Health Care Cost

Medication costs are only a piece of the puzzle when clinicians think about health care access, explains Leigh Maria Ramos-Platt, MD.

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) can have a substantial impact on patients everyday life and, consequently, put added stress on health care systems.

Data on care satisfaction, ease managing care, and out-of-pocket spending were the outcomes of interest for this new analysis that investigated the relationship between healthcare utilization and beneficiary experience within traditional Medicare.

Michael Chernew, PhD, professor of health care policy and director of the Healthcare Markets and Regulation Lab, Harvard Medical School, shares how cost-sharing policies shape access to critical health care services and influence value-based insurance design.

Mehmet Oz, MD, the nominee to lead CMS under the Trump administration, testified in a confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, where he found common ground on improving outcomes through healthier lifestyle choices but encountered repeated questions on potential Medicaid cuts.

As health care costs continue to rise and the burden of chronic disease grows, data-driven insights will be essential in shaping the future of patient care, according to experts from Komodo Health and SmarterDx.

Incorporating dynamic pricing into cost-effectiveness analysis could offer significant benefits for equity in health care.

The second Trump administration is expected to bring changes to Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, and the health insurance exchanges, as well as highlight the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, speakers at the Value-Based Insurance Design Summit said.

Flood exposure was more strongly associated with increased health care use and cost during the summer months and among Medicare beneficiaries aged 85 or older.

Molly Dean, MSW, policy advisor at Siftwell, discusses how states have encouraged managed care entities to invest in local communities, build partnerships with nonprofits, and support social determinants of health initiatives.

Older, generic medications, including ones for cyclosporine, nicotinamide, and dapsone, can effectively treat patients with various dermatological conditions while helping to reduce insurance and cost barriers.

Tiffany Meng, PharmD, an oncology pharmacist, UCSF Health, discusses how pharmacists help mitigate financial toxicity for patients with breast cancer.

Physicians are more likely to order respiratory pathogen testing since the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting testing rates and costs.

Tiffany Meng, PharmD, an oncology pharmacist, UCSF Health, shares how pharmacists can collaborate with physicians to find the most effective and affordable therapies for patients.

The Center on Health Equity & Access delves into the latest research, policy shifts, and expert viewpoints on advancing equity and improving access to care.

Time costs, often overlooked in health care, create economic burdens for patients and caregivers, impacting income and well-being.

Delays in receiving coverage for essential medications like insulin and albuterol can worsen symptoms, increase costs, and add stress for patients.

The Center on Health Equity & Access explores recent research, policy, and expert perspectives on equity and care access.

Higher telemedicine adoption among Medicare beneficiaries was associated with a slight increase in total visits but a reduction in certain low-value tests and related spending.

President Donald J. Trump pushed for significant health care changes during his first month back in office, through executive orders affecting managed care, drug pricing, and clinical trial diversity guidance.

As enrollment shifts to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace following the unwinding of Medicaid and the Trump administration begins to implement health policy changes, Molly Dean, MSW, Siftwell's policy advisor, shares insight on how to adapt.

The executive order calls for recommendations on how to expand access and reduce costs for in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment.

For this retrospective study, the authors examined data on more than 3 million screening mammographies for more than 1 million female patients; of the screenings, 23.6% had abnormal results and only 6.7% were recommended for biopsy.

The Center on Health Equity & Access strives to improve health care delivery and outcomes by addressing disparities through education, training, frontline insights, and evidence-based approaches.

Service utilization is the biggest factor behind spending variation, with prices, disease prevalence, and demographics playing smaller roles.

Expert perspectives shed light on complex care and prior authorization. Despite DEI rollbacks under the new administration, disparities are still prevalent in health care and research.

During the unwinding of continuous Medicaid provisions, 8.7% of pediatric patients at community-based health organizations became uninsured, with higher rates among older children, females, and those with chronic medical conditions.

The removal of FDA guidance on clinical trial diversity and related anti–diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) actions may hinder progress toward equitable health care, impacting workforce diversity, patient outcomes, and research.

Access and affordability are among the top priorities in health care for Americans who participated in the survey.

Abandoning efforts to reform payment for cell and gene therapies for Medicaid beneficiaries could allow ongoing access barriers to persist, said Adam Colborn, JD, of AMCP.