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What We're Reading: California Halts Soda Taxes; Massive Drug Takedown; Amazon Shakes Pharmacy Firms
The California state legislature approved a last-minute deal to halt soda taxes for 12 years; the Department of Justice charged 601 people for taking part in a variety of frauds and schemes that resulted in more than $2 billion in healthcare losses; Amazon buying PillPack, an online pharmacy, is exactly what the pharmacy business has been fearing.
California Halts Soda Taxes Until 2031
The California state legislature approved a last-minute deal to ban soda taxes for 12 years between one of the state’s largest labor unions and the American Beverage Association, California Healthline reported. Democratic Governor Jerry Brown signed the measure, which gives the industry a break until January 1, 2031. In return, local municipalities will avoid a fight at the ballot box on a broader proposal that could have made it more difficult for them to raise general taxes and fees. Some state lawmakers said the deal holds Californians “hostage.”
DOJ Charges 601 in Massive Healthcare Fraud Schemes, Including Opioid Cases
The Department of Justice charged 601 people, including doctors, for taking part in a variety of frauds and schemes that resulted in more than $2 billion in healthcare losses, including improper billing to Medicare and Medicaid. Reuters reported the hundreds of suspects charged included 162 doctors and other suspects for their roles in prescribing and distributing addictive opioid painkillers. The arrests came in dozens of unrelated prosecutions announced together as part of an annual healthcare fraud takedown.
Amazon Shakes Up Pharmacy Chains With Purchase of Online Firm PillPack
Amazon buying PillPack, an online pharmacy, is exactly what the pharmacy business has been fearing, The New York Times reported. Amazon faced the problem of securing pharmacy licenses in each state, but PillPack is already licensed to ship drugs in 50 states. That paves the way for the ecommerce giant to become a major player in pharmacy retail overnight. PillPack, a startup, distributes pills in easy-to-use packages designed for patients with chronic conditions and multiple prescriptions.
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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From Red Tape to Relief: Rewriting the Rules of Prior Authorization
June 23rd 2025Up to 257 million Americans could benefit from these prior authorization reforms that could have cross-market implications on health care plans administered through commercial insurers, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid.
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New Research Challenges Assumptions About Hospital-Physician Integration, Medicare Patient Mix
April 22nd 2025On this episode of Managed Care Cast, Brady Post, PhD, lead author of a study published in the April 2025 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care®, challenges the claim that hospital-employed physicians serve a more complex patient mix.
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How Value-Based Care With Provider Enablement Improves Maternal and Infant Outcomes in Medicaid
June 12th 2025Supported value-based care improves prenatal care while reducing neonatal intensive care unit stays, preterm birth rates, low birth weight rates, and costs for mothers and infants.
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