Health Care Cost

Housing assistance significantly reduces medical financial hardship for renters with a history of cancer, enhancing their financial security and access to care amid rising health costs.

New research highlights which US counties lead in patient experience, health outcomes, and cost efficiency—and the policies that drive success.

A new study finds that drugmakers’ use of overlapping patents delayed generic entry for 4 top-selling drugs, driving billions in excess spending.

A new report found that 9 of 10 small- to midsize businesses are not sure they will be able to provide health benefits to their employees in the near future.

Employers explore glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) therapies' impact on health benefits, showcasing accountability and data-driven strategies in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Wilmington, Delaware, for sustainable health programs.

Hospital accountable care organization (ACO) participation did not impact emergency department admission rates, length of stay, or costs, suggesting limited effectiveness in reducing spending for unplanned admissions and challenging hospital-led ACO cost-saving strategies.

Laxmi Patel, chief strategy officer at Savista, outlines major impacts of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act on Medicaid and what hospitals can do to prepare for these changes.

Proposed Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium hikes threaten health care access, with potential increases of over 75% for enrollees.

A real-world study found that semaglutide prescriptions were associated with improvements in weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol, but also a $80 monthly rise in health care spending outside of drug costs.

A new report from Bluesight reveals how automation and analytics are helping hospital pharmacy teams cut spending, manage shortages, and streamline procurement.

In this second part of his interview with The American Journal of Managed Care®, Sanjay Doddamani, MD, MBA, a former senior advisor to CMMI and founder and CEO of Guidehealth, continues a dialogue on the future of value-based care and the promise—and limits—of AI-enabled innovation, reflecting on challenges like rising Medicare costs and patients’ growing financial burdens.

Adults with type 2 diabetes, especially those in vulnerable groups, face higher risks of medical debt, low credit scores, and bankruptcy.

Large language models (LLMs) such as GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 may offer a solution to the costly and inefficient process of manual clinical trial screening, which is often hindered by the inability of structured electronic health record data to capture all necessary criteria.

President Donald Trump has sent letters to pharmaceutical companies, aiming to compel them to lower drug prices in the US to match the lowest prices offered in other developed nations, a move that could significantly reduce costs and disrupt the current system of pharmacy benefit managers.

Given trends in cost and use, insulin out-of-pocket cost reduction policies would be more efficient if they targeted members in high-deductible health plans with savings options and low-income patients.

This study examined the impact of price transparency and prosocial messaging on patient engagement of price-protected consumers in seeking value-based care.

Proceeding with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is more cost-effective than delaying the procedure in patients with intermediate-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

The rapidly increasing prescriptions for expensive specialty medications, rather than their price growth, are the primary driver of escalating dermatology Medicare Part D expenditures, necessitating policies that balance innovation, access, and affordability.

Investigators sought to measure and attribute out-of-pocket costs to cancer stage and by diagnosis.

According to the American Medical Association, blame for the ongoing physician shortage may lie with overly burdensome administrative processes, an antiquated Medicare payment system, and lack of education for residents in primary care and psychiatry.

States participating in the Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) Access Model will be testing outcomes-based payments for sickle cell disease treatments.

Assertive community treatment, a strongly evidence-based practice for delivering care to individuals with schizophrenia and low health care engagement, is applicable to disengaged, medically complex patients.

Sanjay Doddamani, MD, MBA, a former senior advisor to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, and internist and cardiologist by training, explains how the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) Model hopes to work, and addresses concerns about delays and denials from revamped prior authorization processes.

Adam Colborn, JD, associate vice president of congressional affairs at AMCP, shares insights on the impact of the Most Favored Nation drug pricing order when it comes to access, affordability, and innovations in US health care.

Medicare inflation rebates fail to curb rising drug prices, highlighting the need for further policy action to control costs.

Europe seizes leadership in global health as US funding cuts create disparities, HHS is sued by multiple medical groups, and new findings highlight gaps in care.

During the Reshaping Rx: Navigating 2025 Drug Pricing Policies webinar, panelists discussed the Most Favored Nation executive order, bills aimed at pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), and other drug pricing policies.

A webinar held by KFF on July 9 emphasized the immediate effects of the new budget bill, highlighting the impacts on Medicaid and health spending in the next decade.

Families caring for individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) face significant financial burdens from necessary home and vehicle modifications to enhance quality of life.

In Massachusetts’ largest Medicaid accountable care organization (ACO), high-risk care management significantly reduced spending, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations, demonstrating that targeted strategies can manage health care costs amid budget constraints.