Health Care Cost

Panelists of a keynote session at AHIP 2022 discuss how lessons learned from investment and infrastructure in public health during the COVID-19 pandemic can be leveraged to promote equitable care for all Americans and prepare for the next public health emergency.

A recent study found that pulmonary rehabilitation after hospitalization for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) resulted in a net cost savings.

The utility of value-based frameworks for payers, providers, and those involved in kidney care delivery was addressed during a session at AHIP 2022.

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Georges C. Benjamin, MD, executive director of the American Public Health Association, on the core takeaways of his keynote session at AHIP 2022 on public health policy and other solutions to promote equitable health and well-being.

Two stakeholders involved in investment and development of behavioral care services discuss the potential of digital therapeutics as a cost-effective alternative to address unmet mental health needs during an AHIP 2022 session.

Research found fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) to be an optimal cost-effective treatment strategy for first and subsequent recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), challenging current guidelines.

Panelists of an AHIP 2022 session discussed how future policy, infrastructure, and investment strategies in public health will reinforce the efforts already made during the pandemic, with partnerships and engagement key to optimize innovation.

Abstracts presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting evaluated biosimilar use in practices participating in the Oncology Care Model (OCM) and estimated the savings as a result of substituting these agents for more expensive reference products.

Community engagement, investment, and quality metrics were spotlighted as potential solutions to address health inequities affecting marginalized communities nationwide.

The FDA plans to set a maximum nicotine level in cigarettes and tobacco products to reduce addictiveness; a bipartisan bill would place a $35 monthly cap on insulin for patients with private insurance or Medicare; the Supreme Court ruled that an Ohio hospital’s employee health plan did not violate federal law by limiting coverage for outpatient dialysis.

The adequate safety and improved symptom burden observed with self-administration of biologic therapies at home for the management of severe asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps suggests potential in shifting care away from the more costlier in-patient setting.

How much would have Medicare saved if it had the same ability to purchase generic drugs at the same price as individuals using direct-to-consumer (DTC) pharmacies like the Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company? Billions, as it turns out.

Panelists taking part in an AHIP 2022 session discuss collaborative strategies among payers, manufacturers, and policy makers to address challenges regarding affordability and access of novel disease modifying drugs entering the marketplace.

Surveys of health care professionals, patients, and caregivers explored unmet needs in sickle cell disease (SCD), as well as the significant impact the disease has on everyday life.

Despite the increased prevalence of insulin pump use over the past 2 decades, there have been few improvements in uptake of the devices among patients who are Black or who come from lower socioeconomic levels.

As part of the Biosimilars Initiative, British Columbia, Canada, implemented a mandatory switch to biosimilar insulin glargine for patients covered by the province’s drug plan.

The Supreme Court has ruled that HHS' decision to lower reimbursement rates to hospitals so that those in the 340B program received reduced rates because they received discounted drugs was unlawful.

Using biosimilar rituximab to replace the reference in a common combination regimen to treat diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) results in similar outcomes.

The analysis of adults with low income enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) or traditional Medicare (TM) indicates that increasing enrollment in MA may not advance health equity in the Medicare program.

Ashok Subramanian, MBA, founder and chief executive officer, Centivo, speaks on the limitations of traditional employer-based health benefit plans in the pursuit of value-based care and what employers should consider in designing these incentives on a community level.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) launched an inquiry into the practices of pharmacy benefit managers; FDA advisers overwhelmingly support approval of Novavax, a new COVID-19 vaccine; drug prices soar to 20% annual inflation.

Identifying patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) early and before the onset of symptoms can yield financial savings and improve quality of life (QOL) for these individuals and their families.

A study found that patients in the Comprehensive End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Care Model saw a decrease in hospitalizations and readmissions compared with the accountable care organization (ACO) model.

As more treatments continue to enter the market for multiple myeloma (MM), the cost of associated treatments is expected to continue climbing, with the researchers of the study emphasizing the need for more effective and options to help mitigate costs.

The year that full benefits will stop for Medicare and Social Security is now a year later than previously estimated; diagnostic companies are racing to develop tests for monkeypox as cases surge; the rate of firearm suicides increased by 15% in youth aged between ages 10 and 24.

Alignment of incentives in the United States do not always support the use of biosimilars or other lower-cost alternatives, said Sonia T. Oskouei, PharmD, BCMAS, DPLA, vice president of biosimilars at Cardinal Health.

As biosimilar competition heats up in the United States, payers have more tools at their disposal to manage these agents.

The findings highlight the significant financial burden of sickle cell disease.

United States birth rate rises from last year but is still lower than pre-pandemic; a drug plant closure in California could affect availability of 5 essential medications; the No Surprises Act prevented 2 million potential surprise bills in first 2 months of 2022, report says.

Dupilumab was associated with reductions in exacerbations and oral corticosteroids (OCS) dosage, as well as improved lung function, in patients with OCS-dependent asthma with and without comorbid chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.