Laura Joszt, MA

Consolidation in the healthcare market continues with an announcement that Walgreens has entered into an agreement to purchase Rite Aid for a total of $17.2 billion.

While the age-standardized death rate for all causes of death combined, as well as heart disease, cancer, stroke, unintentional injuries, and diabetes, have slowed from 1969 to 2013, the rate for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease actually increased.

A new health insurance start-up aiming to aid companies with their employer-sponsored insurance raised $81 million in a new round of financing. The new funding will allow the company to expand its services beyond California in 2016.

CMS has unveiled the latest improvements to HealthCare.gov. However, the agency was not able to complete all additional features in time for open enrollment and will roll the remaining ones out after November 1.

Years after the country was sent into a tizzy over the fear of "death panels," there has been an enormous growth in palliative care in the United States, although it and hospice care are still very misunderstood by patients, said speakers at America's Health Insurance Plans' National Conference on Medicaid.

Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) discussed Medicaid expansion, the Affordable Care Act, and politics at America's Health Insurance Plans' National Conference on Medicaid.

A decade after the introduction of the Medicare Part D program and the program has seen great success-but that may be coming to an end. Panelists debated just that and discussed rising drug costs during a session at America's Health Insurance Plans' National Conference on Medicare.

While there are reports of high patient satisfaction and well-managed costs in the Medicare program, the next 50 years will be full of new challenges, said Andrew Slavitt, acting CMS administrator, during the opening session at America's Health Insurance Plans' National Conference on Medicare.

Two Harvard Medical School professors debate the merits of the annual physical in editorials published in New England Journal of Medicine.

States can use their prescription drug monitoring programs to detect abuse and misuse of controlled substances, according to a report in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Surveillance Summary.

Better support for healthcare providers to reduce stress and prevent burnout was a key point of conversation during the opening keynote at US News & World Report's third annual Hospital of Tomorrow forum in Washington, DC.

By the end of 2016, 10 million people are expected to have insurance coverage through the health insurance marketplaces and be paying their premiums, which is a small increase from the current 9.1 million individuals.

As the country moves from volume to value, accountable care organizations (ACOs) can play a key role during the transition from fee-for-service. How well do you know ACOs?

Patients are embracing and exploring alternatives to the traditional office practice, and the expansion of retail health clinics is a big part of that. However, the American College of Physicians said these clinics are best used as a backup alternative to a primary care physician.

More than $240 million has been awarded to support programs that increase access to primary healthcare in medically underserved communities, announced HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell.

Even though the US spent far more on healthcare in 2013 than other comparable high-income countries, it has the lowest life expectancy and some of the worst health outcomes, according to a study by The Commonwealth Fund.

Not only do healthcare markets across the country vary, but there are stark differences between healthcare markets within the same state, according to the Healthy Marketplace Index Report from the Health Care Cost Institute.

Researchers have found a high number of older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are using opioids excessively even though the drug may negatively effect lung health, according to a new study.

Turing Pharmaceuticals has yet to reduce the price of Daraprim, despite statements that the company would do so following public outcry over the 5000% increase overnight in the drug's cost.

Nearly 70 people have been recommended to receive testing for hepatitis B and C and HIV after they received flu shots from syringes that had been reused.

Many individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are only diagnosed after they experience late-stage exacerbations, but a new tool could hasten the process of diagnosing cases of COPD.

Millions of Americans with serious illness, such as cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, and dementia, continue to have inadequate access to palliative care, according to the 2015 State-by-State Report Card from the Center to Advance Palliative Care.

The use of telemedicine could be an alternative to visits at respiratory outpatient clinics for patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to a study published in the International Journal of COPD.

A new medication therapy management model being rolled out by CMS will test strategies to improve medication use among Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in the Part D drug program.

The next generation of healthcare was the main topic of conversation at the 65th Annual Roy A. Bowers Pharmaceutical Conference, held by the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

Researchers in China and the United States have developed a predictive model capable of forecasting which patients will account for either small or large proportions of healthcare resource utilization in the next 6 months.

Healthcare networks around the country will be getting some financial help from HHS to improve quality of care, increase patient access to information, and reduce costs.

High-cost patients diagnosed with opioid abuse have higher rates of chronic comorbidities and mental health conditions compared with lower-cost patients, which highlights the need to consider the complete medical and psychosocial patient history, according to a new study published in the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy.

Medicare beneficiaries undergoing dialysis who reach the Part D coverage gap have increased out-of-pocket spending, increased medical service utilization and costs, and increased mortality, according to a new study.

A new report from The Commonwealth Fund has found similarities between premium costs for marketplace enrollees and those with employer plans. According to Are Marketplace Plans Affordable?, 60% of marketplace enrollees and 55% of individuals with employer plans pay either nothing or less than $125 a month for individual coverage.