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What We're Reading: Government Blocks Some Seamless Conversions Efforts in Medicare
What we're reading, October 28, 2016: Medicare blocks some efforts to automatically move customers eligible for Medicare into Medicare Advantage; the first lung cancer vaccine developed in Cuba will be tested in the US; and American Red Cross and Teladoc partner for disaster relief.
CMS is barring efforts from some health insurance companies to automatically move consumers eligible for Medicare into Medicare Advantage. According to Kaiser Health News, there are 29 insurers that are currently allowed to do seamless conversion to switch a customer from a commercial plan when they become eligible for Medicare at age 65. The problem is the conversion is not clear for some seniors, who first learn they’ve been moved into a new plan when they receive an expensive out-of-network provider bill or learn they’ve been given a new primary care doctor.
A lung cancer vaccine developed in Cuba will be tested in the United States for the first time. The trial at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York, will enroll up to 90 patients and will take 3 years to complete, reported The Washington Post. The vaccine has already been approved in some other countries. The US trial will test the vaccine in combination with the immunotherapy Opdivo to see if pairing the 2 improves effectiveness.
A partnership between the American Red Cross and Teladoc will help deliver medical care to communities affected by natural disasters. The companies announced that the partnership will make Teladoc’s network of physicians available to people helped by Red Cross. The virtual services will make it possible for victims of natural disasters to access health services.
Diagnostic Oversights Limit Luspatercept Benefits in MDS
May 8th 2024Investigators of a retrospective study encourage colleagues to utilize molecular testing for patients with an established diagnosis of lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), to be sure they don’t miss out on treatments, like luspatercept, for which they qualify.
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CMS Medicare Final Rule: Advancing Benefits, Competition, and Consumer Protection
May 7th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with Karen Iapoce, senior director of government products and programs at ZeOmega, about the recent CMS final rule on Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage.
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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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Coexistence of HIV, Hemophilia May Lead to Increased Presence of Coronary Artery Stenosis
May 8th 2024In patients living with HIV, the cardiovascular risk factors that come with infection may lead to an increased prevalence of coronary artery stenosis, especially in those who also have hemophilia.
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