
What We're Reading: HHS OIG Cites MA Plans; Shifts in Place of Death; FDA Warns Drugmaker
The HHS’ Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report that says Medicare Advantage (MA) plans received an estimated $6.7 billion in 2017 after adding diagnoses to patients' files that were not supported by their medical records; more Americans are dying at home rather than in hospitals or nursing homes; the FDA warned Alkermes, maker of Vivitrol, a long-acting antiaddiction medication, that its printed advertisement does not include the risk of an increased chance of a “potentially fatal” opioid overdose as the effects wear off.
Inspector General Says MA Plans Received Billions From Adding Unsupported Diagnoses
The HHS’ Office of the Inspector General released a report that says Medicare Advantage (MA) plans received an estimated $6.7 billion in 2017 after adding diagnoses to patients’ files that were not supported by their medical records.
More Americians Dying at Home, Not Hospitals, Nursing Homes
More Americans are dying at home rather than in hospitals or nursing homes, according to a report published in
FDA Warns Alkermes That Vivitrol Ad Lacks Information About Potential Risk of Overdose
The FDA warned Alkermes, maker of Vivitrol, a long-acting antiaddiction medication, that its printed advertisement does not include the risk of an increased chance of a “potentially fatal” opioid overdose as the effects wear off. Vivitrol, a long-acting version of naltrexone, is administered by injection every 28 days. If patients miss a dose or stop using it altogether, they risk overdosing if they take a legal or illegal opioid in the same amount they were previously consuming,
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