More Quality Measures Needed for Cancer, Other Chronic Diseases

A webinar held by KFF on July 9 emphasized the immediate effects of the new budget bill, highlighting the impacts on Medicaid and health spending in the next decade.

Julia Lucaci, PharmD, MS, of Becton, Dickinson and Company, discusses the benefits of blister packaging for chronic medications, advocating for payer incentives to boost medication adherence and improve health outcomes.

In Massachusetts’ largest Medicaid accountable care organization (ACO), high-risk care management significantly reduced spending, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations, demonstrating that targeted strategies can manage health care costs amid budget constraints.

A quick roundup episode of major health policy developments, from shifting COVID-19 vaccine guidance and scientific publishing controversies to rising cancer care costs and the impact of oncology biosimilars.

Tyler Sandahl, PharmD, a clinical pharmacist at Mayo Clinic, explains that sequencing novel multiple myeloma therapies with CAR T-cell therapy is generally prioritized first for eligible patients, while bispecific antibodies are reserved for later lines or for patients unable to tolerate CAR T.

To mark the 30th anniversary of The American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC), each issue in 2025 includes a special feature: reflections from a thought leader on what has changed—and what has not—over the past 3 decades and what’s next for managed care. The July issue features a conversation with David J. Shulkin, MD, a physician and former secretary of the US Department of Veterans Affairs.