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Select Health, Mark Cuban team to lower prescription drug costs
Salt Lake City-based Select Health and its pharmacy benefits manager Scripius will be one of the first health plans in the U.S. to provide member access to Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, meaning members will have direct access to the prescription d…
Deceptive Medicare marketing draws ire of low-income seniors
Almost everyone 65 and older has received marketing related to Medicare, but some have reported experiences with Medicare marketing that violate federal rules, including marketers asking for Social Security or Medicare numbers outside the enrollment pr…
Two health plans earn 5 stars in NCQA’s annual assessment
Two commercial health plans achieved a 5-star rating – doubling the amount from 2022 – according to the new 2023 H
FDA solicits public comments on phenylephrine-based decongestants
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration held a Non-prescription Drug Advisory Committee meeting last week to discuss the effectiveness of oral phenylephrine as an active ingredient in over-the-counter cough and cold products that are indicated for the te…
FTC targeting improper drug patents, receives backing from FDA
The Federal Trade Commission has issued a policy statement warning pharmaceutical companies that make and sell brand-name drugs that they could face legal action if they improperly list patents in the FDA’s catalog of “Approved Drug Products with Thera…
Costs for common healthcare procedures higher in hospital outpatient departments
When common medical procedures are performed in a hospital outpatient department (HOPD) rather than a doctor’s office, costs are substantially higher, according to a national analysis of tens of millions of claims.
Loneliness linked to health issues among older adults
Social isolation and loneliness among seniors has become a prevalent issue, so much so that the Elevance Health Public Policy Institute has issued a white paper showing that this trend can have negative impacts on seniors’ health, such as increasing th…
Healthcare organizations increasing IT investments
Technology and IT has emerged as an important strategic priority for healthcare institutions, with a new Bain and Company report showing that providers are increasingly accelerating their spending on IT and software.
Burnout growing among PAs; 8% plan to leave
Burnout among doctors and nurses has been well documented in recent years, but physician assistants are also susceptible to this trend, with a National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants survey showing that 30% have at least one sympto…
Report: Insurers should build trust to stand out in Medicare Advantage market
The biggest factors influencing retention in the fast-moving, competitive Medicare Advantage market are trust and the ability to resolve problems or complaints, according to the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Medicare Advantage Study.
