U.S. Supreme Court justices lean toward insurers on $12 billion Obamacare claims
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Supreme Court justices on Tuesday appeared sympathetic to claims made by health insurers seeking $12 billion…
CVS drug coverage plan based on outside pricing review is off to a slow start
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A CVS Health Corp (CVS.N) health plan that uses an outside drug pricing group to help…
Trump says he likes a Republican drug bill after Democratic alternative unveiled
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One as he departs Washington for travel to New Mexico from…
Inside drugmakers’ strategy to boost cancer medicines with ‘Lazarus effect’
(Reuters) – In the halls of MD Anderson Cancer Center, the drug Vitrakvi is known for having a “Lazarus effect”…
Cigna rolls out new plan to fully cover multi-million dollar gene therapies
A screen displays the logo fro Cigna Corp. on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New…
Medicare Advantage home healthcare may not be best quality
(Reuters Health) – Older Americans who get home healthcare through traditional Medicare plans may have access to better quality services…
Hospitals treat patients without admitting them, to avoid penalties
(Reuters Health) – Hospitals appear to be treating Medicare patients in emergency departments (EDs) and observation areas to avoid readmissions…
Disparities in access to best stroke treatment
(Reuters Health) – Less than 10% of U.S. stroke patients get a treatment that evidence shows is most effective for…
Bills from out-of-network doctors rising at in-network hospitals
A growing number of Americans treated at hospitals that are part of their insurance networks are getting billed for out-of-network…
Patient groups push back against Gilead’s pricey HIV prevention treatment
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Gilead Sciences Inc (GILD.O) hopes to soon introduce a pricey new pill to prevent HIV in…
Trump administration considers September unveiling of healthcare plan: WSJ
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump arrives at Morristown municipal airport for a weekend at the Trump National Golf Club…
For some surgeries, hospital rankings not tied to better outcomes
(Reuters Health) – When it comes to common gastrointestinal operations, such as weight loss surgery, a U.S. hospital’s ranking may…
Medicare-for-all might not cause surge in hospital use
(Reuters Health) – Medicare-for-all and other versions of universal coverage being proposed for the U.S. by several presidential hopefuls wouldn’t…
White House scraps key plan to lower U.S. drug prices; may target drugmakers
NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Trump administration on Thursday scrapped one of its most ambitious proposals for lowering prescription medicine…
12-month supply of birth control pills cuts unintended pregnancies, cost
When women are given a 12-month supply of oral contraceptives, they are less likely to have an unintended pregnancy than…
Opting out of procedures during childbirth tied to discrimination
(Reuters Health) – Women who decline certain procedures – such as cesarean delivery or immediate cord clamping – during childbirth…
Eleven U.S. cancer centers get to charge more for care
For several decades, certain cancer centers have been allowed by the U.S. government to charge more for the care they…
Traumatic injuries linked to later social dysfunction
(Reuters Health) – Nearly half of trauma patients, even those without brain injuries, experience social deficits that make it harder…
Medicaid expansion tied to fewer heart disease deaths
(Reuters Health) – With increased access to insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), known as Obamacare, fewer middle-aged people…
CVS to expand health hubs to 1,500 stores by end of 2021
NEW YORK (Reuters) – CVS Health Corp said it would offer expanded health services such as nutrition counseling and blood…
In states with most overdose deaths, poor patients struggle to find treatment
Poor people with opioid use disorders may struggle to find doctors to prescribe the anti-addiction drug buprenorphine in U.S. states…
When shots start younger, more teens get meningococcal vaccine
(Reuters Health) – Teens are more likely to get at least one of two recommended doses of the meningococcal vaccine…
Medicaid work rules likely to penalize chronically ill: study
(Reuters Health) – States that require adults on Medicaid to work a set number of hours to get benefits may…
U.S. government website for comparing doctors lacks data on most MDs
(Reuters Health) – Physician Compare, a U.S. website created to help patients find high-quality doctors, is missing so much information…
Patients’ drug costs surge for some neurologic conditions
(Reuters Health) – Many patients with neurologic disorders like multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease have seen steep increases in…
Medication use drops when local drugstores close
(Reuters Health) – People are less likely to take their heart medicine when their local pharmacies close, and the drop-off…
The obscure advisory committees at the heart of the U.S. drug pricing debate
CHICAGO (Reuters) – Expectations were high last year for three new migraine drugs hitting the market from Amgen Inc, Eli…
Ohio accuses UnitedHealth’s OptumRx of drug overcharges in lawsuit
(Reuters) – Ohio’s attorney general on Monday said he had filed a lawsuit against UnitedHealth Group Inc’s OptumRx unit, saying…
Quality of surgical care across a hospital network may vary
(Reuters Health) – Just because the flagship hospital gets good marks for patient care doesn’t mean results will be equally…
U.S. Senator Sanders urges FDA to allow older versions of $375,000 drug
(Reuters) – U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders this week urged regulators to allow pharmacies and manufacturers to resume distributing unbranded, lower-cost…
Exclusive: Top U.S. insurer to cover Amgen, Eli Lilly migraine drugs, exclude Teva
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A top U.S. pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) owned by UnitedHealth Group Inc has included new migraine…
Shorter waits for new patients at VA than in private sector, U.S. study finds
(Reuters Health) – In many cases, veterans get a first appointment at VA hospitals quicker than the general public gets…
Scheduled dialysis for undocumented immigrants saves money and lives
(Reuters Health) – Providing scheduled dialysis for undocumented immigrants with kidney failure, rather than offering them only emergency dialysis, dramatically…
Racial disparities seen in U.S. heart rhythm treatment
(Reuters Health) – Black patients in the U.S. with atrial fibrillation – an irregular heart rhythm – are less likely…
Drug shortages may add $230 million to annual U.S. drug costs
(Reuters Health) – Prescription drug shortages may drive up prices twice as much as they would rise with medicines in…
U.S. health secretary says agency can eliminate drug rebates
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said it was within his agency’s power to eliminate…
Healthcare not very green compared to other industries
(Reuters Health) – Compared to big corporations in other sectors of the economy, most healthcare organizations – even large ones…
Sticking with the same doctor may extend patients’ lives
(Reuters Health) – Seeing the same doctor over the years helps people live longer, suggests a new international study. “We…
AT&T wins court approval to buy Time Warner over Trump opposition
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – AT&T Inc won court approval on Tuesday to buy Time Warner Inc for $85 billion, rebuffing an…
A bid to save $300 million at HCR ManorCare, and disrupt U.S. healthcare
CHICAGO (Reuters) – Thomas DeRosa is making a $4 billion bet that he can build a national, low-cost healthcare network…
Regeneron/Sanofi cut heart drug price to $4,500-$6,600 for Express Scripts
(Reuters) – Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc and Sanofi SA will slash the price of their expensive cholesterol drug for Express Scripts…
Come for your drugs, leave with more shopping: Walmart’s new growth strategy?
(Reuters) – Walmart Inc’s (WMT.N) efforts to develop closer ties with health insurer Humana Inc (HUM.N), which came to light…
Come for your drugs, leave with more shopping: Walmart’s new growth strategy?
(Reuters) – Walmart Inc’s (WMT.N) efforts to develop closer ties with health insurer Humana Inc (HUM.N), which came to light…
U.S. says Idaho cannot sell health plans not compliant with Obamacare
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. government agency on Thursday said Idaho could not allow health insurers to sell plans that…