What we're reading, October 21, 2015: influential Republican's on health committees oppose the Affordable Care Act's reinsurance program for insurers; shareholder's of Aetna say yes to the company's merger with Humana; and the genetic testing company will once again start sharing health information with consumers.
Republicans Reignite Insurance Bailout Debate
Influential Republicans who serve on health committees, including Fred Upton (R-MI) who chairs the d House Energy and Commerce Committee, have submitted a letter to acting administrator, Andy Slavitt, urging CMS to reduce reimbursement or deny participation for certain plans under the controversial “reinsurance” program of the Affordable Care Act. “We urge you to consider adopting lower reimbursement rates for years 2015 and 2016 and to end the regulatory requirement that self-insured companies and multi-employer health plans contribute to the reinsurance program,” the letter states.
Read the letter here.
Shareholders Approve Aetna-Humana Merger
Shareholders of insurance giants Aetna and Humana have approved the proposed merger of the 2 companies in separate meetings. About 99% of Aetna’s shareholders agreed to allow the issuance of common shares to Humana stockholders associated with the acquisition.
Read more here.
23andMe Will Start Sharing Genetic Data With Customers
Following a setback in 2013 wherein the FDA stopped the molecular testing company 23andMe from sharing health information that lacked regulatory approval, the company now has the FDA’s go-ahead. 23andMe will begin providing information on the “carrier status” of people who have genetic mutations that could lead to a disease in their offspring. According to Anne Wojcicki, co-founder and chief executive of 23andMe, the company is now “working from within the system so the consumer will have a sense of ownership and a voice in that system.”
Read more here.
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.
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Navigating Health Literacy, Social Determinants, and Discrimination in National Health Plans
February 13th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the February 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on how health plans can screen for health literacy, social determinants of health, and perceived health care discrimination.
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Homelessness Compounds Hospital Stay Challenges: Study Reveals Prolonged Discharge Struggles
March 28th 2024In this investigation, outcomes of interest were morbidity rate and length of hospital stay or a traumatic injury among a homeless population, and whether age and/or injury severity had an influence on that relationship—with implications for improving the discharge process for these patients.
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FDA Approves Vadadustat for Anemia in Patients With CKD Undergoing Dialysis
March 28th 2024The FDA approved vadadustat (Vafseo), an oral medication, to treat anemia in adult patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on dialysis for at least 3 months. This fills a need for a new treatment option as anemia is common in these patients and can significantly impact their quality of life.
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