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More med schools, hospitals ban gifts from pharmaceutical companies

An increased number of U.S. medical schools and hospitals have begun to ban meals and other gifts from pharmaceutical companies to physicians, residents and medical students "in response to concerns about whether the pharmaceutical industry's expensive marketing efforts influence which drugs doctors prescribe and whether those costs get passed on to patients.

23 Jan 2007

House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee will make Medicare prescription drug benefit oversight priority in 2007

The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health will examine oversight of the Medicare prescription drug benefit among other priorities for the 110th Congress, House Ways and Means Committee Chair Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) and ranking member Jim McCrery (R-La.) wrote in a letter sent last Wednesday to leaders of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and the House Administration Committee, CQ HealthBeat reports.

23 Jan 2007

Lifestyle changes effective in protecting against Type 2 diabetes

Changing to a healthier lifestyle appears to be at least as effective as taking prescription drugs in reducing the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, says a new British Medical Journal study.

18 Jan 2007

Major variations in Medicare drug costs

Soon, Congress may vote on whether to require the Medicare system to negotiate lower prices for medicines taken by millions of seniors enrolled in Medicare Part D prescription drug plans.

10 Jan 2007

New Medicare payment method for prescription drugs covered under Part B reducing spending

Medicare's new payment method for reimbursing physicians for prescription drugs under Part B has reduced spending, according to a report to Congress prepared by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, CQ HealthBeat reports.

7 Jan 2007

Less than 1% of eligible Arkansas residents pre-enroll in prescription drug discount program

Less than 1% of an estimated 400,000 Arkansas residents eligible for a state prescription drug discount program participated in the pre-enrollment period, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports.

7 Jan 2007

Democrats plan to introduce bills addressing stem cell research, Rx benefit

House Democrats plan to introduce bills that would reduce restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research and allow HHS to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies on prices for medications under the Medicare prescription drug benefit, incoming House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said on Wednesday, CQ Today reports.

7 Jan 2007

Low-income Medicare beneficiaries will have trouble getting medications in January 2007

Some pharmacists and advocates have raised concerns that many low-income Medicare beneficiaries "will again have trouble getting medications next month, as they did in January of this year," when the Medicare prescription drug benefit began, the New York Times reports.

5 Dec 2006

Medicare prescription drug benefit cost almost $13B less in 2006 than expected

The Medicare prescription drug benefit will cost $30 billion in 2006, a 30% decrease from a previous estimate of $43 billion, according to CMS, the AP/Houston Chronicle reports (Freking, AP/Houston Chronicle, 11/29).

2 Dec 2006

West Virginia pilot project would create incentive program for Medicaid beneficiaries to live healthier

The New York Times on Friday examined new revisions to the West Virginia Medicaid program that will "reward 'responsible' patients with significant extra benefits or -- as critics describe it -- punish those who do not join weight-loss or anti-smoking programs, or who miss too many appointments, by denying important services" to help reduce costs.

2 Dec 2006

Half of consumer-directed health plan enrollees say they would be likely to switch plans if given the opportunity

Half of individuals enrolled in consumer-directed plans said they would switch out of the plans if given the opportunity, while about one-third of enrollees in more traditional employer-sponsored health plans said they would change their coverage if they had the chance, according to a survey released on Thursday.

2 Dec 2006

Connecticut Judge orders HMOs to publicly release information on reimbursements for Medicaid beneficiaries' care

Three HMOs that administer managed care plans for Connecticut's Medicaid program must make public the rates they pay providers and other information, state Superior Court Judge George Levine ruled on Wednesday, the Hartford Courant reports.

2 Dec 2006

Patients often do not understand usage instructions on prescription drug labels

For the study, Terry Davis of Louisiana State University and colleagues presented five common prescription drug labels to 395 low-income adults in Chicago, Ill.; Shreveport, La.; and Jackson, Miss., and asked them, "How would you take this medicine?" All participants spoke English and had no vision or hearing problems.

2 Dec 2006

Wal-Mart generic drug discount program indicates markets can provide medications at affordable prices

The generic prescription drug discount program introduced earlier this year by Wal-Mart Stores indicates that "markets are, in fact, capable of providing medicines at affordable prices," Peter Pitts, director of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest and a former associate commissioner at FDA, writes in a Baltimore Sun opinion piece.

23 Nov 2006

Americans say smokers should pay more for health cover

According to a survey in the United States most people believe the health insurance system is in dire need of a fix; it is estimated that as many as 46.6 million Americans are uninsured.

15 Nov 2006

Bush Administration says it opposes Democrats' plan to allow Government to negotiate Medicare drug prices

The Bush administration will oppose any attempts by congressional Democrats to pass legislation that would authorize the government to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies under the Medicare prescription drug benefit, according to HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt, the New York Times reports.

13 Nov 2006

Drug industry concerned about California Law allowing State to seek drug discounts

A new California law set to take effect in January 2007 "provides a glimpse of the type of government price controls the drug industry fears," the Boston Globe reports.

13 Nov 2006

Majority of Medicare beneficiaries satisfied with prescription drug plans

Three-fourths of Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in the prescription drug benefit are satisfied with their plans, according to a recent Wall Street Journal Online/Harris Interactive poll, Wall Street Journal Online reports.

8 Nov 2006

Toyota builds employee health clinic in new factory to reduce health care costs

In an effort to contain health care spending, Toyota Motor will construct a $9 million medical clinic for employees and their families at its new San Antonio truck factory, the Detroit News reports.

8 Nov 2006

Problems with billing for Medicare prescription drug benefit premiums persist

About 50,000 of the 4.7 million Medicare beneficiaries who opted to have their Medicare prescription drug benefit premiums automatically withdrawn from their Social Security checks still are having incorrect amounts deducted, CMS officials said, USA Today reports.

8 Nov 2006

Prescription Drug News and Research

More med schools, hospitals ban gifts from pharmaceutical companies

House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee will make Medicare prescription drug benefit oversight priority in 2007

Lifestyle changes effective in protecting against Type 2 diabetes

Major variations in Medicare drug costs

New Medicare payment method for prescription drugs covered under Part B reducing spending

Less than 1% of eligible Arkansas residents pre-enroll in prescription drug discount program

Democrats plan to introduce bills addressing stem cell research, Rx benefit

Low-income Medicare beneficiaries will have trouble getting medications in January 2007

Medicare prescription drug benefit cost almost $13B less in 2006 than expected

West Virginia pilot project would create incentive program for Medicaid beneficiaries to live healthier

Half of consumer-directed health plan enrollees say they would be likely to switch plans if given the opportunity

Connecticut Judge orders HMOs to publicly release information on reimbursements for Medicaid beneficiaries' care

Patients often do not understand usage instructions on prescription drug labels

Wal-Mart generic drug discount program indicates markets can provide medications at affordable prices

Americans say smokers should pay more for health cover

Bush Administration says it opposes Democrats' plan to allow Government to negotiate Medicare drug prices

Drug industry concerned about California Law allowing State to seek drug discounts

Majority of Medicare beneficiaries satisfied with prescription drug plans

Toyota builds employee health clinic in new factory to reduce health care costs

Problems with billing for Medicare prescription drug benefit premiums persist

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