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California’s reboot of troubled Medi-Cal puts pressure on health plans

When Denise Williams' baby boy was 2 months old, she became alarmed by a rattling sound in his lungs and took him to the emergency room. While undergoing treatment, he spiraled into a disabling neurological disorder.

21 Sep 2021

Researchers report six stages of engagement in treatment of ADHD

Six stages of engagement in treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have been reported by researchers at Boston Medical Center based on a diverse study, inclusive of parents of predominantly racial and ethnic minority children with ADHD.

17 Sep 2021

Georgia eyes new Medicaid contract. But how is the state managing managed care?

Just before Frank Berry left his job as head of Georgia's Medicaid agency this summer, he said the state "will be looking for the best bang for the buck" in its upcoming contract with private insurers to cover the state's most vulnerable.

13 Sep 2021

Study lays out challenges of achieving equity in communication for diverse patients at hospital discharge

A new study by research, quality improvement and health equity experts at Massachusetts General Hospital in The American Journal of Managed Care lays out the challenges of achieving equity for diverse patients in communication at hospital discharge.

21 Jul 2021

Study shows persistent socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic segregation in safety-net hospitals

Data has historically shown that the majority of patients insured through Medicaid, as well as the uninsured, seek inpatient hospital care and services at safety-net hospitals.

30 Jun 2021

UofSC researcher to examine the effectiveness of Medicaid-covered alcohol use disorder treatment

Christina Andrews, associate professor of health services policy and management at the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health and an expert on addiction treatment will lead a study funded by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to examine the effectiveness of Medicaid-covered alcohol use disorder treatment.

18 Jun 2021

Different comorbid conditions in COVID-19 patients can impact outcomes of positive PCR test results

New study results indicate that different comorbid conditions affecting individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 may impact how long they continue to receive positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results.

17 Jun 2021

Surgeons can avoid postoperative opioid prescriptions, studies suggest

Surgeons can ease their patients' pain from common operations without prescribing opioids, and avoid the possibility of starting someone on a path to long-term use, a pair of new studies suggests.

10 Jun 2021

Majority of women do not meet criteria for cervical cancer screening exit

Current guidelines recommend stopping cervical cancer screening at age 65, but women over age 65 make up over one in five new cervical cancer diagnoses, and are twice as likely to die after a cervical cancer diagnosis compared to younger women.

7 Jun 2021

Medicaid-Medicare partnership could cover lifesaving medications for hepatitis C

Untreated hepatitis C can lead to serious and life-threatening health problems like cirrhosis and liver cancer. Direct-acting antiviral therapies introduced in recent years are highly effective, with cure rates above 95%.

21 May 2021

Insured cancer patients treated at Kaiser Permanente have better survival rates

Among cancer patients with health coverage in Southern California, those who were diagnosed and treated at Kaiser Permanente, an integrated health care organization, had better survival rates, especially Black and Latino patients, according to Kaiser Permanente research published in The American Journal of Managed Care.

13 May 2021

Study identifies higher mortality risk for women with back pain

New research from Boston Medical Center identifies elevated mortality risk for women with back pain when compared to women without back pain. Back pain was not associated with mortality among men indicating long-term consequences of back pain may differ by sex.

20 Apr 2021

Families with sick kids on Medicaid seek easier access to out-of-state hospitals

Three-year-old Elizabeth Zakutansky was born with a rare genetic condition that causes multiple seizures. Her neurologist, a top expert on treating her condition, practices at Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, less than an hour's drive from the Zakutanskys' home in Hobart, Indiana. Her parents would like her to get all her care there.

5 Apr 2021

Study shows decline in subarachnoid hemorrhage hospitalizations during COVID-19 pandemic

New research led by investigators from Boston Medical Center and Grady Memorial Hospital demonstrates the significant decline in hospitalizations for neurological emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2 Apr 2021

2021 AGS Annual Scientific Meeting goes virtual for the first time

The worlds of work, education, and networking have changed drastically in the past year, and the American Geriatrics Society is evolving with them.

31 Mar 2021

COVID-19 prevention strategies may have led to a decrease in common respiratory infections

Wearing masks and physical distancing - two key infection prevention strategies implemented to stop the spread of COVID-19 - may have led to the dramatic decrease in rates of common respiratory viral infections, such as influenza.

23 Mar 2021

Recuperation spaces help reduce COVID-19 hospitalizations among homeless individuals

A new study shows that providing a non-acute care space after hospital discharge for patients with COVID-19 who are experiencing homelessness helped reduce hospitalizations and keep inpatient beds available for those requiring acute care.

10 Mar 2021

Low satisfaction with care access makes Medicare Advantage enrollees to switch to traditional one

More than one out of every 10 seniors (10.5%) enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, also known as a Medicare managed care option, and living in a rural area, switched to traditional Medicare during 2010-2016.

2 Mar 2021

Proportion of children in Medicaid managed care plans increases from 65% to 94%

Nationally, the number of children under age 21 enrolled in Medicaid grew from 23.5 million in 2000 to 40.5 million in 2017, with the proportion of children in Medicaid managed care plans increasing from 65 percent to 94 percent, according to a study from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago published in the journal Academic Pediatrics.

1 Mar 2021

New California law makes it easier to get care for mental health and substance abuse

Karen Bailey's 20-year-old daughter has struggled with depression and anxiety for years. Since 2017, she's been in three intensive group therapy programs and, each time, the family's insurer cut her coverage short, says Bailey.

26 Feb 2021