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What We’re Reading: Ozempic and Smoking Cessation; North Carolina’s Medical Debt Relief Plan; Mental Health Care Barriers
Smokers with diabetes on Ozempic are less likely to receive smoking cessation interventions; initiative incentivizes hospitals to eliminate medical debt for low- and middle-income patients; high costs prevent mental health treatment.
Lower Smoking Cessation Efforts Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes on Ozempic
Patients with type 2 diabetes taking semaglutide (Ozempic) had fewer tobacco-related medical encounters and smoking cessation interventions compared with those on other diabetes drugs, according to Reuters. Ozempic users were up to 32% less likely to discuss tobacco use with health care providers and up to 68% less likely to receive prescriptions for smoking cessation medications. The findings, drawn from electronic health records of nearly 229,000 patients, suggest a need for clinical trials to explore semaglutide's potential in smoking cessation.
Federal Regulators Approve North Carolina’s Groundbreaking Medical Debt Relief Plan
Federal Medicaid regulators have approved North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper's (D) innovative plan to offer hospitals financial incentives to eliminate medical debt for low- and middle-income patients, according to The Associated Press. Announced by Cooper's office and praised by Vice President Kamala Harris, this first-of-its-kind initiative aims to relieve $4 billion in debt for up to 2 million residents. State Health and Human Services Secretary Kody Kinsley emphasized that the program supports both the well-being of North Carolinians and the financial sustainability of hospitals.
Cost Barriers to Mental Health Care Affect Nearly 1 in 4 American Adults, Survey Finds
A survey by Mental Health America found that nearly 1 in 4 US adults with frequent mental distress avoided seeing a doctor due to the cost, according to Axios. This delay or avoidance of treatment is often linked to insurance status and medical debt, exacerbating a treatment gap that affects all demographic groups. The survey highlighted that in states like Georgia, Alabama, and Texas, which also have limited mental health worker availability, more than 30% of adults with frequent mental distress reported being unable to afford medical help.
Sociodemographic Factors Impact Cytoreductive Surgery Decisions in Advanced Ovarian Cancer
April 9th 2025Patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer who were non-Hispanic Black, older, had lower household income, resided in nonmetropolitan areas, and were unmarried had higher odds of refusing cytoreductive surgery.
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Varied Access: The Pharmacogenetic Testing Coverage Divide
February 18th 2025On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with the author of a study published in the February 2025 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® to uncover significant differences in coverage decisions for pharmacogenetic tests across major US health insurers.
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Lp(a) and Getting a Head Start Against Heart Disease: Jeremy Wigginton, MD
April 8th 2025Lipoprotein a (Lp[a]) is a valuable tool for assessing a patient's risk of cardiovascular disease, which can facilitate earlier intervention efforts and reduce health care costs, argued Jeremy Wigginton, MD.
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Organizational Factors Associated With Variation in Primary Care Providers in ACOs
April 8th 2025A higher percentage of accountable care organization (ACO) primary care providers was associated with physician leadership, upside financial risk, and financial compensation of physicians tied to performance measures.
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