Health Care Cost

The pharmacist is a critical member of the care team to help manage patients on treatment and contain costs of cancer care, said Kirollos S. Hanna, PharmD, BCPS, BCOP, FACCC, director of pharmacy, Minnesota Oncology.

The Center on Health Equity & Access focuses on addressing disparities in health care access, exploring innovative solutions, policies, and research to improve health equity across diverse populations.

This interview accompanies the fourth podcast in our National Recovery Month series with Amy Herschell, PhD, associate vice president, Program Implementation and Evaluation, Community Care Behavioral Health Organization, part of the UPMC Insurance Services Division, and Jessica Meyers, MSEd, senior advisor for implementation, UPMC Center for High-Value Health Care.

Catalyst for Payment Reform (CPR) explores stakeholder perspectives in Florida, Michigan, and Nevada, revealing both the challenges and opportunities states face in reforming health care pricing structures.

Hospitals that better utilized heart failure guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) had better patient outcomes, with lower mortality rates and costs.

Health plans would see savings faster if they switched to etranacogene dezaparvovec sooner, the investigators found.

A RAND study explores innovative approaches to alleviate stress, enhance mental health support, and address financial challenges faced by caregivers of military and veteran populations.

Ted Okon, MBA, executive director of the Community Oncology Alliance, spoke with The American Journal of Managed Care® about how the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) lawsuit against pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) could affect the future of pharmaceuticals and oncology.

Boarding times in the emergency department (ED) have risen nationally, but the implications for health equity have remained understudied. This study investigated whether prolonged ED boarding contributed to perceived racial discrimination and dissatisfaction with care.

The proposed Medicare High-Value Drug List Model, also known as the Medicare $2 Drug List, could have modestly reduced out-of-pocket costs for 38% of beneficiaries if implemented in 2021.

"As CMMI continues to test new equity adjustments, it is important that changes be grounded in scientific principles with extensive testing and validation to ensure the tightest linkage to social needs and health outcomes for underserved communities across the entire US," authors wrote.

The Center on Health Equity & Access covers news spanning health policy, politics, and clinical research, while featuring interviews with expert insights.

The authors examine how insurer and patient out-of-pocket payments for advanced prostate cancer differ by drug and health plan type and describe the relationship between these payments and utilization.

More than 25 million people lost their Medicaid coverage during the unwinding process conducted by all states following the pandemic.

The US health care system is underperforming despite high spending, and reform is needed in areas like insurance coverage, primary care, and equity to improve overall health outcomes and efficiency.

The Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law on August 16, 2022, and the debate over its Medicare-related benefits and impact on the prescription drug market has been raging ever since.

This commentary introduces Catalyst for Payment Reform’s and the Employers’ Forum of Indiana’s new campaign, Price Crisis, which will mobilize individuals, employers, and policy makers with evidence, guidance, and resources to take meaningful actions.

Results from a new study link inpatient food insecurity with longer hospitalization and greater chances of readmission.

From the presidential debate, ongoing conferences, and health care deserts in rural America, the Center on Health Equity & Access covers the latest news on population health, managed care, and health policy.

Panelists discussed how the Inflation Reduction Act and the Enhancing Oncology Model are impacting value in cancer care and access to treatment.

With the advances in cancer care, focus has mostly been on lamenting the high cost of these innovations instead of making patients and populations healthier, said A. Mark Fendrick, MD, director of the Center for Value-Based Insurance Design at the University of Michigan.

Jennifer Green, MD, of Duke University, explained that while CMS-negotiated drug prices under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) may not immediately lower patients' costs, they could improve access to expensive medications.

During the presidential debate, former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris shared their differing visions for the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Ali Khawar, Employee Benefits Security Administration, US Department of Labor, believes the final rule will be a benefit to employers and health plans that are trying to do the right thing and offer robust mental health benefits or substance use benefits.

Ken Cohen, MD, of Optum Care, advocates for glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) tiering for patients with diabetes based on comorbidities, like body mass index (BMI) and cardiovascular disease (CVD).

The Center on Health Equity & Access provides the latest news, research, and expert opinions on the state of equity in health care.

Using artificial intelligence (AI) in breast cancer screenings in the United Kingdom could be cost-effective and improve health outcomes after identifying more cancers.

Ian Neeland, MD, of University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve University, recommended a team-based, comprehensive approach to managing diabetes and its related complications.

Manisha Jhamb, MD, MPH, of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), is excited about CMS's negotiated drug prices under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) for patients with kidney disease; conversely, she highlights the challenge of low kidney disease awareness.

An analysis on the state of pharmaceutical drug pricing revealed that, despite rebates, consumers' out-of-pocket costs have grown faster than their insurers' prices.