A roundup of top healthcare news stories: January 27, 2017.
Requests for Orphan Drug Designations Rise Sharply
The number of requests from pharmaceutical companies for an orphan drug designation from the FDA rose 23% from 2015 to 2016. According to STAT, with orphan drugs meant for small populations, drug makers can charge higher prices and insurers won’t fight the high costs too much. The orphan drug designation was created to incentivize drug makers to create medicines for rare diseases, but there has been recent concern that the companies are distorting the Orphan Drug Act’s original purpose with some drugs being submitted actually intended to be used more broadly.
Trump Cancels Obamacare Ads While GOP Struggles With a Replacement
Annual open enrollment under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) ends on January 31, but the Trump administration has pulled advertisements encouraging people to sign up for coverage, reported The New York Times. With President Donald Trump and Republicans set on repealing the law, the administration is looking to save money by not promoting a healthcare law that might not exist in a few months. Meanwhile, the GOP is meeting in Philadelphia for a retreat. According to Kaiser Health News, Republicans are having trouble agreeing on how to repeal and replace the ACA. One strategy may be to makes changes to the law instead of a single replacement.
Former HHS Secretary to Lead American University
Sylvia Mathews Burwell has already found a new job after leaving her post as secretary of HHS under the Obama administration. Burwell has been named the next president of American University, and she will assume responsibilities on June 1, 2017, according to a press release from the university. During her tenure at HHS, Burwell oversaw the implementation of the ACA, and led efforts to combat Ebola and Zika virus outbreaks.
Health Equity and Access Weekly Roundup: December 2, 2023
December 2nd 2023The Center on Health Equity and Access highlights the most recent updates in the realm of health equity, including news, research findings, and initiatives focused on mitigating health care disparities and enhancing overall access to quality care.
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Oncology Onward: A Conversation With Thyme Care CEO and Cofounder Robin Shah
October 2nd 2023Robin Shah, CEO of Thyme Care, which he founded in 2020 with Bobby Green, MD, president and chief medical officer, joins hosts Emeline Aviki, MD, MBA, and Stephen Schleicher, MD, MBA, to discuss his evolution as an entrepreneur in oncology care innovation and his goal of positively changing how patients experience the cancer system.
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Insufficient Data, Disparities Plague Lung Cancer Risk Factor Documentation
September 24th 2023On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with the senior author of a study published in the September 2023 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® on the importance of adequate and effective lung cancer risk factor documentation to determine a patient's eligibility for screening.
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Contributor: More Informed Management of Preeclampsia Is Necessary
November 29th 2023At present, it is difficult for clinicians to identify patients at greatest risk for developing preeclampsia with severe features and tailor treatment plans for them; this difficulty increases costs significantly.
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