Sitemap - 2023 - Employer Coverage

Sources, 2023

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

US Infant mortality rises

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

COVID Vaccine Update

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

Study shows Wegovy (semaglitude) associated with lower symptoms of heart failure in those who do not have diabetes

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

Substance use disorder touches two thirds of Americans, and only a quarter with opioid use disorder receive medications for this

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

Hospitals are paid about twice as much by commercial health plans compared to Medicare Advantage plans

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

Medicare drug negotiations start in September, but it will be a long time before we know the impact on employer-sponsored health plans.

AI can help streamline prior authorizations, but denials should be reviewed by a qualified clinician

Vaccine coverage gap

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

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) went into effect on June 27, but we still don’t know the rules

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

Research Roundup

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

Ketamine for depression

Robotic surgery

Long COVID disability

“Missed” cancer diagnoses in 2020

Waiving out of pocket medication costs

Medicaid disenrollments might not lead to a large influx of new members for employer sponsored health plans

An oral anti-obesity drug is coming

Randomized trial of AI in medical care

Excess deaths in Black People

Indoor clean air, workplace discrimination and hypertension, over the counter birth control, racial disparities in substance use treatment, and preventive care rules

End of the Pandemic Emergency, RSV vaccines , new draft breast cancer recommendations, and making childbirth safer

Loneliness as a health risk, Artificial Intelligence and empathy, the impact of menopause on employers, and virtual care and emergency department visits.

Price still driving increased health care costs, out-of-pocket costs for pediatric hospitalizations, and physicians and patients assess virtual care.

Coverage for cancer biomarkers and the impact of climate change on health care costs.

Employers and abortion pills, optimism and health policy, and the next round of COVID-19 vaccinations

Preventive services, prescribing restrictions, and potential impact of Medicaid disenrollments on employers

New ruling against ACA preventive care coverage, the cost of asthma inhalers, patient empowerment, and air pollution and race.

Resident “Match Day,” pharmaceutical price drops, prior authorization, and COVID-19 risk continues to decline.

Changes in Provider Billing, Anniversary of COVID-19 Emergency, Provider Directories, and Delaying Medical Care for Serious Conditions

Eli Lilly’s Big Insulin Price Cut and Colon Cancer Screening

The value of being heart-healthy, four-day workweeks, , increasing preventive care, and the cost of cancer

Preventing overdose deaths, site-of-service payment differentials, higher quality hospitals can save lives, and protection from COVID-19 vaccination and masks

Infant mortality, surgical fees, and employer considerations as the pandemic emergency ends

Bird flu, cancer screening, drug ads, telemedicine and COVID-19 roundup

The end of the pandemic emergency, provider consolidation, AEDs in the workplace, prior authorization, and commuting time savings for remote workers.

Busier surgeons have better outcomes, the future of handshakes, artificial Intelligence and health care costs, and annual COVID-19 vaccinations.

Long COVID, genetic tests for cancer, and injuries in the hospital.

National health expenditures, health care affordability, mental health telemedicine, and current state of respiratory viruses

Employers seeking cost saving programs, mental health care can lower medical spending, maternity care post-Dobbs, and current COVID-19 status.