, and that clinical trials are not always necessary to expand a drug's indication.

The Center on Health Equity and Access offers updates on recent news, breakthroughs in research, and ongoing initiatives aimed at tackling health care disparities and enhancing overall access to top-notch care.

"From a health benefit standpoint, specifically, the employees have to be able to access care, they have to be able to afford the care that they are going to receive, and the benefits also have to be relevant to employees," Bruce Sherman, MD explains.

Robert Groves, MD, of Banner | Aetna discusses the challenges primary care practitioners (PCPs) face when addressing social determinants of health (SDOH).

The results indicated that a substantial proportion of patients, particularly in rural, less educated, and elderly demographics, are insufficiently informed about novel MM treatments, including chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies and bispecific antibody alternatives.

The rate of invasive pneumococcal disease in children plummeted by 72% from 2002 to 2021; health care spending in the United States rose 4.1% in 2022 to $4.5 trillion; roughly two-thirds of Americans who have a mental health condition were unable to access treatment in 2021 despite having health insurance.

Shiela Plasencia, director of practice support, Community Oncology Alliance (COA), discusses health equity initiatives and the challenges that follow.

This year’s top content from the fall meeting of the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) highlights both treatment gains made through innovative referral, screening, and assistance initiatives and the ongoing need to improve health equity and research inclusivity.

The Center on Health Equity and Access provides information on the latest news, research discoveries, and initiatives dedicated to addressing healthcare disparities and improving overall access to high-quality care.

Authors highlight key aspects of the California Cancer Care Equity Act, including its focus on Medi-Cal beneficiaries, the requirement for managed care plans to contract with specialized cancer centers, and the definition of complex cancers.

The Biden administration recently met with manufacturers of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunizations to encourage them to increase access to the vaccine; since the Dobbs v Jackson decision, many patients have been seeking more permanent reproductive health care solutions; a Mathematica analysis showed that Medicare prescription drug price negotiations could have cut seniors’ out-of-pocket costs by nearly a quarter had the program been in effect in 2021.

Despite there being a great demand for data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity in the cancer space, individuals who identify as a sexual and gender minority remain poorly represented.

Spanning 22 studies, the analysis illuminated housing disparities, occupational hazards, unequal health care access, economic inequality, and discriminatory industry practices and how they collectively contribute to heightened lung cancer risks.

Disparities in 10-year local recurrence following breast-conserving surgery were seen among women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) treated over a nearly 4-decade span at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, with Black women having the highest rate.

Data analysis showed that 40% of patients who filled a prescription for Wegovy in 2021 or 2022 were still taking it a year later; both Democrats and reproductive rights organizations are pressuring the Biden administration to ensure health insurers fully cover contraception; CMS implemented Medicare changes in March that limited access to blood tests that help transplant recipients ensure their organs remain healthy.

A trio of speakers addressed the importance of social determinants of health (SDOH) in cancer care on day 1 of the 46th annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in the session, “Social Determinants of Health: Impact on Cancer Care.”