South Dakota executive order controls distribution of abortion medication and telemedicine abortions; some states receive funds to improve access to affordable health insurance; Idaho activates “crisis standards of care” due to volume of COVID-19 patients in hospitals.
South Dakota Governor Kristi L. Noem issued an executive order that restricts abortion access in the state, The Washington Post reported. The order states that abortion medication can only be prescribed after an in-person examination by a doctor licensed in South Dakota. It also bans the medication from being delivered by “courier, delivery, telemedicine, or mail service,” and prohibits distribution on state grounds and in schools. This announcement comes days after Noem showed support for the Texas law that effectively bans abortions after approximately 6 weeks of pregnancy.
The Biden administration is distributing $452 million in federal funding through CMS to improve access to affordable and comprehensive health insurance coverage, HHS said. This will be done through section 1332 state-based reinsurance waivers, which partially reimburse health insurance companies for provider claims to avoid higher premiums for consumers and the federal government. Funding per state ranges from $2.5 million to $139 million. The 13 states receiving this funding, from most to least amount received, are Maryland, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Colorado, Alaska, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Delaware, New Hampshire, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, and Rhode Island. New Jersey is expected to be added to this list.
According to The Associated Press, Idaho public health leaders activated “crisis standards of care” due to the volume of COVID-19 patients, allowing health care rationing for some of the state’s hospitals. The state cited “a severe shortage of staffing and available beds in the northern area of the state caused by a massive increase in patients with COVID-19 who require hospitalization.” This decision allows hospitals to allocate resources like ICU rooms and equipment to patients based on survivability and make other care adjustments. Idaho has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country and recently saw a dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases, and other states like Hawaii are prepared to take similar steps.
Real-World Study Reveals Key Insights into DLBCL Treatment Patterns, Outcomes
April 18th 2024A recent study offers valuable insights into the characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in patients across different lines of therapy, providing a look into the landscape of DLBCL management.
Read More
Navigating Health Policy in an Election Year: Insights From Dr Dennis Scanlon
April 2nd 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with Dennis Scanlon, PhD, the editor in chief of The American Journal of Accountable Care®, about prior authorization, price transparency, the impact of health policy on the upcoming election, and more.
Listen
Collecting SDOH Data Can Assess Risk of Medical Nonadherence, Improve HEI and Star Ratings
April 18th 2024At the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) 2024 annual meeting, a panel of presenters explored changes coming to Medicare that incorporate social determinants of health (SDOH) data to improve patient and health system outcomes.
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
Prices for care at hospital trauma centers vary across hospitals; drug shortages reached a record high during the first quarter of 2024; although 3 of the biggest makers of asthma inhalers pledged to cap out-of-pocket costs for some US patients at $35, these do not apply to daily inhalers used by the youngest kids with asthma.
Read More
Commonwealth Fund Report Details Pervasive Racial and Ethnic Disparities in US Health Care, Outcomes
April 18th 2024Using 25 health system performance indicators, the Commonwealth Fund 2024 State Health Disparities Report evaluated racial and ethnic disparities in health care and health outcomes both within and across US states and highlighted the urgent need for equitable health care policies and practices in the US.
Read More