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HHS announced the latest round of accountable care contracts in the Medicare Shared Savings Program, adding 123 additional ACOs and reaching about 1.5 million more Medicare beneficiaries.

The final panel of the conference analyzes the role of the industry in healthcare, including panelists' observations on topics such as innovation. Mr Gamble, for instance, offers his insights as to how groups like the Community Oncology Alliance are working with the industry to drive the message about the quality and the value component throughout all the stakeholders. Dr Fox provides perspective on how payers can offer valuable partnerships throughout the industry, including those with pharmaceutical companies.

Dr Cliff Goodman leads a discussion featuring panelists including The American Journal of Managed Care's co-editor-in-chief, Dr Michael Chernew. Topics of the discussion include the impact of value-based pricing in the market, and how different pricing models such as bundled payments or accountable care organizations impact risk factors.

According to Dr Ramsey, both the Health Economics Outcomes Research (HEOR) model and the pharmaceuticals pricing model in the United States are broken. He says: Unless we, as a community, figure out a way to use health economics in our decision making, we are not going to stop this train of unsupportable price increases in pharma.

Mr Klein leads another discussion with Michael Kolodjiez, MD, Lee N. Newcomer, MD, MHA, John L. Fox, MD, MHA, and Jerry Conway. The panel responds to whether there are gaps in targeted gene analyses. They also discuss other issues including bioinformatics, and how payers, providers, and pharmacists might collaborate on improving care through genetic sequencing.

Jerry Conway provides a DNA-centric view of organizing treatment plans with respect to the use of some advances in genomic technology.

Dr Klein moderates this discussion, including co-editor in chief of The American Journal of Pharmacy Benefits Dr Jan Berger. The panel addresses a variety of topics as they relate to companion diagnostics in targeted treatments. Panelists respond to issues such as who should take responsibility in genetic counseling to ensure that patients have the best experience possible-whether it be in person or telephonic. Other topics covered in this discussion include appropriate consumerism in this space, the employer's role in genetic counseling, and how medical professionals are being trained or educated about these processes.

Karen uses this session to analyze payer perspectives in genetic counseling. She describes the process involved with genetic counseling and the role of the counselor. She notes that the path to becoming a genetic counselor can often be more rigorous than in other specialties. Ms Lewis also discusses the surge of interest that genetic counseling has seen in recent years.

Bruce Feinberg, DO, vice president and chief medical officer of Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions, Clinical Pathways, begins this next segment from a different perspective.

Dr Klein begins the panel discussion by asking participants to name one of their biggest challenges. Dr Newcomer responds that time and the fact that there are not enough PhDs are challenging. Ms Torda suggests that standardized data and data collection remains difficult. Dr Scanlon says it's the nimbleness of structuring data.

Dr Newcomer says that he welcomes the transition of oncology from being evaluated in process measures to outcome measures. He says that while quality measures can be quick and messy, these results are used for the purpose of finding gaps and seeing if those gaps can be improved.

Implications of Healthcare Reform: 'No' Will Be Heard is led by Cliff Goodman, PhD, in a panel discussion featuring A. Mark Fendrick, MD, co-editor in chief of The American Journal of Managed Care, John L. Fox, MD, MHA, and Ira M. Klein, MD, MBA, FACP. The panelists determine what it means when a patient says no.

Ethan Basch, MD, a self-described triple-threat, discusses incorporating patient-centered outcomes into clinical trials. He begins his presentation by describing a colleague's published research article, Pazopanib versus Sunitinib in Metastatic Renal-Cell Carcinoma. The study found that not only did Pazopanib cost an estimated $5800 and Sunitinib $7800, but Pazopanib was superior to Sunitiniib in 11 out of 14 quality-of-life indicators.

Cliff Goodman, PhD, senior vice president and principal at the Lewin Group, kicks off the first discussion of AJMC's PCOC 2013 by introducing panelists Amy Berman, BS, RN, Dennis Scanlon, PhD, and Manasi A. Tirodkar, PhD, MS, as they consider the role of consumerism in deliverability of care.

Dr Peter Bach says professionals are looking at opportunities for new payment models and care redesign, but there are also threats that might surface. Each type of insurance payment model has different levels of risk factors. New payment models, such as the UHC pathways program and CMMI demo, have limited risk.

Amy Berman, BS, RN, says the new business case for cancer focuses on the individual. It has action-oriented outcomes, and is a value proposition. We cannot be effective, if we do not engage individuals, says Ms Berman.

The value of genetic testing in breast cancer is subject to debate, but it also holds promise. One recent clinical trial simulated by a group of researchers, for instance, found that the 7 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (7SNP) genetic test for breast cancer was cost-effective when used for MRI screenings in patients at intermediate risk of developing the disease over their lifetime.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced Friday that it is seeking a second round of applicants to the Pioneer ACO Model. It is also soliciting suggestions for new accountable care organization models that encourage greater provider integration and financial accountability.

The business of treating patients via telehealth in the U.S. will dramatically increase to nearly $2 billion in revenue within five years due to a confluence of events in the health care industry from doctor shortages to provider payment changes under the Affordable Care Act.

Several medical societies and groups are developing around the practice of concierge medicine as the rapidly growing field tries to sort itself out.

Enrolling the uninsured continues to be an issue in the federal and state exchanges.

Cancer drug prices have doubled in the past decade, from an average of $5,000 per month to more than $10,000.

A new US health insurance model uses financial sticks and carrots to steer patients toward the most beneficial care.

Millions of people facing the cancellation of health insurance policies will be allowed to buy catastrophic coverage and will be exempt from penalties if they go without insurance next year, the White House said Thursday night.

Accountable care organizations (ACOs) might have their year in 2014, if recent survey findings are suggestive of future trends.

City of New Orleans Health Commissioner Dr. Karen DeSalvo has been named as HHS' new national coordinator for health information technology. She starts Jan. 13.

The director of Minnesota's health insurance exchange, April Todd-Malmlov, abruptly resigned this week, making the exchange the fourth state program to see a leadership change in the midst of mounting criticism over the rollout of President Obama's new health care law.

During the first eight months of this year, fewer than 18 percent of Medicare patients ended up back in the hospital within a month of discharge, the lowest rate in years, the government reported Friday.

One of the central features of a value-based system is a financial "stick." If patients insist on medical procedures that science shows to be ineffective or unnecessary, they'll have to pay for all or most of the cost.

The long-awaited update to guidelines for the management of hypertension - from the panel appointed to the Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC 8) - raises the recommended blood pressure threshold to determine the need for drug therapy in many patients.