Allison Inserro

With discussion and debate happening for months in Washington, DC, over drug pricing and the role of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) published a white paper this week that analyzes 3 possible alternatives to the pharmaceutical rebate system fostered by PBMs.

A day after stakeholders told a House of Representatives subcommittee about problems accessing and paying for insulin, Cigna and its pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts said they are launching a program for patients with diabetes in their commercial plans so that they pay no more than $25 for a 30-day supply of insulin.

The health insurance industry cautioned the Trump administration against allowing health reimbursement accounts (HRAs) to be used to purchase short-term limited duration health plans, in comments submitted regarding a proposed rule change.

A new study indicates that there are age-associated gender differences seen in the disease burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), with younger women more severely affected.

The latest recommendation from the United States Preventive Services Task Force said cervical cancer screening depends on a woman’s age and other factors.

The latest recommendation from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) states that women aged 30 years or older have a new option.

Persistent use of osteoporosis medications was associated with reduced risk of fracture and significantly lower total healthcare costs, a recent analysis of Medicare claims data found.

The California insurance commissioner, who has spoken out against other large healthcare mergers, this week asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to block the $69 billion deal combining Aetna with CVS Health.

Both asthma and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), both chronic conditions, have been associated with each other in previous studies, but questions remained as to the strength of the association because of other possible confounders.

Three pain societies have come together to create consensus guidelines for treating both acute and chronic pain with ketamine, an old drug seeing a resurgence.

The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) updated its 2011 recommendation about osteoporosis screening.

Mortality from opioids may be higher than it appears.

The risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children was higher in mothers with type 1 diabetes (T1D) diagnosed by 26 weeks’ gestation, according to a new research letter in JAMA.

Adults who survive an opioid overdose are 24 times more likely to die during the year after the incident from a variety of mental health and medical conditions.

Even though patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can suffer from the same distressing symptoms as those with end-stage cancer, they are less likely to receive palliative care than those with other terminal illnesses.

A study comparing denosumab (Prolia) with risedronate (Actone) found that denosumab could be a useful treatment option for patients newly initiating or continuing glucocorticoids who are at risk of fractures.

A systematic literature review published in Health Affairs found that Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was associated with increases in coverage, service use, quality of care, and Medicaid spending.

Trustees for Medicare said that Medicare Part A, which covers hospital bills, will become insolvent in 2026, 3 years earlier than the projection last year in its annual report.

Study finds Medicaid expansion associated with increases in coverage, service use, quality of care, and spending.

A new report projects health insurance coverage losses between 2018 and 2028 for people under age 65 as a result of changes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by the Trump administration.

COPD prevalence is increasing more rapidly in women, particularly in younger women, and COPD-related hospitalizations and deaths in women also surpass men.

Prescription medication use for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), asthma, and contraception have all increased in children and teens.

CMS released its first strategy to address rural health care, saying that it wants people who live in rural America to “have access to high quality, affordable healthcare.”

Rates of hospital inpatient admissions before and during use of ivacaftor found that overall and cystic fibrosis-related inpatient admissions fell by 55% and 81%, respectively.

Kansas sought to cap Medicaid benefits at 3 years, a proposal that health care providers, hospitals, and advocates called cruel.

Allergic diseases such as asthma were associated with a 1.66-fold increased hazard of psychiatric disorders in Taiwan.

Several barriers to value-based care exist, including finances and cost, meaning both the financial investments required by small- and mid-sized provider groups and the size of corresponding incentives.

Thirty two million Americans are affected by migraines, and women are affected 3 times more than men.

Managed care organizations and pharmacy benefit managers are increasingly using strict approaches to manage drugs, including formulary exclusions.

Last year, 41% of pharmacy drug spending was for specialty drugs compared with 59% for traditional drugs.