Insurance

What we're reading, November 12, 2015: nationwide ban on smoking in public houses could have a huge economic impact; CMS barrier to sharing patient records on drug and alcohol abuse; an urgent care—ED hybrid model could save unnecessary costs.

Enrollment in Medigap plans has continued to increase among senior citizens for the fifth year in a row, according to a new report from America's Health Insurance Plans.

Heterogeneity in quality of care and cancer patient survival based on insurance coverage are the highlight of a report by researchers at the Institute for Population Health Improvement at the University of California Davis.

The Better Medicare Alliance works to articulate the value of Medicare Advantage and the way it has improved access to care and the right kind of care for millions of beneficiaries, said Allyson Y. Schwartz, president and CEO of the Better Medicare Alliance.

Findings being presented in San Francisco show which patients may be able to stop anti-TNF therapy, and which ones will do well with conventional drugs as second-line treatment.

Our homes should be sanctuaries-places of refuge and safety-but sadly, fraud is alive and thriving in home healthcare, endangering one of our most fragile and vulnerable patient populations: the homebound and often bed-bound. Defenseless people who may be totally alone, without family or friends.

An obscure notice on CMS' website outlines a proposed revised formula that would take effect in 2017.

What we're reading, November 3, 2015: off-label drug use is associated with a higher risk of adverse drug events; CMS finalizes its rule for advanced care planning for end-of-life care; and Californians send measure to cut drug prices to the vote.

As has been the case in other states, Virginia seeks a solution to rising costs for medically fragile patients. Lawmakers have been unwilling to expand Medicaid and likely will not until a cost-containment plan is found.

Advocacy groups say it's long past time for Medicare to cover continuous glucose monitoring, which is standard of care and funded by most commercial payers.

What we're reading, October 29, 2015: Pfizer and Allergan in talks to merge; the House passes a budget deal with implications for Medicare beneficiaries; and autism in children is being overdiagnosed.

What we're reading, October 28, 2015: Ben Carson plans to replace the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, and Medicare; a homeless shelter utilizes telemedicine to alleviate emergency department visits; and researchers uncover gender gap in post-heart attack treatment.

Payer—provider teams presented updates on their cost-saving pilot projects and looked to the future of these models in oncology care.

Twenty-four states have received grants to improve the behavioral health of their citizens by providing community-based mental and substance use disorder treatment.

This study evaluates different strategies to identify high fall risk among community-dwelling elders using a combination of easily obtainable administrative data and patient screening questions.