Medicaid Beneficiaries Report High Satisfaction With Coverage, Care
Patients enrolled in Medicaid report they are pleased with the program and the care it provides, according to a large survey of beneficiaries. The findings, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, reveal that only 3% of respondents said they could not access care due to long waits or practices that did not accept their insurance. A large majority (84%) reported feeling they were able to get all the medical care they needed in the past 6 months. The average patient rating for the program as a whole was 7.9 out of 10, where 10 represented “the best healthcare possible,” and almost half gave it a 9 or 10.
Studies Point to Possible Protective Effects of Drinking Coffee
Two studies published in Annals of Internal Medicine offer coffee drinkers reassurance that the beverage does not appear to be harmful and may in fact be linked to reduced mortality. The first, which analyzed European coffee drinkers over a mean 16.4 years, found a lower risk of death for coffee drinkers, especially if they drank 3 or more cups a day. The second study on Americans by racial/ethnic group also found coffee consumption to be inversely associated with all-cause mortality. Researchers cautioned that the associations were modest and could be due to uncontrolled confounding factors.
New “Buffer Period” in Credit Scores Will Delay Inclusion of Medical Debt
Beginning in September, the 3 major credit reporting agencies will change the way they factor medical debt into consumers’ credit scores, Kaiser Health News reports. There will now be a waiting period of 180 days before medical debt is included on a credit report, which will give consumers time to resolve any lingering delays or issues with insurers. The credit agencies will also strike the medical debt from the credit report when it is paid by an insurer. The article notes that 43 million Americans currently have medical debt in collections that is damaging their credit score.
An Overview of Health Care and Pharmaceutical Trends, 2023-2024
April 19th 2024Douglas M. Long, BA, MBA, was featured as the keynote speaker on the closing day of The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy 2024 annual meeting, with a session dedicated to surveying the health care and pharmaceutical trends of the last year.
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Overcoming Employment Barriers for Lasting Social Impact: Freedom House 2.0 and Pathways to Work
April 16th 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our second episode, in which we learn all about Freedom House 2.0 and the Pathways to Work program.
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Making Giant Strides in Maternity Health Through Baby Steps
April 9th 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are kicking off a special month-long podcast series with our strategic alliance partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our first episode, which is all about the Baby Steps Maternity Program and its mission to support women throughout every step of their pregnancy journey.
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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.
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