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What We're Reading: Expanding Telehealth; Opioid Use in Part D Drops; Trauma as a Public Health Issue
The Federal Communications Commission has proposed the 3-year, $100 million program to bring telehealth to low-income patients, veterans, and areas lacking access to adequate healthcare; use of opioids in Medicare Part D declined in 2018 as use of medication-assisted treatment increased; a House committee held a hearing on identifying, preventing, and treating childhood trauma as a public health issue.
FCC Proposes $100 Million Program to Promote Telehealth
Decline in Use of Opioids in Medicare Part D
House Committee Explores Childhood Trauma as a Public Health Issue
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed a 3-year, $100 million Connected Care Pilot program that would help bring telehealth services to low-income patients, veterans, and geographic areas lacking access to adequate healthcare. The program would offer an 85% discount on connectivity for broadband-enabled telehealth services to treat chronic conditions outside of the doctor’s office. According to the FCC, data collected from the program would be used to analyze the possible benefits that supporting broadband service can create.A report from the Office of the Inspector General of HHS revealed that in 2018, the use of opioids in Medicare Part D decreased from the previous 2 years while the use of medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder increased. In 2018, 29% of Part D beneficiaries received opioids compared with 31% in 2017 and 33% in 2016. Amid greater pushes for naloxone access, the report also showed that the number of beneficiaries receiving the drug more than doubled from 2017 to 2018. In light of this progress, the report says it is crucial for HHS to continue to implement effective strategies and develop new ones to address the epidemic.The House Oversight and Reform Committee held a hearing yesterday on identifying, preventing, and treating childhood trauma as a public health issue. During the hearing, the committee heard from trauma survivors, public health experts, and government officials to assess the long-term effects of childhood trauma and the need for more federal attention to address the issue. The committee heard from 2 panels, one of which shared personal stories of trauma, healing, and advocacy. The other panel consisted of experts who discussed the prevalence of childhood trauma and the limited amount of federal initiatives to prevent trauma and treat those who have experienced it.
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.
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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.
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The Biden administration recently launched the Global Health Security Strategy, a new effort to combat the spread of infectious diseases; lawmakers zeroed in on the risks of massive consolidation in health care during the first congressional hearing on the Change Healthcare hack; the FDA recently announced the recall of a pair of heart devices linked to numerous deaths and injuries.
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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.
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