Clinical

This week in managed care the top stories included the announcement of a initiative to cure cancer, pharmaceutical company executives brushed off public outrage over drug prices, and the president's nominee for FDA commissioner has passed his first hurdle.

Less than 50% of patients diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma between 15 and 39 years of age received recommended care within the first year after their treatment, a Kaiser Permanente study has found.

What we're reading, January 15, 2016: new report finds flaws in how the FDA tracks drugs after they reach the market; rate of uninsured Hispanic children hits historic low; and CVS and New York State make medication that reverses opioid overdose available without prescription.

The National Immunotherapy Coalition has coalesced leaders from large pharma, biotech, academic cancer centers, community oncologists, and a health plan, with the hope of accelerating the development path of next generation immunotherapy in oncology.

What we're reading, January 14, 2016: President Obama proposes extending financial assistance for new states expanding Medicaid eligibility; Hillary Clinton goes hard after Bernie Sanders on single-payer healthcare; and health information exchanges reduce repeated imaging procedures.

The American Journal of Managed Care asked Matthew Banegas, PhD, MPH, Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, to comment on his new study published in Health Affairs.

A recent study analyzed screening procedures of community health centers and was able to quantify the screening gap for hepatitis C according to gender and race/ethnicity.

ASCO's Task Force on Clinical Pathways demands greater transparency with pathway development, increased flexibility, and evidence of improved outcomes subsequent to pathway implementation.

Robert Califf, MD, just unanimously won the Senate panel vote for advance his nomination for FDA commissioner. Now the nomination goes to the full Senate.

Grail, which has raised over $100 million from Illumina and the venture capital firm Arch Venture Partners, has also secured investments from Bill Gates, and Jeffrey P. Bezos.

New guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network regarding cardiac toxicity for patients with cancer or cancer survivors should have cancer institutions talking about how to implement cardiac follow-up for patients, said Crystal S. Denlinger, of FOx Chase Cancer Center.

What we're reading, January 11, 2016: drug shortages in the emergency departments have quadrupled since 2008; the government has done little to verify people enrolling after Obamacare deadline under special enrollment categories; and Pfizer increased the prices of 100 drugs.

The latest developments across the healthcare landscape and key upcoming conferences to attend.

Diet and exercise improve exercise ability for patients with common type of heart failure.

A recent safety trial has found a promising new therapy for type 1 diabetes that uses patients’ own regulatory T-cells instead of the usual immunosuppressive drugs to protect beta cells.

Top managed care stories include Sanofi ending its deal to market Afrezza, Aetna cut ties with America's Health Insurance Plans, and a new study found bankruptcy looms large for cancer survivors.

Solid-organ transplants increase the risk of death due to cancer compared with the general population, a study published in JAMA Oncology has found.

What we're reading, January 8, 2016: HHS releases report with full Obamacare enrollment information for all 50 states and the District of Columbia; the expansion of the biosimilars in 2016; and promising Ebola treatment found not effective.

A study by researchers at the University of Colorado Cancer Center is evaluating an imaging method that can help protect normal, healthy lung tissue during radiotherapy treatment in lung cancer patients.

What we're reading, January 7, 2016: the uninsured rate at the end of 2015 was essentially unchanged from the beginning of the year; CMS may start paying for some rehab for drug or alcohol addiction; and follow-up care plans after hospital discharge are often too difficult for patients to understand.

A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine underscores the need for early cardiovascular screening in adult survivors of cancer.

A new study conducted by researchers at Kaiser Permanente has found that a considerable number of working-age adults who survive cancer and its toxic treatments, end up with substantial medical debts or declare bankruptcy.

Drugs targeting genetic mutations that drive tumor growth have revolutionized treatment for some serious forms of cancer, but the tumors usually become resistant to the drugs’ therapeutic effects and resume growth.

Patients with cancer who have paid sick leave are almost twice as likely to retain their jobs.

In their Viewpoint in JAMA Oncology, Sanket S. Dhruva, MD, and Vinay Prasad, MD, MPH, have raised objections to CMS’ turnaround on coverage decision for the antibody blinatumomab.

What we're reading, January 5, 2016: A special report highlights how the working poor slip through the cracks of the Affordable Care Act; the FDA approved 51 drugs in 2015 with nearly half being first-in-class; and the Senate is expected to vote on President Obama's nomination for FDA commissioner next Tuesday.

Results from the ACRIN 6666 trial have found that breast cancer detection rate using ultrasonography is comparable with mammography.

What we're reading, January 4, 2016: health insurers offering free doctor's visits for some plans; some consumers find paying the Affordable Care Act penalty cheaper than buying insurance; and clinicians and patients are increasingly worried about opioid dangers.

An imaging agent that can eliminate the unknown and help instill confidence in a surgeon’s ability to successfully remove all cancerous tissue is being evaluated by surgical oncologists at Duke University.

How well postmenopausal patients tolerate tamoxifen and anastrozole for one type of breast cancer varies with age.