Sitemap - 2023 - Employer Coverage
Health Equity: Holiday week roundup
Artificial Intelligence: Holiday Week Roundup
Drugs for obesity: Holiday week recap
Colonoscopies cost 55% more in hospital outpatient departments compared to ambulatory facilities
Removal of lead pipes can lower medical costs
Chronic fatigue syndrome is more common than we thought
FDA approves two new therapies for sickle cell disease
New research providing further support for obesity drugs
Respiratory viruses on the rise
Smoking rates continue to decline
Current data on telemedicine use by specialty
Remote blood pressure monitoring improved care (but didn’t save money)
Many families have difficulty affording medical care for their children
Plans can continue to apply copay accumulators despite court ruling
New obesity drugs will not likely lead to lower overall medical costs
Expensive new post-partum depression pill approved
At home testing can empower patients and improve outcomes
Federal panel punts on high cost of ground ambulance trips
Potential implications of Amazon’s One Medical membership offer on employer sponsored health plans
More heart disease and higher mortality in those with less education
Weight gain after stopping GLP-1 drugs (by Patricia Toro, MD MPH)
More promising news on GLP-1 drugs
FDA challenges pharmaceutical patents
GLP-1 drugs NOT associated with increased risk of thyroid cancer in large medical record database
Evaluation of prescription digital therapeutics
Lung cancer screening is underused
Full body scans in those without symptoms will raise medical costs
High economic cost of diabetes
New and improved vaccines available and coming soon
Preventing cancers by treating or preventing infections
The economic burden of untreated mental illness
Physicians who received drug company payments delivered more low-value care
Highlights from the KFF 2023 Employer Health Benefit Survey
How cancer patients view prior authorization
What is the ‘real’ cost of GLP-1 medications for obesity?
Costs of hospitalizations in the US
Distribution of costs for generic medications in the pharmacy supply chain
WTW Best Practices in Health Care Survey
Many at risk for HIV having trouble getting preventive medications
Discovery offers a new ray of hope for Long COVID treatment
Medicare price negotiations not likely to delay new cancer drugs
Why health care costs so much more in the US compared to other developed countries
Telemedicine primary care visits could yield claims savings
Disparities in kidney transplants
Compelling reasons not to routinely screen those without symptoms for heart disease
Expanding the definition of breast cancer screening
Employer actions can play a role in decreasing premature heart disease and death
Medicare’s alternative payment models increased costs
Vaccinations in pregnancy protect infants
Women pay $15 billion a year more than men in out-of-pocket costs
Hospitals report different prices online and telephonically
Pandemic associated with spike of diabetes among children
RSV vaccination approved for pregnant women
Federal subsidies for child-care just ended, and child care options could dwindle for many employees
Insurers obtain better provider discounts for their fully insured health plans
Bumps in COVID-19 vaccine rollout, and a new round of free COVID home tests
Bots are available outside of business hours (AI part 5)
Mitigating risks of artificial intelligence (AI part 4)
ChatGPT and Doctor Google (AI part 3)
Artificial intelligence is already common in health care (AI Part 2)
Artificial intelligence is already playing a major role in our lives (Part 1)
National estimates of gender affirming surgery
Doctors don’t suggest colorectal cancer screening to their patients
FDA to require simple patient drug labeling
How employers can establish ‘recovery-friendly’ workplaces
The new COVID-19 vaccine is here!
The new COVID-19 vaccine is here!
When hospitals affiliate with or purchase PCPs, costs and utilization rise
Over the counter Narcan is here, although will not be covered by most health plans
Medicare drug price negotiations not likely to raise costs for private insurance
USPSTF gives “A” rating to drugs to prevent spread of HIV
The value of "negative" studies
COVID-19 infections are rising
New therapeutic competition in a drug class lowers prices
A professional society is not enthusiastic about lower age for colon cancer screening
Prices higher for new anti-obesity drugs in the US compared to other countries
New vaccinations now recommended for adults
Potential employer benefits from a plan to remove lead pipes in Michigan
USC think tank highlights savings from anti-obesity drugs without considering drug costs
Medical care causes financial insecurity for many older employees
Those with depression are at higher risk for future dementia
KFF survey suggests reluctance to take an injectable drug for obesity
Those who are obese rarely achieve target weights without medical intervention
Obesity drug prevents cardiovascular events in nondiabetics
Oral oncology drugs often go to waste
Reflections on a cancer fundraising ride, and what employers can do to help those with cancer
Black and Hispanic patients more likely to face inappropriate emergency department delays
AI can help streamline prior authorizations, but denials should be reviewed by a qualified clinician
Virtual care and carbon footprint
Exercise prevents heart disease whether it is daily or limited to weekends
Virtual prenatal care worked during the pandemic
White House announces new mental health regulations, and Happy Birthday, 988
Diet sodas pose relatively small risks
Alcoholic liver disease on the rise
Hot and hazy weather poses risks to employees
Employers and OTC birth control (and a bit about COVID, too)
Fatal infections from cosmetic surgery in Mexico
We have great drugs to lower cholesterol, but most with heart disease are not adequately treated
An economist weighs in on how artificial intelligence will affect health care.
Maternity care likely to be harder to find in some states
Pressure increases for FDA to approve drugs for rare diseases
Florida and Texas report cases of malaria transmitted domestically
Transgender suicide risk and benefits of gender affirming care
US maternal mortality continues to worsen, and there are large differences by race and state
Members have serious problems navigating their health plan coverage
Medical care costs likely to increase to over $7 trillion by 2031
Semaglutide associated with large weight loss in the “real world”
Many local pharmacies don’t stock medications to treat opioid use disorder
Value based payment works best when it’s “high intensity”
LGBTQ+ individuals may no longer have a health insurance gap, but still get less medical care
Drug shortages continue to hamper care for cancer and ADHD
Health plans with larger market share attained lower provider rates
Chatbots gave harmful information to those with eating disorders
LGBTQ+ employees report on their experiences in the workplace
One in twelve on medications didn’t take them as prescribed due to cost
“Missed” cancer diagnoses in 2020
Waiving out of pocket medication costs
An oral anti-obesity drug is coming
Randomized trial of AI in medical care
Coverage for cancer biomarkers and the impact of climate change on health care costs.
Eli Lilly’s Big Insulin Price Cut and Colon Cancer Screening
Infant mortality, surgical fees, and employer considerations as the pandemic emergency ends
Bird flu, cancer screening, drug ads, telemedicine and COVID-19 roundup
Long COVID, genetic tests for cancer, and injuries in the hospital.