AHIP was joined by hospital groups in expressing concerns that an executive order calling for the disclosure of negotiated rates on common tests and services will only cause health care prices to increase. AHIP President and CEO Matt Eyles said insurers already offer tools designed to help patients know their health care costs, and consumers "also have access to regular reports on where they are in meeting their deductibles and limits on out of pocket costs."
Adults who participated in a walking program that used tracking pedometers had fewer cardiovascular events and a lower risk of fracture, compared with control groups, according to a study in PLOS Medicine. Data showed people in the walking program had sustained increases in physical activity of about 30 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous activity after four years.
A report from Healthy School Food Maryland graded school districts in the state on the healthfulness of their student meals. Anne Arundel County Public Schools received an A grade overall, getting good scores in 13 categories, such as reducing sugar in meals and adding fruits and vegetables.
Tiffany Swale, who is studying social work, recalls how she had so few belongings as a foster child and never felt safe until the first night she was placed in a foster home with a family that ended up adopting her and her sibling. Swale's commitment to helping other foster children includes her involvement with with Bags of Hope, an organization that provides foster children with personalized duffel bags.
It is easier to transition back into social work after a 15-month break because her previous team showed support when she disclosed her emotional challenges, says Elizabeth Rylan, who writes under a pseudonym. "[T]he support I was given at the end of my last job has enabled me to move forward and start again," she writes.
Addressing prescription drug costs in Medicare Part D is a "shared responsibility" among the government, beneficiaries, manufacturers and insurance plans, according to Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., who participated in an event on Medicare costs and care. Adopting generic drugs faster is also an important consideration for reducing costs, said Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Ky.
The FDA's updated list of off-patent drugs without generic competition eliminates 11 compounds that now have generic competition. Changes were made after the agency approved generics for some birth control, seizure and breast cancer treatments.
The main finding from 340BHealth.org's survey of 1300 hospitals participating in the 340B program is that 95% of the hospitals use the savings from the program to fund other uncompensated care, while 90% use the program to provide other services such as clinical, pharmacy or auxiliary services. 93% of rural hospitals said savings from the program help them to stay open.
Preferred pharmacy networks contribute 1% savings in Medicare Part D enrollee drug costs, and "small fixes" like these networks can add up to valuable savings and reduced inefficiencies, according to a study by Ashley Swanson, an applied microeconomist and professor of health care management at the University of Pennsylvania.
Research on the effects of targeted therapies in 1,015 patients with stage 4 metastatic renal cell carcinoma aged 65 and older showed they benefited from such treatments, according to data reported in JAMA Network Open. Results indicated a three-month survival advantage as well as overall survival improvement for up to three years among the participants who received targeted therapy compared with those who received nontargeted therapies.