Managed Care Cast

Every week, The American Journal of Managed Care® recaps the top managed care news of the week.

This week in managed care, the top news included all-cause mortality disparities among Black and White men in rural areas; vaping as a risk factor for COVID-19 in young adults; how the pandemic presents an opportunity for value-based care delivery.

Read more about the stories in this podcast:

All-Cause Mortality Disparities Persist Among Black, White Men Living in Rural US: https://www.ajmc.com/view/all-cause-mortality-disparities-persist-among-black-white-men-living-in-rural-us

Vaping a Risk Factor for COVID-19 in Teens, Young Adults: https://www.ajmc.com/view/vaping-a-risk-factor-for-covid-19-in-teens-young-adults

How Can the COVID-19 Pandemic Enhance Value-Based Health Care Delivery? https://www.ajmc.com/view/how-can-the-covid-19-pandemic-enhance-value-based-health-care-delivery

FDA Clears clonoSEQ to Detect MRD in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: https://www.ajmc.com/view/fda-clears-cloneseq-to-detect-mrd-in-chronic-lymphocytic-leukemia

Racial Disparities in African Americans With Diabetes: Process and Outcome Mismatch: https://www.ajmc.com/view/racial-disparities-in-african-americans-with-diabetes-process-and-outcome-mismatch

In the world of drug development, it is typically the outcomes of phase 3 clinical trials that get the most attention. With the possibility of game-changing treatments for a myriad of diseases, they garner the most headlines, especially as the world waits on vaccines and effective treatment for the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

But what happens during the early phase of testing? On today’s episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Jill A. Fisher, PhD, author of a new book, Adverse Events: Race, Inequality, and the Testing of New Pharmaceuticals. Her research took her inside clinical testing sites for phase 1 drug studies, a veiled world where healthy participants agree to spend days or weeks in a locked facility receiving an active ingredient or placebo. She interviewed participants, research staff, and others, and delves into the societal and economic forces that compel people—typically Black men in their 20s, 30s and 40s—to enroll repeatedly in phase 1 studies.

Every week, The American Journal of Managed Care® recaps the top managed care news of the week.

This week, the top managed care news included CMS updates on telehealth and more; COVID-19 vaccine developments and remaining challenges; a study examines the impact of state policies on life expectancy.

Read more about the stories in this podcast:

CMS Releases E&M Updates, Expands Telehealth, Makes ACO Changes: https://www.ajmc.com/view/cms-releases-e-and-m-updates-expands-telehealth-makes-aco-changes

Experts Highlight COVID-19 Vaccine Developments and Remaining Challenges: https://www.ajmc.com/view/experts-highlight-covid-19-vaccine-developments-and-remaining-challenges

How Do State Policies Impact Life Expectancy? https://www.ajmc.com/view/how-do-state-policies-impact-life-expectancy

Tafasitamab Combination Approved for Adults With R/R DLBCL: https://www.ajmc.com/view/tafasitamab-combination-approved-for-adults-with-r-r-dlbcl

The Correlation of Family Physician Work With Submitted Codes and Fees: https://www.ajmc.com/view/the-correlation-of-family-physician-work-with-submitted-codes-and-fees

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Krisda H. Chaiyachati, MD, MPH, MSHP, about the study he co-wrote entitled “Economic Outcomes of Insurer-Led Care Management for High-Cost Medicaid Patients.” In the study, Chaiyachati and co-authors aim to evaluate the impact of the Community-Based Care Management program on total costs of care and utilization among adult high-need, high-cost patients enrolled in a Medicaid managed care organization. The program included teams of community health care workers and nurses who coordinated care for this cohort.

Dr. Chaiyachati is an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and a clinical innovation manager at Penn Medicine’s Center for Healthcare Innovation

The study was published in the July edition of The American Journal of Manage Care ®.

While there remain a lot of unknowns about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the risk of infection patients with cancer face, it is known that when they do contract the virus, they are at a higher risk of mortality, explained Sandeep “Bobby” Reddy, MD, an oncologist at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and chief medical officer of NantHealth, during an interview with Patricia Salber, MD, MBA, of The Doctor Weighs In.

Reddy discussed the clinical care of cancer patients in the age of COVID-19, including how care has changed as a result of the pandemic; best practices at treatment centers to protect patients and staff; recommendations for patients, whether they are in the middle of treatment, haven’t yet started treatment, or have discovered something worrisome but haven’t yet been diagnosed; and more.

Read about related stories:

Diagnostic Delays From COVID-19 May Increase Cancer-Related Deaths, UK Studies Say: https://www.ajmc.com/view/diagnostic-delays-from-covid19-may-increase-cancerrelated-deaths-uk-studies-say

COVID-19 and Cancer: NCI's Sharpless Says COVID-19 Could Halt Streak of US Cancer Mortality Gains: https://www.ajmc.com/view/covid19-and-cancer-ncis-sharpless-says-covid-19-could-halt-streak-of-us-cancer-mortality-gains

Continuation of Routine Screenings, Care Is Crucial During COVID-19 Pandemic: https://www.ajmc.com/view/continuation-of-routine-screenings-care-is-crucial-during-covid19-pandemic

Don't Delay Cancer Care During COVID-19 Crisis: https://www.ajmc.com/view/dont-delay-cancer-care-during-covid19-crisis

Every week, The American Journal of Managed Care® recaps the top managed care news of the week.

This week, the top managed care news included top pharmaceutical executives refuse to attend a Trump meeting after executive orders on costs; a survey shows concerns about reopening schools, toll of COVID-19 split by party lines, background; a review of 20 years of data concludes vaccines are "remarkably safe."

Read more about the stories in this podcast:

Trump Signs 4 Executive Orders in Effort to Carry Out Promise to Lower Drug Prices: https://www.ajmc.com/view/trump-signs-4-executive-orders-in-effort-to-carry-out-promise-to-lower-drug-prices

What We're Reading: Pharma Execs Refuse to Attend Trump Meeting; Kodak Lands $765M US Loan; Persistent COVID-19 Symptoms: https://www.ajmc.com/view/what-were-reading-pharma-execs-refuse-to-attend-trump-meeting-kodak-lands-765m-us-loan-persistent-covid19-symptoms

Concerns About Reopening Schools, Toll of COVID-19 Split by Party Lines, Background: https://www.ajmc.com/view/concerns-about-reopening-schools-toll-of-covid19-split-by-party-lines-background

Review of 20 Years of Data Concludes Vaccines Are "Remarkably Safe": https://www.ajmc.com/view/review-of-20-years-of-data-concludes-vaccines-are-remarkably-safe

FDA Gives Truvian Emergency OK for Rapid COVID-19 Antibody Test: https://www.ajmc.com/view/fda-gives-truvian-emergency-ok-for-rapid-covid19-antibody-test

Effects of a Community-Based Care Management Model for Super-Utilizers: https://www.ajmc.com/view/effects-of-a-communitybased-care-management-model-for-superutilizers

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with the senior vice president of Network Payment Innovation and Contract Management for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, which is launching new value-based payment approach for independent primary care practices. The pilot project will reward practices for keeping patients healthy while providing extra support during the pandemic.

Every week, The American Journal of Managed Care® recaps the top managed care news of the week.

This week, the top managed care news included states suing the Trump administration over an HHS rule on nondiscrimination; experimental vaccines show promise against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in healthy subjects; diagnostic delays from COVID-19 may increase cancer-related deaths.

Read more about the stories in this podcast:

States Sue Trump Administration for Changing Nondiscrimination Provisions of ACA: https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/states-sue-trump-administration-for-changing-nondiscrimination-provisions-of-aca

Experimental Vaccines Show Promise Against COVID-19 in Healthy Subjects: https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/experimental-vaccines-show-promise-against-covid19-in-healthy-subjects

Diagnostic Delays From COVID-19 May Increase Cancer-Related Deaths, UK Studies Say: https://www.ajmc.com/focus-of-the-week/diagnostic-delays-from-covid19-may-increase-cancerrelated-deaths-uk-studies-say

Cancer Organizations Ask Trump Administration to Maintain Relationship With WHO: https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/cancer-organizations-ask-trump-administration-to-maintain-relationship-with-who

Merck Gets Priority Review in NDA for Vericiguat: https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/merck-gets-priority-review-in-nda-for-vericiguat

Leveraging Remote Behavioral Health Interventions to Improve Medical Outcomes and Reduce Costs: https://www.ajmc.com/journals/issue/2015/2015-vol21-n2/leveraging-remote-behavioral-health-interventions-to-improve-medical-outcomes-and-reduce-costs

On today’s episode of Managed Care Cast, we feature a short excerpt of an upcoming interview in the August issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® with Mandy K. Cohen, MD, MPH, North Carolina's secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, as part of our yearlong Q&A series. We discussed the state's upcoming transition to Medicaid managed care, the pandemic, her advice to public health workers in the face of criticism, and how what is learned from the pandemic can help inform the future of managed care going forward.

Every week, The American Journal of Managed Care® recaps the top managed care news of the week.

This week, the top managed care news included states facing COVID-19 spikes reporting health coverage losses; new COVID-19 data protocol raises concerns; and experts discuss key steps to reduce racial inequities in cancer care.

Learn more about the stories in this podcast:

States Facing COVID-19 Spikes Report Greatest Health Insurance Coverage Losses: https://www.ajmc.com/focus-of-the-week/states-facing-covid19-spikes-report-greatest-health-insurance-coverage-losses

New COVID-19 Hospital Data Protocol Raises Concerns: https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/new-covid19-hospital-data-protocol-raises-concerns

Key Steps to Reduce Racial Cancer Disparities Include Supporting Minority Scientists, Diversifying Medical Schools and Clinical Trials: https://www.ajmc.com/interviews/key-steps-to-reduce-racial-cancer-disparities-include-supporting-minority-scientists-diversifying-medical-schools-and-clinical-trials

PrEP Use Has Changed Following Implementation of Social Distancing Measures: https://www.ajmc.com/focus-of-the-week/prep-use-has-changed-following-implementation-of-social-distancing-measures

Roche Invests in Blueprint Medicines, Maker of RET Inhibitor Pralsetinib: https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/roche-invests-in-blueprint-medicines-maker-of-ret-inhibitor-pralsetinib

Impact of a Pharmacy-Based Transitional Care Program on Hospital Readmissions: https://www.ajmc.com/journals/issue/2017/2017-vol23-n3/impact-of-a-pharmacy-based-transitional-care-program-on-hospital-readmissions