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Research roundup: Patients hesitant to focus on costs; Increase in primary care demand is uneven

One way to contain health care spending is to get patients involved in weighing costs of treatment options with their doctors. Researchers recruited 211 medically insured participants to assess their willingness to consider costs when choosing treatments. The authors found that participants generally "preferred better care, even when the relative benefit it offered was marginal, and even when told that the second-best choice still met the threshold of 'good enough' care from a clinician's perspective.

26 Feb 2013

FDA approves Amneal’s generic Suboxone to treat opioid drug dependence

Amneal Pharmaceuticals, LLC, the 7th largest generic drug manufacturer in the U.S. market, has received U.S. FDA approval for one of the first generic versions of Suboxone sublingual tablets for maintenance treatment of opioid drug dependence.

25 Feb 2013

Gov. Scott's Medicaid decision riles conservatives

The Florida governor's move to expand Medicaid under the health law disappoints some of his supporters, but one newspaper praises the decision.

22 Feb 2013

Roundup: HHS OKs key part of Fla.'s Medicaid managed care plan; Calif. lawmakers set to take up rules on its health insurance marketplace

The state of Florida won a second victory from HHS that will help the state introduce a statewide Medicaid managed-care program. The agency notified the state that it would grant its request for a medical assistance waiver -- a decision that comes just weeks after the department granted Florida's first request for a waiver for its long-term-care program.

22 Feb 2013

Policymakers, insurers should consider generic-only coverage to improve health and reduce costs

A new study published online today in the American Journal of Managed Care found that in Medicare Part D, generic drug coverage was cost-saving compared to no coverage in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, while also improving health outcomes.

21 Feb 2013

Study evaluates effectiveness of H1N1 vaccine in pregnant women against adverse infant outcomes

Pregnant women who received the H1N1 influenza vaccine during the 2009 pandemic were less likely to have premature babies, and their babies weighed more on average.

20 Feb 2013

Roundup: States get insurance exchange weapon on abortion; N.Y. budget woes include Medicaid money worry; Ga. hospital 'bed tax' might not offer budget solution

Abortion opponents have found a new way to restrict access to abortion -- by using the authority states have over the new health insurance exchanges, which will be up and running in a year. At least 21 states have legislation in place or in the works that will stop health insurance companies from paying for abortions for women.

15 Feb 2013

State Medicaid drug selection panels' conflict-of-interest policies vary widely

State policies to ensure drug selection in Medicaid programs is free from outside influence vary widely, according to a new study.

13 Feb 2013

State roundup: Calif. doc supply strains under health law

The compelling facts and figures he provided the Senate Finance Committee gave feuding Democrats and Republicans the confidence to unite behind an expedited but cautious roadmap toward a federally prescribed expansion of Medicaid in Virginia.

12 Feb 2013

In some states, opposition to Medicaid expansion leading employers to brace for higher health care costs

The Wall Street Journal reports on this trend. Meanwhile, other news outlets report on state-specific developments regarding the debates over expanding the health program for low-income people.

12 Feb 2013

Research roundup: 'Shared decision making' can reduce costs, improve care; Effects of mental health parity

With shared decision making, patients and their clinicians collaboratively review the risks and benefits of available treatments options while also considering the patients' preferences and values.

10 Feb 2013

Roundup: Calif. missing out on millions of dollars because of disagreements, software problems; Mass. finds more problems at compounding pharmacies; Hope for Kan. Medicaid managed care

California's court-run prison health care program is missing out on tens of millions of dollars a year in federal funds because of disagreement with counties and software problems, a new legislative report states. The legislative analyst's office found increasing numbers of prison inmates who, because of their low income status, are eligible for the state's Medicaid program.

6 Feb 2013

State roundup: Calif. 'Healthy Families' deficit at $100M

The Healthy Families program has run out of money, according to state health officials. The deficit currently stands at almost $100 million and will keep rising every month, according to Janette Casillas, executive director of the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board, which oversees Healthy Families. Gov. Jerry Brown's administration is pursuing two ideas for refilling the coffers: reinstitution of a recently expired tax on managed care organizations and an appropriation bill if the MCO tax isn't revived.

6 Feb 2013

Feds clear way for Fla. to enroll Medicaid recipients into private plans

The waiver approved by HHS means elderly people who need long-term care can be put in programs that will offer services in their homes and help them stay out of nursing homes, the Associated Press reports.

6 Feb 2013

State officials, policy experts mull health law implementation issues

The Medicaid expansion continues to trigger significant debate and discussion among state officials.

5 Feb 2013

Facing a 'transition year,' Aetna's fourth-quarter profits are halved

The insurer's net income dropped 49 percent as higher medical costs squeezed the profit margin for the insurer.

3 Feb 2013

First Edition: February 1, 2013

Kaiser Health News staff writer Jenny Gold, working in collaboration with NPR, reports: "As of mid-January, most of NYU is up and running again, including the labor and delivery unit. But the question still looms whether NYU will lose some of the patients and even doctors who sought refuge at NYU's biggest competitors after the storm. If that happens, the storm could end up having a long term impact on NYU's valuable share of the fiercely competitive health care market in New York City."

1 Feb 2013

State roundup: Ga. hospital fee bill nears passage

After a series of friendly questions and statements of support, the fast-tracked legislation on a state hospital provider fee swept through a House committee Tuesday. The House Government Affairs Committee, by a 15-1 vote, approved Senate Bill 24, which would facilitate the renewal of the assessment. The state Senate passed the bill earlier this month. The legislation could reach the House floor Thursday or Friday. If it passes, it then would go to Gov. Nathan Deal for his signature -- an unusually rapid journey into law.

31 Jan 2013

Viewpoints: Gov. Jindal calls Medicaid an 'outdated model;' GOP's opposition to 'Big Government' hurts effort to revamp entitlements

As the implementation of Obamacare unfortunately nears, every governor must decide whether to expand Medicaid. This is not a simple question. Expanding Medicaid will significantly burden state budgets across the country.

29 Jan 2013

State highlights: N.Y. plans for big budget hole after Medicaid cuts; Texas bill would give contraception coverage tax break to some employers; Vt. details tax bill to pay for single-payer

New York state is drawing up plans for a budget shortfall almost twice as large as the $1.35 billion gap described by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday, as the federal government seeks to reduce how much it pays for health care to some of the state's most severely disabled people.

27 Jan 2013

Managed Care News and Research

Research roundup: Patients hesitant to focus on costs; Increase in primary care demand is uneven

FDA approves Amneal’s generic Suboxone to treat opioid drug dependence

Gov. Scott's Medicaid decision riles conservatives

Roundup: HHS OKs key part of Fla.'s Medicaid managed care plan; Calif. lawmakers set to take up rules on its health insurance marketplace

Policymakers, insurers should consider generic-only coverage to improve health and reduce costs

Study evaluates effectiveness of H1N1 vaccine in pregnant women against adverse infant outcomes

Roundup: States get insurance exchange weapon on abortion; N.Y. budget woes include Medicaid money worry; Ga. hospital 'bed tax' might not offer budget solution

State Medicaid drug selection panels' conflict-of-interest policies vary widely

State roundup: Calif. doc supply strains under health law

In some states, opposition to Medicaid expansion leading employers to brace for higher health care costs

Research roundup: 'Shared decision making' can reduce costs, improve care; Effects of mental health parity

Roundup: Calif. missing out on millions of dollars because of disagreements, software problems; Mass. finds more problems at compounding pharmacies; Hope for Kan. Medicaid managed care

State roundup: Calif. 'Healthy Families' deficit at $100M

Feds clear way for Fla. to enroll Medicaid recipients into private plans

State officials, policy experts mull health law implementation issues

Facing a 'transition year,' Aetna's fourth-quarter profits are halved

First Edition: February 1, 2013

State roundup: Ga. hospital fee bill nears passage

Viewpoints: Gov. Jindal calls Medicaid an 'outdated model;' GOP's opposition to 'Big Government' hurts effort to revamp entitlements

State highlights: N.Y. plans for big budget hole after Medicaid cuts; Texas bill would give contraception coverage tax break to some employers; Vt. details tax bill to pay for single-payer

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