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Medications meant for opioid use disorder improve outcomes after endocarditis hospitalization

Boston-Starting medication to treat opioid use disorder within 30 days of being discharged from the hospital due to injection drug use-related endocarditis - a type of serious heart infection - improves health outcomes

28 Feb 2020

Survival chances increase with further treatment for opioid use disorder after detox

A new study shows that people with opioid use disorder who enter inpatient medically managed withdrawal treatment (detox) do not usually receive further treatment, including medication for opioid use disorder or additional inpatient treatment.

25 Feb 2020

Needy patients ‘caught in the middle’ as insurance titan drops doctors

For five years, Rasha Salama has taken her two children to Dr. Inas Wassef, a pediatrician a few blocks from her home in this blue-collar town across the bay from New York City.

25 Feb 2020

SDOH screening not enough to identify patients at risk of utility shut-off

Researchers at Boston Medical Center have found that only a fraction of patients at risk of having their utilities shut off were identified through social determinants of health screening.

25 Feb 2020

Study examines benefits and barriers of Prescription Drug Lists for asthma medications

A new study led by the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute examines the benefits and barriers of Prescription Drug List coverage for preventive asthma medications.

14 Feb 2020

What to do if your home health care agency ditches you

Craig Holly was determined to fight when the home health agency caring for his wife decided to cut off services Jan. 18.

4 Feb 2020

Why home health care is suddenly harder to come by for Medicare patients

The decision came out of the blue. "Your husband isn't going to get any better, so we can't continue services," an occupational therapist told Deloise "Del" Holloway in early November. "Medicare isn't going to pay for it."

3 Feb 2020

5 things to know about Trump’s Medicaid block grant plan

The Trump administration unveiled a plan Thursday that would dramatically revamp Medicaid by allowing states to opt out of part of the current federal funding program and instead seek a fixed payment each year in exchange for gaining unprecedented flexibility over the program.

31 Jan 2020

Despite new doubts, ‘hotspotting’ help for heavy health care users marches on

A highly publicized approach to lowering health costs failed to pass rigorous study this month, but hospitals, insurers and government health programs don't intend to give up on the idea.

24 Jan 2020

Study: A majority of US physicians receive marketing payments for stimulant medications

Results of a new study show that a large number of physicians in the US may have received marketing payments from pharmaceutical companies that produce stimulant medications.

22 Jan 2020

Texas program effectively reduces use of anti-psychotics in foster children

Rutgers researchers have found that a Texas strategy to reduce anti-psychotic medication for children can serve as a model for other state Medicaid programs.

21 Jan 2020

Boston researchers develop novel approach to generate intestinal organoids in vitro

Boston researchers have developed a new way to generate groups of intestinal cells that can be used, among others, to make disease models in the lab to test treatments for diseases affecting the gastrointestinal system.

11 Jan 2020

Adequate health insurance could reduce racial outcome disparities in breast cancer

Lack of insurance coverage is a major cause of delayed breast cancer screening and treatment among minority women, which could lead to a decrease in a patient's chance of survival.

9 Jan 2020

Study explores the impact of Medicaid managed care on obstetrical care and birth outcomes

A new study shows that among a set of disadvantaged women, Medicaid managed care reduces the women's access to high-quality hospital services during pregnancy and delivery and was associated with worse birth outcomes, worse prenatal care, and a higher risk of inappropriate gestational weight gain.

22 Dec 2019