Healthcare Reform

GlobalData report highlights staggering economic costs for South Carolina of $7.4 billion due to obesity

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 17, 2024
Labor, Fitness & Nutrition, Public Policy, Government, Healthcare Reform, Business, Professional Services, Health, State, Local, General Health, Welfare, Conditional sentence, Woman, Death, Medicaid, Weight loss, Culture, Medicare, Insurance, Federation, Eli Lilly and Company, Parity, Disease, DSM-IV codes, Workforce, Head, Overweight, GlobalData, Education, Pharmaceutical industry

GlobalData’s report, ‘ Obesity’s Impact on South Carolina's Economy and Labor Force ,’ analyzes the economic and workforce implications of obesity in the State of South Carolina, as well as the impact on state tax revenue collections and costs.

Key Points: 
  • GlobalData’s report, ‘ Obesity’s Impact on South Carolina's Economy and Labor Force ,’ analyzes the economic and workforce implications of obesity in the State of South Carolina, as well as the impact on state tax revenue collections and costs.
  • In South Carolina, approximately one-third of adults are classified as having obesity (35.0%), and another third have overweight (34.8%) in 2022.
  • Employers in South Carolina paid an extra $907 million in higher medical expenditures for health complications attributed to obesity and overweight.
  • The federal government also spent an estimated $1.7 billion more on Medicare and Medicaid for South Carolina residents.

New Report: Rural Populations Have Worse Oral Health Care Access, Utilization, and Outcomes Compared to Urban Areas

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 17, 2024
Dental, Telemedicine, Virtual Medicine, Public Policy, Government, Healthcare Reform, Health Insurance, Philanthropy, Managed Care, General Health, Health, Other Philanthropy, Knowledge, Insurance, Dentistry, Dental public health, Transport

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health ®, a leading national nonprofit focused on creating a more accessible, equitable, and integrated oral health system, released a new report detailing the causes of worsening oral health access and outcomes for rural populations in comparison with their urban and suburban counterparts.

Key Points: 
  • CareQuest Institute for Oral Health ®, a leading national nonprofit focused on creating a more accessible, equitable, and integrated oral health system, released a new report detailing the causes of worsening oral health access and outcomes for rural populations in comparison with their urban and suburban counterparts.
  • Among the most significant challenges preventing people living in rural areas from receiving adequate oral health care are provider shortages, lack of insurance coverage, and transportation barriers.
  • “Oral health is more than just a health issue, it’s an equity issue impacting people of all backgrounds, economic statuses, and geographic locations.
  • Employers in rural areas are less likely to offer dental insurance than employers in more populated areas.

DecisionRx Announces $100 Million Credit Facility with Carlyle

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, January 11, 2024
Finance, Banking, Public Policy, Government, Health Technology, Healthcare Reform, Professional Services, Health Insurance, Health, Pharmaceutical, Patient, Knowledge, Medicare, Partnership, Genomics, Medication, CSS, Physician, Growth, Pharmaceutical industry

DecisionRx, Inc. , a value-based healthcare company reducing the cost of care by helping physicians eliminate medication failure, today announced that it has entered into a $100 million credit facility with global investment firm Carlyle.

Key Points: 
  • DecisionRx, Inc. , a value-based healthcare company reducing the cost of care by helping physicians eliminate medication failure, today announced that it has entered into a $100 million credit facility with global investment firm Carlyle.
  • The facility is expected to fund lab testing and comprehensive medication reviews by DecisionRx pharmacists for over 100,000 patients.
  • Medication Therapy Optimization has been shown to reduce total cost of care per Medicare patient by over $3,600 per year.
  • “This transaction strongly validates investors’ belief in our innovative approach to improving patient outcomes by helping providers avoid medication failure at scale.

TNEDICCA Welcomes 30-Year Progressive Insurance Veteran Dave Pratt to its Board

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 10, 2024
Automotive, Public Policy, Government, Science, Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Mobile, Wireless, Research, Security, Healthcare Reform, Men, Small Business, Thought Leadership, Transport, Consumer, Telecommunications, Software, General Automotive, Networks, Internet, Other Communications, Data Management, Legal, Public Relations, Investor Relations, Insurance, Technology, Finance, Communications, Consulting, Banking, Accounting, Data Analytics, Professional Services, State, Local, Heart, Multimedia, Accident, Progressive Corporation, Crash, Duke University, Progressive, Harvard Business School, Bain & Company, Management

TNEDICCA , a leader in traffic crash data and location risk analytics, welcomes Dave Pratt , a 30+ year veteran of Progressive Insurance , to its board.

Key Points: 
  • TNEDICCA , a leader in traffic crash data and location risk analytics, welcomes Dave Pratt , a 30+ year veteran of Progressive Insurance , to its board.
  • View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240110496753/en/
    “TNEDICCA’s unique data assets offer auto insurers first-of-its-kind location risk solutions to the industry that is near and dear to my heart,” said Dave Pratt.
  • I am excited to join TNEDICCA’s board, guiding TNEDICCA on its entrepreneurial journey.”
    “Dave is a proven leader with an established track record and outstanding reputation in the insurance industry,” said Yiem Sunbhanich , co-founder and CEO of TNEDICCA.
  • “We are honored to welcome Dave to the board where he will serve as a key advisor as we accelerate innovation at TNEDICCA.

Messagepoint Healthcare Touchpoint Exchange Wins 2024 BIG Innovation Award

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 10, 2024
Seniors, Insurance, Software, Finance, Consumer, Professional Services, Data Management, Technology, Public Policy, Government, Digital Marketing, Other Communications, General Health, Publishing, Marketing, Health, Healthcare Reform, Communications, Health Technology, Health Insurance, AEP, Medicare, Software as a service, Workload, Workflow, Organization, ANOC, CMS, EOC, S.H.I.E.L.D., JSON

Messagepoint announced it has been named a winner in the 2024 BIG Innovation Awards presented by the Business Intelligence Group in the Software category for its Healthcare Touchpoint Exchange , a purpose-built SaaS solution that enables Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs) to dramatically reduce the workload, timelines and costs associated with health plan communications and materials preparation.

Key Points: 
  • Messagepoint announced it has been named a winner in the 2024 BIG Innovation Awards presented by the Business Intelligence Group in the Software category for its Healthcare Touchpoint Exchange , a purpose-built SaaS solution that enables Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs) to dramatically reduce the workload, timelines and costs associated with health plan communications and materials preparation.
  • “We are pleased that Messagepoint’s Healthcare Touchpoint Exchange has won a BIG Innovation Award for providing critical innovation that enables MAOs to achieve accuracy and compliance, efficiency and economies of scale across all member communications.”
    Messagepoint’s Healthcare Touchpoint Exchange is a game-changing solution designed to support MAOs in preparing plan communications and materials for the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP).
  • “Innovation is driving our society,” said Maria Jimenez, chief nominations officer of the Business Intelligence Group.
  • “We are thrilled to be honoring Messagepoint as they are leading by example and improving the lives of so many.”
    Organizations from across the globe submitted their recent innovations for consideration in the BIG Innovation Awards.

Global HIV Progress Overstated: AHF Calls for UNAIDS Audit

Retrieved on: 
Monday, January 8, 2024
Public Policy, Healthcare Reform, Social Activism, Pharmaceutical, Communications, Philanthropy, Advocacy Group Opinion, Infectious Diseases, Government, LGBTQ+, Foundation, Science, AIDS, Consumer, Research, Health, BMJ, HIV/AIDS, Death, AHF, WHO, Disease, Medical journal, UNAIDS, Poverty, Infection, World Health Organization, HIV, BMJ Open, Patient, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Pharmaceutical industry

Inflated numbers would mean that the progress against the epidemic has been slower than anticipated, and a greater investment of resources will be needed to put the global HIV response back on track.

Key Points: 
  • Inflated numbers would mean that the progress against the epidemic has been slower than anticipated, and a greater investment of resources will be needed to put the global HIV response back on track.
  • “We have offered to assist UNAIDS with the auditing process in anyway practical.”
    The following is a full text of the open letter:
    We write this letter to express our alarm over the inaccuracy of global HIV treatment statistics being reported by UNAIDS.
  • We urge UNAIDS and the WHO to audit at least 10% of patient charts across the globe.
  • We believe that our proposal will be an exciting new chapter for global AIDS that will yield gratifying results.

AmeriHealth Caritas Announces Kelly A. Munson as President and Chief Executive Officer

Retrieved on: 
Monday, January 8, 2024
Insurance, Professional Services, Public Policy, Government, Healthcare Reform, Health Insurance, Practice Management, Other Health, Managed Care, General Health, Health, Culture, Caritas, WellCare, Multimedia, Knowledge, Management

Munson is a seasoned health care executive, steeped in the Medicaid program, with deep experience leading complex and successful national operations.

Key Points: 
  • Munson is a seasoned health care executive, steeped in the Medicaid program, with deep experience leading complex and successful national operations.
  • She will officially assume the role of president and chief executive officer (CEO) on February 1, concluding a thorough national search led by the AmeriHealth Caritas board of directors, which includes representation from joint owners Independence Health Group and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
  • “We are excited to welcome Kelly Munson to AmeriHealth Caritas,” said Gregory E. Deavens, president and CEO of Independence Health Group and chair of the Board of Directors of AmeriHealth Caritas.
  • Before joining Aetna Medicaid, Munson was executive vice president and chief Medicaid officer of WellCare Health Plans, overseeing the Medicaid program; she previously led WellCare Health’s Medicare line of business in her role as senior vice president.

FDA & Florida Make a Dent in Drug Prices with Canadian Imports, says AHF

Retrieved on: 
Friday, January 5, 2024
FDA, AIDS, White House, Federal Government, Health, Philanthropy, State, Local, Healthcare Reform, Pharmaceutical, Infectious Diseases, Foundation, Public Policy, Government, AHF, Congress, HIV, Pharma, Patient, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Pharmaceutical industry

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the world’s largest HIV and AIDS healthcare organization, is cheering a move this week by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the State of Florida, which secured FDA approval to import prescription medications from Canada in an effort to address rising drug costs.

Key Points: 
  • AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the world’s largest HIV and AIDS healthcare organization, is cheering a move this week by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the State of Florida, which secured FDA approval to import prescription medications from Canada in an effort to address rising drug costs.
  • "We applaud the Biden administration and Florida for approving reimportation to relieve the burden of astronomical drug prices on patients,” said Michael Weinstein, AHF founder and president.
  • “However, it would be so much easier to just lower prices in the States than shipping U.S. made drugs to Canada and the sending them back to Florida."
  • To learn more about AHF, visit us online at AIDShealth.org , find us on Facebook , follow us on Instagram , Twitter , and TikTok , and subscribe to our AHFter Hours podcast.

Partnership for Safe Medicines Condemns the Weakening of the U.S. Drug Supply through Canadian Drug Importation

Retrieved on: 
Friday, January 5, 2024
Public Policy, Government, Pharmaceutical, White House, Federal Government, General Health, Health, FDA, Other Policy Issues, Healthcare Reform, Counterfeit, Pharmacy, PSM, Partnership, Patient, Food, Safdar, Risk, HIV

Shabbir Safdar, executive director of the Partnership for Safe Medicines, released the following statement in response to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s final decision to approve Florida’s Canadian drug importation plan.

Key Points: 
  • Shabbir Safdar, executive director of the Partnership for Safe Medicines, released the following statement in response to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s final decision to approve Florida’s Canadian drug importation plan.
  • “The United States government’s decision to approve Florida’s Canadian drug importation plan weakens our nation’s safe drug supply, putting American patients at risk.
  • This decision breaks our closed loop system and opens the door to counterfeiters and others who will be more than happy to meet demand.
  • For more information and to find resources about counterfeit drugs and more, visit safemedicines.org or contact [email protected] .

Manatt Strengthens Medicaid Offerings With Arrival of Trusted Director and Health System Executive

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, January 4, 2024
Legal, Consulting, Public Policy, Government, Healthcare Reform, Professional Services, Other Health, Managed Care, Health, Other Professional Services, Policy, University, Hospital, LLP, Denver Health Medical Center, National Association, CMMI, NAMD, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Knowledge, Medicare, COVID-19, Interim, Population health, Safety, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, Pharmaceutical industry

Johnson has advised clients on coverage policy, advanced primary care models, population health strategies, telehealth and value-based care in Medicaid.

Key Points: 
  • Johnson has advised clients on coverage policy, advanced primary care models, population health strategies, telehealth and value-based care in Medicaid.
  • Johnson also spent nine years at the Denver Health and Hospital Authority in multiple executive roles, including special assistant to the CEO, Director of Health Care Reform Initiatives and Interim Director of the Center for Population Health.
  • “I have always admired Manatt Health and absolutely relied on its thought leadership during my tenure as Medicaid Director and at CMMI.
  • I am thrilled to join the brilliant, committed and growing team of trusted advisers focused on state health policy.”