What we're reading, October 29, 2015: Pfizer and Allergan in talks to merge; the House passes a budget deal with implications for Medicare beneficiaries; and autism in children is being overdiagnosed.
Pfizer and Allergan in Talks to Merge, Insiders Say
Following on the heels of the recently announced Walgreens-Rite Aid merger, and a summer of health insurance deals, The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Pfizer and Allergan are considering combining their companies. The process is still in early stages and might not come to fruition, but if a deal was made, it could be the biggest takeover announced this year.
House Passes Budget Deal that Prevents Medicare Premium Spike
The House passed a budget plan to raise the federal borrowing limit and avert a spending shutdown. The bipartisan deal would cut funding for Medicare and prevent premium spikes for nearly one-third of Medicare beneficiaries. The bill now goes to the Senate, which is expected to vote Tuesday, according to Modern Healthcare.
Researchers Say Autism Is Overdiagnosed
A comparison of children currently diagnosed with autism and children previously diagnosed reveals that as many as 9% of children diagnosed with the disorder may not actually have it, according to CDC researchers. Overall, 13% of children ever diagnosed with autism lost the diagnosis with research suggesting the reason for moving off the spectrum may be due to maturation, intervention, or overdiagnosis. The researchers wrote in Autism that the high percentage of children who lost their diagnosis suggests overdiagnosis may be a more common problem than expected.
Commonwealth Fund Report Details Pervasive Racial and Ethnic Disparities in US Health Care, Outcomes
April 18th 2024Using 25 health system performance indicators, the Commonwealth Fund 2024 State Health Disparities Report evaluated racial and ethnic disparities in health care and health outcomes both within and across US states and highlighted the urgent need for equitable health care policies and practices in the US.
Read More
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.
Listen
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.
Listen
Age Alone Is No Barrier to Allo-HCT for AML, Data Indicate
April 17th 2024A new study is among the largest real-world analyses to date to assess trends over time and predictive factors for older patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who received allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT).
Read More
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.
Read More