Every week, The American Journal of Managed Care® recaps the top managed care news of the week, and you can now listen to it on our podcast, Managed Care Cast.

This week, the top managed care stories included Medicaid expansion wins at the ballot box; new melanoma guidelines that promote recommended treatments and discuss genetic testing; research found high blood pressure in young adults predicts future cardiovascular events.

Read more about the stories in this podcast:

What We're Reading: Midterm Elections, Healthcare Edition—Medicaid Expansion, Ballot Measures, Single Payer: https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/what-were-reading-midterm-elections-healthcare-edition-medicaid-expansion-ballot-measures-single-payer

New Melanoma Guidelines Identify Recommended Treatments, Weigh in on Genetic Testing: https://www.ajmc.com/focus-of-the-week/new-melanoma-guidelines-identify-recommended-treatments-weigh-in-on-genetic-testing

High Blood Pressure in Young Adults Indicative of CVD Events Later in Life: https://www.ajmc.com/focus-of-the-week/high-blood-pressure-in-young-adults-indicative-of-cvd-events-later-in-life

Elizabeth Stringer Explains Veterans' Risk of Opioid Abuse: https://www.ajmc.com/interviews/elizabeth-stringer-explains-veterans-risk-of-opioid-abuse

Deploying Data to Prevent Opioid Abuse in At-Risk Patients: https://www.ajmc.com/focus-of-the-week/deploying-data-to-prevent-opioid-abuse-in-atrisk-patients

Patient-Centered Oncology Care®: https://www.ajmc.com/pcoc2018

Heard at Psych Congress: Clinical Impacts of Stigma Surrounding Mental Illness by Managed Care Cast

Every week, The American Journal of Managed Care® recaps the top managed care news of the week, and you can now listen to it on our podcast, Managed Care Cast.

This week, the top managed care new included a proposal to allow Medicare to pay the same prices for certain drugs as what other countries pay; President Donald Trump signed a law to fight the opioid crisis; an FDA advisory panel voted narrowly to retain a 10-year-old guidance for safety trials for diabetes drugs.

Read more about the stories in this podcast:

Trump Proposes Allowing Medicare to Base Drug Prices on What Other Countries Pay: https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/trump-proposes-allowing-medicare-to-base-drug-prices-on-what-other-countries-pay

Will Bipartisan US Opioid Law Go Far Enough to Save Lives? https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/will-bipartisan-us-opioid-law-go-far-enough-to-save-lives

Narrow Vote Calls for Keeping Drug Safety Trials, but Many See Changes: https://www.ajmc.com/focus-of-the-week/narrow-vote-calls-for-keeping-drug-safety-trials-but-many-see-changes

Survivors of Head and Neck Cancers Have an Elevated Risk for Suicide: https://www.ajmc.com/focus-of-the-week/survivors-of-head-and-neck-cancers-have-an-elevated-risk-for-suicide

Community Oncology Alliance (COA) Payer Exchange Summit 2018: https://www.ajmc.com/conferences/coapayersummit2018

Recently, Barbara McAneny, MD, the current president of the American Medical Association (AMA), visited The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®)’s office for a wide-ranging discussion on new payment models, transforming care, and the work of the AMA.

McAneny is an oncologist who has been at the forefront of transforming care for patients with cancer. In 2012 she and her organization, Innovative Oncology Business Solutions, received a $19.76 million grant by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to develop a community oncology medical home model. The model was implemented in 7 practices and aimed to improve patient care, outcomes, and satisfaction, while reducing costs.

She will be the keynote speaker November 16 in Philadelphia at Patient-Centered Oncology Care®, AJMC®’s annual multistakeholder meeting featuring payers, providers, and patient advocates.

Read more:

The Future of Oncology? COME HOME, the Oncology Medical Home: https://www.ajmc.com/journals/evidence-based-oncology/2013/2013-1-vol19-sp1/the-future-of-oncology-come-home-the-oncology-medical-home/

AMA Chooses Oncologist Dr Barbara McAneny to Lead as President-Elect: https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/ama-chooses-oncologist-dr-barbara-mcaneny-to-lead-as-president-elect

Patient-Centered Oncology Care®: www.ajmc.com/pcoc2018

Implications of OCM Reports and the Future of the Program: https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/implications-of-ocm-reports-and-the-future-of-the-program

The Price of Innovation When Improving Cancer Care Delivery: https://www.ajmc.com/conferences/accc-2018/the-price-of-innovation-when-improving-cancer-care-delivery

Every week, The American Journal of Managed Care® recaps the top managed care news of the week, and you can now listen to it on our podcast, Managed Care Cast.

This week, the top managed care news included the Trump administration giving governors the power to overhaul section 1332 waivers under the Affordable Care Act (ACA); CMS disclosed a breach in the portal that agents and brokers use to assist consumers signing up for health coverage under the ACA; about one-third of all US healthcare payments in 2017 were tied to alternative payment models.

Read more about the stories in this podcast:

Trump Administration Gives States More Power to Alter ACA Exchange Offerings: https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/trump-administration-gives-states-more-power-to-alter-aca-exchange-offerings

CMS Reports Data Breach in ACA Agent and Broker Portal: https://www.ajmc.com/focus-of-the-week/cms-reports-data-breach-in-aca-agent-and-broker-portal

CMS Cuts Budget for ACA Marketing to $10 Million for 2019 Plan Year: https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/cms-cuts-budget-for-aca-marketing-to-10-million-for-2019-plan-year

Payments Are Increasingly Tied to Value, but More Risk-Based Models Needed: https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/payments-are-increasingly-tied-to-value-but-more-riskbased-models-needed

Drug Market to See More Competition, Launch of Biosimilars in 2019: https://www.ajmc.com/conferences/amcpnexus2018/drug-market-to-see-more-competition-launch-of-biosimilars-in-2019

The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy Nexus 2018: https://www.ajmc.com/conferences/amcpnexus2018

Psych Congress 2018: https://www.ajmc.com/conferences/psychcongress2018

Dr Barbara McAneny Discusses the Effect of OCM's Second Performance Period Results: https://www.ajmc.com/interviews/dr-barbara-mcaneny-discusses-the-effect-of-ocms-second-performance-period-results

Patient-Centered Oncology®: https://www.ajmc.com/pcoc2018

A survivor of chronic lymphocytic leukemia who participated in the first CAR T trial in 2010 looks back at his experience and also discusses his views on how patient-reported outcomes (PROs) should be used, if at all, by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS).

Every week, The American Journal of Managed Care® recaps the top managed care news of the week, and you can now listen to it on our podcast, Managed Care Cast.

This week, the top managed care news included the Trump administration unveiling plans to include drug prices in television ads; CMS touted Medicare Advantage at the beginning of open enrollment for Medicare; research found Medicare beneficiaries who live in housing with support services stay out of the hospital.

Read more about the stories in this podcast:

Trump Officials Outline Plan to Put Drug Prices in TV Ads: https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/trump-officials-outline-plan-to-put-drug-prices-in-tv-ads

Verma Talks Up Medicare Advantage Growth at Insurance Industry Meeting: https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/verma-talks-up-medicaid-advantage-growth-at-insurance-industry-meeting

CMS Will Allow Medicare Advantage Plans to Use Step Therapy to Negotiate Drug Prices: https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/cms-will-allow-medicare-advantage-plans-to-use-step-therapy-to-negotiate-drug-prices

UnitedHealthcare Names 3 Biosimilars Preferred Treatments in 2019 MA Plans: https://www.centerforbiosimilars.com/news/unitedhealthcare-names-3-biosimilars-preferred-treatments-in-2019-ma-plans

What We're Reading: Promoting Pediatric Cancer Research; Mystery Paralysis; Cost of Being Sick: https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/what-were-reading-promoting-pediatric-cancer-research-mystery-paralysis-cost-of-being-sick

Affordable Housing With Supportive Services Leads to Reduced Hospital Use Among Seniors: https://www.ajmc.com/focus-of-the-week/affordable-housing-with-supportive-services-leads-to-reduced-hospital-use-among-seniors

Evidence-Based Oncology—October 2018: https://www.ajmc.com/journals/evidence-based-oncology/2018/october-2018

Examining Health-Related Challenges Puerto Rico Still Faces a Year After Hurricane Maria by Managed Care Cast

Every week, The American Journal of Managed Care® recaps the top managed care news of the week, and you can now listen to it on our podcast, Managed Care Cast.

This week, the top managed care news included the Department of Justice giving the green light for the CVS–Aetna merger; premiums for employer insurance plans are on the rise; and the new North American trade deal includes protections for drug makers that will hurt biosimilars.

Read more about the stories in this podcast:

Justice Department Clears $68 Billion CVS–Aetna Merger: https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/justice-department-clears-68-billion-cvsndashaetna-merger

Premiums for Employer-Sponsored Family Insurance Increased 5% in 2018: https://www.ajmc.com/focus-of-the-week/premiums-for-employersponsored-family-insurance-increased-5-in-2018

What We're Reading: HealthCare.gov Maintenance; USMCA Drug Exclusivity; Medicare Telemedicine Proposal: https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/what-were-reading-healthcaregov-maintenance-usmca-drug-exclusivity-medicare-telemedicine-proposal

Food Insecurity, Unaffordable Care Linked With Widening Disparities in Cancer Deaths: https://www.ajmc.com/focus-of-the-week/food-insecurity-unaffordable-care-linked-with-widening-disparities-in-cancer-deaths

National Association of ACOs Fall 2018: https://www.ajmc.com/conferences/naacos-fall2018

As healthcare costs continue to increase, health systems are trying to better understand resource utilization among providers. The use of feedback reports can document physician practice patterns and increase accountability for resource use to prevent overuse and misuse.

A new paper in the October issue of The American Journal of Managed Care measured changes in ordering rates for 4 resource use measures before and after dissemination of physician feedback reports. Lead author Eva Chang, PhD, of RTI International, discussed the findings and how the impact of the feedback reports varied depending on physician experience.

Read the study and related research:

Primary Care Physician Resource Use Changes Associated With Feedback Reports: https://www.ajmc.com/journals/issue/2018/2018-vol24-n10/primary-care-physician-resource-use-changes-associated-with-feedback-reports

The American Journal of Managed Care—October 2018: https://www.ajmc.com/journals/issue/2018/2018-vol24-n10

Tackling Antibiotic Prescribers' Behaviors for Respiratory Infections at the VA: https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/tackling-antibiotic-prescribers-behaviors-for-respiratory-infections-at-the-va

Impact of Weekly Feedback on Test Ordering Patterns: https://www.ajmc.com/journals/issue/2015/2015-vol21-n11/impact-of-weekly-feedback-on-test-ordering-patterns