Health Care Cost

Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment has grown to 32.8 million in 2024, representing 54% of total Medicare spending, with significant variation in enrollment across states and counties.

Medicare Advantage beneficiaries with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who were invited to enroll in a program that reduced inhaler costs and provided medication management had higher inhaler adherence; however, there was no significant impact on exacerbations or overall health care spending.

News surrounding different aspects of health insurance shows changes in weight loss treatment coverage, billing and claims processing errors, and customer service utilization.

A rundown of where Minnesota Gov Tim Walz stands on health policy issues and actions he's taken to improve health care.

Experts argue for new mechanisms to fund research in oft-ignored rare diseases.

Hospitals pursue a broad range of efforts to improve quality, with those participating in bundled payments attempting to reduce postacute care to a greater degree than nonparticipants.

The Ochsner-Xavier Institute for Health Equity and Research (OXIHER) is targeting health disparities in Louisiana, focusing on population health management, outcomes research, health careers and equity education, community engagement, and health advocacy and policy.

In the second part of our interview with John M. O'Brien, PharmD, MPH, of the National Pharmaceutical Council (NPC), he calls for further research into employer choices and the influence of benefit consultants in the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) and drug rebate landscape.

Accessia Health works with advocacy groups to understand specific needs, such as travel assistance, affordable care, and diagnostic testing, ensuring a personalized and human-centered approach to health equity.

New survey data reveals that more than 25% of those aged 50 years and older assume caregiver responsibilities.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has been named as Vice President Kamala Harris' Democratic running mate for the 2024 presidential election and has a proven track record in health care reform.

Real-world cross-validation of insurer and hospital price transparency data finds low overlap but high concordance between data sources.

There will likely be a 7% increase in Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace plan premiums next year across the 324 participating insurers from the 50 states and Washington, DC.

John M. O'Brien, PharmD, MPH, of the National Pharmaceutical Council, discusses his recent study, which sheds light on how important rebates are when choosing benefits for employers and who advises employers on these choices.

Almost half of insured Americans report receiving unexpected medical bills, leading to financial strain and contributing to worsening health outcomes for many patients, The Commonwealth Fund report reveals.

The Center on Health Equity & Access reported on new research in youth mental health, with expert perspectives on HIV, liver cancer, and health outreach.

Trusted community organizations can effectively communicate and connect underserved populations to necessary health services, Tiara Green, MSEd, Accessia Health says in an interview.

As pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) come under increased scrutiny from regulatory agencies, here are 5 things to know about their role in the health care system.

A new study has found that prior authorizations for anti–vascular endothelial growth factor treatment led to a delay in patient care for most patients.

Researchers estimate the financial impact of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in cardiorespiratory hospitalizations using MarketScan data and CDC viral positivity rates.

Those in minority groups face barriers even after they’ve made the hard decision to seek mental health care. The Department of Labor aims to address systemic issues on a personal level.

Smokers with diabetes on Ozempic are less likely to receive smoking cessation interventions; initiative incentivizes hospitals to eliminate medical debt for low- and middle-income patients; high costs prevent mental health treatment.

Crystal S. Denlinger, MD, FACP, CEO of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, discusses possible federal policies to help mitigate ongoing and future cancer drug shortages.

The hospitalization rate for patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) and interstitial lung disease (ILD) doubled over a 2-year period, and total health care costs more than doubled over the same period.

Patients with alopecia areata (AA) face significant out-of-pocket costs for treatments, despite many having limited efficacy.

This week, the Center on Health Equity & Access delved into the state of equity as it relates to national spending, ovarian cancer care, health technology, insurance coverage, and postpartum depression.

Patients with fibrosing interstitial lung disease (ILD) who began supplemental oxygen therapy had triple the per patient per month ILD-related health care costs compared with those who did not.

Efforts to regulate social media for youth face resistance; MK-1654 meets key goals in mid-to-late stage trial; active drug shortages remain above 300 for sixth consecutive quarter.

A new report provided updated figures estimated the birth prevalence of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in the US.

This study examined employers’ understanding of rebate guarantees, dependency upon rebate dollars, and the role that pharmaceutical rebates or employer benefits consultants play in their pharmacy benefits manager selection.