For years, one prescription to healthcare woes in the United States has been to shift costs to consumers, on the theory that this will cause them to make more cost-effective decisions. As this experiment plays out in real life, however, a different reality is unfolding.
For years, one prescription to healthcare woes in the United States has been to shift costs to consumers. The logic is simple: Because patients currently do not bear the expense of most of their decisions, shifting expenses to them will cause them to make more rational, cost-effective decisions and will ultimately help bring about a more functional health care market.
As this experiment plays out in real life, however, a different reality is unfolding. While patients are paying more and more out of pocket for care, key challenges stand in the way of them operating as effective consumers. Fortunately, a number of innovative start-up companies are arising to address this problem.
Read more: http://bit.ly/1BlTaIs
Exploring Medicare Advantage Prior Authorization Variations
March 26th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the March 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on variations in prior authorization use across Medicare Advantage plans.
Listen
FDA Approves Vadadustat for Anemia in Patients With CKD Undergoing Dialysis
March 28th 2024The FDA approved vadadustat (Vafseo), an oral medication, to treat anemia in adult patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on dialysis for at least 3 months. This fills a need for a new treatment option as anemia is common in these patients and can significantly impact their quality of life.
Read More
Navigating Health Literacy, Social Determinants, and Discrimination in National Health Plans
February 13th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the February 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on how health plans can screen for health literacy, social determinants of health, and perceived health care discrimination.
Listen
Wearable Activity Tracker Data Enhance Patient Assessment in Lung Cancer
March 28th 2024This analysis included 119 patients with advanced lung cancer, who were evaluated on 3 facets of physical activity over 14 days of using the amuelink wearable device from Sony: metabolic equivalent tasks, distance walked, and steps taken.
Read More