Mary Caffrey

While healthcare is an important issue among Democrats, it ranks lower on the list of priorities for Republicans and independent voters. Data show that voters are overwhelmingly concerned about jobs and the economy.

The move means the nation's largest payer will invest in diabetes prevention, which has been a focus of CDC, the American Medical Association, and the American Diabetes Association.

The Alabama Senate seems poised to pass a budget that comes $85 million short of Governor Robert Bentley's funding request for a Medicaid agreement with CMS, which was signed a few weeks ago.

An estimated 29.1 million Americans have diabetes; most have type 2 disease. While the CDC reported in December that new cases had fallen for the first time in a generation, there are disparities in who gets the disease. It hits harder among the poor and minorities.

The study from researchers at Cleveland Clinic found that during the years before full implementation of the Affordable Care Act, a shift in treatment methods for patients with a painful condition was associated with fewer amputations and deaths. But large disparities remain.

The program will air nearly 3 years after Jolie stunned the country with news that she'd had surgery to remove both breasts after a genetic test revealed she was at very high risk for cancer.

In Soda Politics, Marion Nestle, PhD, traces the history of the giant soda companies in the United States, and how they have copied the tactics of Big Tobacco to get children "drinking sugar," with resulting rates of diabetes and obesity. Other groups are joining Nestle in criticizing the export of heavy soda marketing to the developing world.

There has been interest in learning whether the SGLT2 inhibitor class could benefit those with type 1 diabetes who have been unable to achieve good glycemic control on insulin alone. The thought is that this class could help smooth out daily peaks and valleys in blood glucose levels.

The research puts data behind long-simmering complaints from patients and clinicians about availability of diabetes test strips.

Regeneron and Sanofi vowed to appeal the ruling; analysts said that process could take at least a year. While Amgen has asked for a permanent injunction, some see payment of royalties to Amgen as a more likely outcome if Regeneron is ultimately not successful.

Researchers found patients taking canagliflozin had more improvement in A1C levels than those taking DPP-4 inhibitors, and those taking canagliflozin were more likely to achieve key thresholds recognized by Medicare and other payers.

The guideline is designed to improve decision-making when prescribing pain medication. CDC authors note that the sheer rise of opioid prescriptions cannot be explained by the underlying health status of the population.

Michael Castagna, PharmD, MBA, has significant sales and marketing experience, but does he have enough time or money to rescue Afrezza?

The change comes ahead of a proposed merger with Aetna; executive pay tied to that transaction is not affected by this pay-for-performance initiative.

Both the authors and the writer of an editorial said obese women should be warned of potential risks, but that with absolute stroke risk low, they should not be denied access to contraception.

HHS Sylvia Mathews Burwell has made fighting opioid and heroin abuse a priority and has talked about the effects of addiction on her home state of West Virginia.

Patterns of meeting the minimum number of minutes to qualify for higher reimbursement rates were seen in 4 states: Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Indiana. CMS said it will refer this matter to auditors for review.

The study revealed large disparities in prediabetes levels among young adults by race and ethnicity, underscoring the challenge for public officials in finding solutions to poor access to healthy food and safe places for children to play.

The report found higher death rates from liver cancer among the age group most at risk for hepatitis C virus, those born between 1945 and 1965. But increased rates of diabetes, obesity, and alcohol use are to blame for rising liver cancer deaths as well.

It's no surprise that researchers were unable to come to firm conclusions about the cardiovascular safety of Contrave based on partial results. An accompanying editorial in JAMA finds that a repeat of the LIGHT saga could force FDA to demand full safety data before approval.

As the fallout over Horizon BCBS of New Jersey's OMNIA tiered health plan continues, the legislature weighs the question: how much transparency will protect consumers and safety-net providers while ensuring a vibrant market that drives down costs?

The LEADER trial is the latest in a recent wave of cardiovascular outcomes trials now required by FDA for diabetes and obesity therapies. Full results will be reported in June at the meeting of the American Diabetes Association.

Yousuf Zafar, MD, MHS, found that most cancer patients would like to discuss financial concerns with their doctors, but few actually do, for a variety of reasons.

Flatiron Health seeks to use data to prevent the patient experience from being lost.

The acting attorney general, elevated on Monday, issued a letter later Friday saying he found no problem with the way Horizon's OMNIA Health Alliance was implemented. The move comes days before a hearing on legislation regarding tiered networks, to be chaired by one of the lawmakers who asked for the probe.

The study, published in the journal Nature, found that mice fed a high-fat diet had more stem cells that behaved differently outside their natural environment, showing signs that would be associated with tumor growth.

CMS has granted Michigan a waiver to expand free healthcare to an additional 15,000 children and pregnant women affected by lead poisoned water.

The average cost per episode dropped $6708 from the first year of the pilot to the third year.

The Republican frontrunner's plan did not say how some of its proposals would be paid for in the federal budget, and parts of it were at odds were previous statements in support of requiring coverage for pre-existing conditions.

Oncologists now face a cost discussion that was not part of their medical training. It's a balancing act between the big picture of understanding the burdens on the system and "the patient in front of you."