Health Care Delivery

A new Blue Cross Blue Shield Association report provides the company’s snapshot of US health insurance trends.

The FDA has created the Drug Trial Snapshot, which provides details on the demographic profiles of participants in clinical trials of approved drugs.

What we're reading, January 28, 2016: Massachusetts' attorney general is threatening to sue Gilead Sciences over the high prices of its hepatitis C drugs; Anthem reports losses on Obamacare health plans; and consumers are satisfied with health coverage and limited networks.

Results presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology found that many patients diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia may not have access to or receive appropriate care, in part due to their insurance coverage.

The update calls on primary care practices and health plans to have places to send those patients who screen positive for depression.

States that have not expanded Medicaid are seeing the fallout in hospital budgets and in local governments that must make up difference for those who fall in the coverage gap.

A look at the latest news in healthcare, including a study that identifies an increased risk of diabetes in cancer survivors, 2 FDA approvals, Senator Bernie Sanders released a plan for universal healthcare coverage in the US, and the economics of aging.

Top managed care stories this week included UnitedHealth reporting larger-than-expected losses on Affordable Care Act health plans, new guidelines from the government that will improve patient access to medical records, and new information that can reduce risk of diabetes.

A program for homebound patients reduces spending and improves care in high-risk older Medicare beneficiaries.

The profile of high-cost patients in a Massachusetts ACO differed greatly, depending on their enrollment in Medicare, Medicaid, or a commercial plan.

Presenting patients with a one-page handout of information on additional interventions and data on the low value of a service did little to dissuade patients choosing to use a low-value service.

After pressure from insurers over concerns of rising costs, the government is eliminating several special open enrollment periods and will provide stronger enforcement of the remaining special open enrollment periods.

What we're reading, January 22, 2016: the average premium under the Affordable Care Act rose to $408 before tax credits; seniors will face higher Medicare Advantage premiums with a merge between Aetna and Humana; and Hawaii could be the first state to offer long-term care benefits.

A look at healthcare utilization and experience for high-need patients in 9 high-income countries.

What we're reading, January 20, 2016: UnitedHealth losses on Obamacare health plans steepen; more "skin in the game" doesn't necessarily result in savvier shoppers; and despite recommendations few high school students are tested for HIV.

The new rule has implications for personalized medicine, because having access to records helps tailor treatments for everything from cancer to chronic conditions.

What we're reading, January 19, 2016: the Obama administration is looking to make it easier for patients to access their medical records; a clinical trial has left 1 brain dead and 4 hospitalized; and hospitals are experimenting with mobile technologies to track patient health at home.

Radiologists and breast cancer specialists disagree with the US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation of raising the age of screening mammography to 50 years.

Just hours before Bernie Sanders (I-VT) took the stage to face off against Hillary Clinton for the last Democratic presidential debate before the Iowa caucus, the senator released an outline of his single-payer healthcare plan.

Healthcare coverage among parents has increased, but many remain unable to afford coverage.

Cost sharing for marketplace plans remained essentially unchanged from 2014 to 2015, but stable premiums during the period do not reflect the greater costs borne by enrollees, according to a report from The Commonwealth Fund.

People who are purchasing health insurance under the Affordable Care Act may be leaving money on the table because they choose plans with less expensive premiums and miss out on government subsidies, said Sara R. Collins, PhD, vice president of Health Care Coverage Access at The Commonwealth Fund.

This week in managed care the top stories included the announcement of a initiative to cure cancer, pharmaceutical company executives brushed off public outrage over drug prices, and the president's nominee for FDA commissioner has passed his first hurdle.

A new study published in JAMA Pediatrics stressed the importance of providing a variety of health coverage options for children under the Affordable Care Act.

The largest US hospitals are hardly using hospital-based mobile apps, and are thus missing opportunities to engage patients.