Health Care Delivery

After great effort to resolve apparent conflicts between the ACA and older statutes, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, a repeal of the healthcare law may send regulators back to the drawing board.

This week, the top managed care stories included news that Republicans will introduce legislation to replace the Affordable Care Act, a report found the abortion rate hit a historic low, and results showed Januvia is safe for the oldest patients, even if they have cardiovascular risk.

What we're reading, January 20, 2017: Minnesota will help residents with steep insurance premium hikes; the director of the National Institutes of Health appointed by President Barack Obama will stay on under the new administration; Anthem will end pre-authorization for opioid use disorder treatments.

On the heels of the hearing for President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pick for HHS secretary Representative Tom Price, R-Georgia, Patricia Salber, MD, MBA, of The Doctor Weighs In, spoke with Sally C. Pipes, president and CEO of the Pacific Research Institute, about potential elements of an Affordable Care Act replacement plan.

What we're reading, January 19, 2017: California has withdrawn a request to sell health coverage for illegal immigrants; Pfizer's CEO pushes back against Donald Trump's depiction of the pharmaceutical industry; some Republican governors urge caution on Obamacare repeal.

A new report released by the American Cancer Society indicates that while the cancer-related death rate was higher among blacks than in whites in 2014, the racial gap could reduce as minority patients increasingly gain access to insurance and subsequent healthcare.

What we're reading, January 18, 2017: GOP senators plan to reveal Obamacare replacement next week; McKesson to pay $150 million to settle claims that it didn't report suspicious opioid orders; and Sylvia Mathews Burwell will go on DC health insurance exchange once she leaves her post.

The report finds that the House resolution would create an increasingly unstable insurance market, and that fewer insurers would participate.

What we’re reading, January 17, 2017: a newly finalized federal rule eases record sharing of drug abuse treatment between providers; numerous rallies in support of Obamacare draw thousands across the nation; HHS nominee Representative Tom Price allegedly introduced a Congress bill that favored his stock holdings.

Despite disagreement over the Affordable Care Act, Democrats and Republicans agree on broader issues like the need to move away from fee-for-service and the need to a better job for those with chronic conditions.

After the Affordable Care Act allowed states to expand Medicaid eligibility for low-income residents, 25 states and the District of Columbia chose to do so by 2014. A team of researchers from Brown University analyzed data from federally funded community health centers and found increased levels of coverage and better care quality for those in Medicaid expansion states.

What we're reading, January 16, 2017: House follows Senate vote to begin Obamacare repeal process; President-elect Donald Trump teases Obamacare replacement to provide insurance for everyone; and acceptance of aid-in-dying legislation grows.

A new study conducted at The University of Texas has found that a majority of federal exchanges do not include National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers.

President-elect Donald J. Trump held a news conference in New York Wednesday on a wide range of topics, but a recurring theme was the future of healthcare. Here are 5 things we learned about Trump’s plans for healthcare at Wednesday’s conference.

This week, the top stories in managed care were that the Senate began the process of repealing the Affordable Care Act, Cigna and CVS moved away from the EpiPen, and the NCI Formulary will make it easier to study cancer drugs and their combinations.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) hopes that the principles will help ensure access to healthcare and adequate insurance, to improve outcomes among those diagnosed with cancer.

What we're reading, January 13, 2017: more states consider contraception laws with Affordable Care Act (ACA) in peril; GOP will speed up timeline to replace ACA; Tom Price will sell his stocks to avoid conflicts.

What we're reading, January 12, 2017: Republicans begin process of repealing Obamacare by passing budget resolution; AbbVie's CEO promises to keep drug price increases to once a year and less than 10%; Cardinal Health will pay $44 million for not reporting suspicious opioid orders.

What we're reading: the Obama administration promises swift action on North Carolina's Medicaid expansion plan; FDA approves long-acting opioid; and a look at where President Barack Obama and President-elect Donald J. Trump stand on 5 areas of health policy and science.

The impending repeal of Obamacare has sparked concerns that vulnerable groups will lose insurance coverage and access to treatment, including HIV/AIDS patients.

What we're reading, January 9, 2017: how Meals on Wheels is becoming the "eyes and ears" of the healthcare system; unease brewing among Republicans about repealing Obamacare without a replacement; and a doctor at the Cleveland Clinic faces disciplinary actions after publishing anti-vaccine rhetoric.

During an interview with Vox that was simulcast by the White House, President Barack Obama reviews where his signature law is working, where it isn't, and why Americans should demand to see what a replacement would look like.

This week in managed care, readers chose the top healthcare news story of 2016, 4 physician groups appealed to Congress to have a replacement for Obamacare ready if it is repealed, and the American College of Physicians released a new guideline on oral medications for type 2 diabetes.

What we're reading, January 6, 2017: some Democrats are appealing to the GOP to consider bipartisan efforts to overhaul Obamacare instead of repealing it; enrollment for Affordable Care Act plans is up 2.3% over last year; and Democrats demand an ethics probe into Tom Price's stock trades.

There are signs that some Republicans are uncomfortable with repealing President Barack Obama's signature law without taking steps to keep those who gained coverage from becoming uninsured.

What we're reading, January 4, 2017: Republicans in Congress may also make changes to Medicare; churches and faith-based organizations launch syringe exchanges; and judge rules Amgen's PCSK9 patent is valid.

A look at value-based insurance design, and how it provides a way to reduce financial barriers to care for people with chronic conditions.

The groups represent nearly 400,000 practitioners on the front lines of primary care for families, women, and children.

What we're reading, January 3, 2017: Colorado's Affordable Care Act exchange misused more than $9 million in federal funds; an over-the-counter birth control may be coming to the United States; and returning health data to patients could reduce health record breaches.

What we're reading, January 2, 2017: drug makers are taking a cautious approach to off-label promotion; Republicans eye changes to Medicaid under Trump administration; and the impact of geography on health.