Linking Cigarette Price and Rates of Quitting Smoking
Increasing the price of cigarette packs by just $1 is tied to a 20% increase in the rate of people who quit smoking. According to The New York Times, the price increase even led to a reduction in the average number of cigarettes smoked by heavy smokers. A price increase could have a substantial impact on older people who have smoked longer and are usually more difficult to motivate to quit.
Ruling on “Voluntary” Workplace Wellness Programs
A group that brought a lawsuit against voluntary workplace wellness programs that impose penalties for workers who opt out were victorious in court. A federal court rules those types of programs cannot be called “voluntary,” reported STAT. However, for now, the rules will stay in place since unwinding the penalties and incentives would be disruptive—employees may not be able to pay back incentives they received and employers may or may not be able to pay back penalties they collected from workers.
Red States Use Waivers to Change ACA
Although Congress did not pass a healthcare bill to overhaul the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Republican-led states have found they can take matters into their own hands. Using waivers, red states are making the ACA more conservative, according to Vox. Iowa is a perfect example. The state wants to standardize benefits for plans; transition to a flat dollar subsidy based on income and age; eliminate cost-sharing reductions; and create a reinsurance program for insurers covering high-cost enrollees. Oklahoma is also preparing its own waiver proposal.
Examining Low-Value Cancer Care Trends Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
April 25th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the April 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on the rates of low-value cancer care services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
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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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Dr Dalia Rotstein: Physicians Must Be Aware MS Affects People of All Backgrounds
April 24th 2024Dalia Rotstein, MD, MPH, emphazises the importance of awareness that multiple sclerosis (MS) impacts patients from various backgrounds as clinicians think through ways to improve access to care and research efforts in MS.
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The Federal Trade Commission's (FTC's) vote to ban most employers from issuing and enforcing noncompete clauses could have varying impacts on the health care workforce; federal regulators vastly under-enforced antitrust laws in the hospital sector during the last 2 decades, resulting in increased health costs; the FDA recently found genetic evidence of the H5N1 bird flu virus in pasteurized commercially purchased milk.
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