Gov. Mark Gordon sings a ban on the use of abortion pills in Wyoming; a new study shows that Affordable Care Act has reduced racial disparities in health care; California Gov. Gavin Newsom announces a contract to make affordable insulin.
Wyoming Governor Signs Proposed Abortion Pill Ban
Republican Gov. Mark Gordon signed into law a ban on the use of abortion pills in Wyoming, with a separate measure allowing abortion restriction to become law without his signature, according to The Associated Press. This ban would not only prohibit the use of abortion pills in the state starting in July, but also condone legislation banning all abortions. There is no implementation date yet for the all-encompassing abortion ban; abortion remains legal in Wyoming up until viability, or until the fetus would be able to survive outside of the womb.
ACA Reduces Racial Disparities in Health Care
A new report by The Commonwealth Fund shows expanded health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) reduced racial disparities in health care, according to CBS News. Since its implementation in 2013 allowing Medicaid expansion, the ACA has increased health insurance eligibility among minority individuals and their families. According to the report, "The coverage gap between Black and White adults dropped from 9.9 to 5.3 percentage points, while the gap between Hispanic and White adults dropped from 25.7 to 16.3 points,” according to the study.
California Enters Contract to Make Its Own Affordable Insulin
Gov. Gavin Newsom has announced a contract with nonprofit drugmaker Civica Rx to create California’s own line of affordable insulin for individuals living in the state, according to NPR. The contract will cover 3 forms of insulin: glargine, lispro, and aspart, which are expected to be used interchangeably with other brand name insulins, such as Sanofi’s Lantus, Eli Lilly’s Humalog, and Novo Nordisk’s Novolog, respectively. Once approved by the FDA, California will enter a 10-year contract to create CalRx insulins later this year, with a price tag not to exceed $30 per 10-mL vial.
Brodalumab Is Effective, Safe in Patients With Moderate to Severe Psoriasis
March 18th 2024Posters presented at the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting demonstrated both short- and long-term efficacy and safety profiles of brodalumab in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis.
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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.
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AstraZeneca joins efforts to address high drug prices by capping out-of-pocket costs for its inhalers; Opill, the first OTC birth control pill, is now accessible through online sales; expansion prompts questions on the effectiveness and regulation of remote monitoring technology.
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Drs Raymond Thertulien, Joseph Mikhael on Racial Disparities in Multiple Myeloma Care Access
December 28th 2023In the wake of the 2023 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition, Raymond Thertulien, MD, PhD, of Novant Health, and Joseph Mikhael, MD, MEd, FRCPC, FACP, chief medical officer of the International Myeloma Foundation, discussed health equity research highlights from the meeting and drivers of racial disparities in multiple myeloma outcomes.
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Health Equity and Access Weekly Roundup: March 16, 2024
March 16th 2024This week, the Center on Health Equity and Access highlighted expert opinions on a mental health paradigm shift in the workplace, the impact health care algorithms can have on patient outcomes, and social factors linked with hidradenitis suppurativa severity, in addition to addressing the health needs of justice-involved populations.
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