Health Care Cost

Ryan Haumschild, PharmD, MS, MBA, director of pharmacy at Emory Winship Cancer Institute, discusses treatment options available to patients with rare diseases, as well as the challenges these patients and their pharmacists face in accessing these treatments.

Insomnia, along with other sleep disorders, were found to negatively impact workplace productivity.

Specialty pharmacy is a big area of growth, with opportunity for patients, and specialty pharmacists can help payers and insurers ensure that patients get the full value of oncology medications, noted Andre Harvin, PharmD, MS, MBA, chief pharmacy officer, Oncology Services, Cone Health Cancer Centers.

The authors’ multidisciplinary care management program shows promise, as the reduction in per-patient per-month spending was $116. However, these financial benefits took time to materialize.

Drug spending for products facing generic or biosimilar competition decreased during the same time period.

The consortium involved in the newborn genomic sequencing initiative consists of a diverse and growing selection of stakeholders.

The playbook includes resources for purchasers to help in their dealings with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), including best practice checklists, sample questionnaires for choosing consultants, and recommendations for contracting language.

An uptick in laxative use causes shortage; ketamine can help suicidal thoughts but can be hard to access; new data suggest that abortions increased in most states in 2023.

Care quality is high in both the United States and Canada, but there are commonalities in regard to drug access and cost issues, particularly with advanced medications, noted G. B. John Mancini, MD, University of British Columbia.

Rising temperatures demand action against heat-related illnesses; school superintendents face complex decisions as COVID-19 cases rise; national staffing standards for nursing homes present challenges.

Biosimilars can improve access to treatment for patients who might not have been able to access biologics previously, explained Laura Wingate, executive vice president, Education, Support, & Advocacy, Crohn's & Colitis Foundation.

While the challenges in affordability and accessibility emphasize the importance of early awareness and interventions, equitable access to the screening itself poses a crucial hindrance.

Analysis of claims data showed reduced utilization and costs among patients with nonintensively managed type 2 diabetes using self-monitoring of blood glucose compared with continuous glucose monitoring.

The Biden administration has released the first 10 drugs subject to price negotiation with Medicare under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and among those chosen were Stelara (ustekinumab) and Enbrel (etanercept), both of which will face biosimilar competition within the next decade.

"We won't be content until this is indeed performed in 98% of babies," Stephen Kingsmore, MD, DSc, explains.

A study highlights an unmet need for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) to access and afford genomic testing, especially among an older patient population.

Telemedicine abortions in Iowa have increased in recent months; 2 new laws restrict access to gender-affirming health care and school sports in Missouri; the end of COVID-19 safety nets means many children have lost Medicaid coverage.

COVID-19 hospital visits by adolescents nearly doubled; government to release list of drugs Medicare will be able to negotiate prices for; Rite Aid gears up for bankruptcy while facing lawsuits over alleged opioid involvement.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) contributes to an extensive weakening in work ability and productivity, as well as large loss of gross value added.

Through a series of regression analyses, researchers projected the ever-increasing global burden of osteoarthritis (OA) until 2050.

Neil Goldfarb, president and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Business Coalition on Health (GPBCH), previews the upcoming GPBCH Wellness Summit taking place on September 14, 2023.

Stephen Kingsmore, MD, DSc, shares the exciting advancement of the BeginNGS newborn genomic sequencing program as it approaches the end of phase 2.

About 17 million middle-class Americans have unpaid medical bills; more than 1 in 5 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 developed high blood pressure; work requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to begin in September.

Kevin Davies, PhD, executive editor, The CRISPR Journal and GEN Biotechnology, and author of Editing Humanity: The CRISPR Revolution and the New Era of Genome Editing, discusses the difficulties inherent in making CRISPR gene editing technology an equitable treatment.

“Our study suggests that narrowly focusing on hospital volumes and tying that to insurance reimbursement might mask complexities and trade-offs in achieving the goal of optimizing patient outcomes and experiences,” lead co-author Lindsay Sabik, PhD, says.