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Variation in Out-of-Pocket Drug Costs in Covered California
Consumers with chronic diseases face challenging trade-offs when choosing health coverage, especially when it comes to out-of-pocket drug costs.
Health plans offered through Covered California in 2014 had a significant variation in prescription drug coverage, particularly for drugs treating medication-reliant chronic conditions. Researchers with the California Healthcare Foundation determined consumers' out-of-pocket costs were affected by this variation and formulary design. Because of specialty tier costs and deductibles. medication-reliant consumers, regardless of their income, faed front-loaded spending at the start of the year, according to the report.
In addition, consumers will medication-reliant chronic conditions, such as bipolar affective disorder and rheumatoid arthritis, experienced higher out-of-pocket costs than those who don't use specialty drugs.
According to the Foundation, Covered California will be taking steps for the 2016 benefit year to addresses these concerns about high out-of-pocket costs for some prescription drugs. Prescription drug formulary placement is the primary source of out-of-pocket cost variation across plans because California standardizes benefit designs.
Read more at the California Healthcare Foundation: http://bit.ly/1Lz76Sx
At EHA 2025, Hematology Discussions Will Stretch Across Lifespans and Locations
June 5th 2025The 2025 European Hematology Association (EHA) Congress, convening virtually and in Milan, Italy, from June 12 to June 15, 2025, will feature a revamped program structure for the meeting’s 30th anniversary while maintaining ample opportunities to network, debate, and absorb practice-changing findings in hematology and oncology.
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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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Workers Facing Greater Economic Hardship More Likely to Report Poor Health
June 2nd 2025US 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.
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