Health Care Cost

US workers facing high economic hardship, especially those in lower-wage occupations, were significantly more likely to report fair or poor health, underscoring persistent disparities in worker well-being.

Racial and ethnic disparities in health access persist, highlighting the urgent need for targeted interventions to achieve health equity across various conditions.

Oncology biosimilars significantly reduce financial toxicity in cancer care, as highlighted in 2 abstracts presented at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting.

Community oncology faces significant challenges from the Inflation Reduction Act's (IRA) drug pricing changes, risking financial stability and patient access to care.

A new State of Drug Access report shows that more than 40% of people living in the US could not afford their prescribed drugs.

Explore the evolving landscape of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) for obesity, highlighting access challenges and payer coverage trends affecting treatment options.

This week, the Center on Health Equity & Access covered news from the Trump administration and CMS, Cigna's co-pay cap on weight loss drugs, and perspectives on living with HIV.

Evernorth has capped antiobesity drug monthly co-pays at $200 in a move to improve access and affordability amid new drug pricing initiatives.

Veterans primarily receiving care through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) similarly used dental and vision services under Medicare Advantage (MA) and traditional Medicare, challenging the justification for full MA capitated payments based on supplemental benefits.

Ali Khawar, former Department of Labor official, explains the original intent of a federal rule to reinforce the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act could be under threat as the Trump administration walks back enforcement.

Emma Achola-Kothari, PhD, explains that Medicare beneficiaries younger than 65 years without supplemental coverage face greater financial and access barriers to care, while dual-eligible individuals experience fewer of these challenges.

HHS announces it is taking steps to implement President Trump’s Executive Order on prescription drug pricing. Keep up with the latest moves made in health policy under President Donald Trump's second administration. This timeline will be updated as orders and policy progress.

Proposed Medicaid cuts risk increasing health disparities, leaving millions uninsured and limiting access to essential care for vulnerable populations.

The executive order signed on May 12 has some differences from a previous executive order originally signed by the Trump administration in 2020.

Novel therapies for multiple myeloma (MM), including chimeric antigen receptor T-cell and bispecific antibodies, extend lives but raise concerns about treatment costs and adherence, and they haven't replaced stem cell transplantation, Harsh Parmar, MD, of Hackensack University Medical Center, explains.

A new analysis looked at estimated out-of-pocket costs for etanercept, ustekinumab, and ibrutinib, specialty drugs that often represent a significant cost burden for Medicare Part D beneficiaries and which were selected for 2026 drug price negotiation under the Inflation Reduction Act.

The new executive order contains multiple provisions if pharmaceutical companies do not offer "most-favored nation" pricing on medication.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s congressional hearing featured numerous statements from the secretary of HHS, including denouncing claims of cutting down the HHS and the National Institutes of Health.

Investing in patient navigation and clinician incentives ensures colorectal cancer screening completion, improves early detection, reduces disparities, achieves cost savings, and advances population health for all stakeholders.

A new single-use device reduces surgical site infections, improves recovery, and lowers costs after Cesarean (C-section) deliveries.

Covered California and Health Net’s novel data exchange initiative significantly improved quality measurement and potentially reduced costs by more than $640,000.

Proposed Medicaid cuts in the Republican budget proposal hold significant implications for health care access and coverage.

The move would align prescription costs in the US with the costs of other countries, according to the administration.

The Maryland All-Payer Model was associated with an increase in population-based rates of elective major joint replacements, with a more pronounced effect observed in Maryland-only hospitals.

A study reveals higher health care costs and resource use for uncomplicated urinary tract infections (uUTIs), emphasizing the need for improved patient management strategies.

Enrollment in Medicare coverage without out-of-pocket protections was associated with a higher likelihood of reporting cost and access barriers to care.

The goal of the proposed bill is to “make prescriptions affordable again” in the US.

Asembia’s AXS25 Summit covered a variety of relevant topics in the pharmaceutical industry, from the effects of the new administration to how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the patience experience.

Discover how technological advancements and social factors impact cardiovascular care, LGBTQ+ health disparities, and cancer research at AACR 2025.

Timely outpatient telepsychiatry care for Medicaid enrollees was associated with lower hospitalization rates and comparable overall costs, supporting its potential role in value-based care models.