Health Care Delivery

Analysis of data on nearly 27,000 patients with rectal cancer found distance from site of radiation therapy, along with a few other factors, could significantly impact the possibility of the patient receiving treatment.

What we're reading, March 21, 2016: government action to lower drug prices unlikely; women live longer than men but face more years of disability; and the movement to give nurses more autonomy.

Having a state exchange has allowed even those in the most remote locations of New Mexico to gain assistance with their insurance, said Amy Dowd, CEO of beWellnm.

In states that have not expanded Medicaid, uninsured low-income women face more difficulties in accessing recommended screenings for breast and cervical cancer.

This week, the top managed care stories include Humana announcing executive bonuses are now partially tied to value, Veterans Affairs has expanded access of hepatitis C drugs to all veterans in the system, and CDC releases guidelines on prescribing opioids.

Panelists highlighted the flexibility allowed in a state-based marketplace, the benefits of setting one up, and paint a rosy future at America's Health Insurance Plans' Health Insurance Exchange Forum.

The partnership between is expected to improve access and help overcome gaps in care for consumers.

What we're reading, March 18, 2016: Covered California is considered removing hospitals with poor performance from the exchange; an outbreak in Wisconsin spreads to Michigan; #ZikaVirus infection in the US climbs to 450.

Health plans that manage complex populations covered by Medicaid often have to get creative in order to provide care for their consumers, explained panelists at America’s Health Insurance Plans’ National Health Policy Conference.

Dermatologists have conducted a research study that proves "smartphone microscopes" can improve the detection of skin cancer in remote areas and in developing nations, where specialists are not as easily accessible to patients.

Rather than decreasing healthcare spending, retail health clinics actually modestly increase spending by $14 per person per year.

Individuals facing end of life-whether that be for themselves, or a family member-encounter an array of challenges when attempting to decide among the end-of-life care options that are available. Health care professionals sometimes struggle with providing guidance, as well.

A new report published by the American Society of Clinical Oncology has drawn a mixed picture of oncology care in the United States-reduced mortality, increased survivors, and progress in treatment coupled with unsustainable costs and an unstable clinical setting.

Healthcare consolidation must be accompanied with integration of care in order to be successful, explained Robert Nesse, MD, the senior director of Policy and Payment Reform at Mayo Clinic.

Factors determining access to care are closely associated with hospital and emergency department visits among adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The Department of Veterans Affairs will now be able to treat all veterans who have hepatitis C instead of restricting treatment to only the sickest.

What we're reading, March 14, 2016: hospitals implement new ways to combat skyrocketing drug prices; some Affordable Care Act's health insurance co-ops could see profits in 2016; and patient anxiety decreases when hospitalists show more empathy.

According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, TAPUR provides patients access to drugs at no cost, and is designed to evaluate FDA-approved targeted agents for indications other than those on the drug’s label.

An analysis of hospital participation in plans on the Affordable Care Act exchanges found that despite increasingly narrow networks, almost all highly ranked hospitals can be found in at least 1 plan.

In spite of a surge in telehealth-related policies, telehealth claims numbers remain low, according to an analysis of private payer reimbursements to primary care providers for telehealth services from 2009 to 2013.

The Affordable Care Act and rising healthcare spending were the main topics of conversation at America’s Health Insurance Plans Health Insurance Exchanges Forum and National Health Policy Conference, which were held March 8-10 in Washington, DC.

The proposals recommend modernizing policies across the healthcare industry, including the drug discovery and development process, promoting value-driven healthcare, increasing the consumer voice, and addressing market distortions.

What we're reading, March 10, 2016: spending on drug advertisements up 60% over 4 years; lawsuit between Gilead and Merck over hepatitis C virus drugs; and Tennessee considers allowing pharmacists to prescribe contraceptives.

Despite big changes in the American healthcare system over the past 2 years, most US residents report that the healthcare they personally receive has remained about the same.

Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) have sent a letter to the FDA urging the regulatory body to find efficient ways to distribute expensive cancer drugs.