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Report: Mental Health Drugs Vital for Medicare Patients
WASHINGTON -- Medicare consumers with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia are hospitalized less often if they maintain access to their medications when they hit the coverage gap for prescription drugs, according to a study released today.
This has led to scientists calling for the so-called "doughnut hole" to be closed sooner than 2020, as called for in the 2010 health care law, also known as the Affordable Care Act. They would also like to see patients using more generic medications so that they can avoid hitting the gap in the first place, while saving taxpayers money. "We'd save money and have better outcomes," said Kenneth Smith, lead author of the report published in The American Journal of Managed Care. The health care law last year gave a 50% discount on name-brand drugs and a 14% discount on generics, and Smith said policymakers should consider increasing the discount on generics.
Read the full story: http://usat.ly/WMJ91Q
Source: USA Today
Hospital Participation in Medicare ACOs: No Change in Admission Practices and Spending
August 19th 2025Hospital accountable care organization (ACO) participation did not impact emergency department admission rates, length of stay, or costs, suggesting limited effectiveness in reducing spending for unplanned admissions and challenging hospital-led ACO cost-saving strategies.
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Laundromats as a New Frontier in Community Health, Medicaid Outreach
May 29th 2025Lindsey Leininger, PhD, and Allister Chang, MPA, highlight the potential of laundromats as accessible, community-based settings to support Medicaid outreach, foster trust, and connect families with essential health and social services.
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Care Quality Metrics in Medicare During COVID-19 Pandemic
August 12th 2025Medicare Advantage outperformed traditional Medicare on clinical quality measures before and during the COVID-19 pandemic; mid-pandemic, however, traditional Medicare narrowed the gap on some in-person screenings.
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