Health Affairs This Week

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Senior Editor Ellen Bayer to the program to discuss the ongoing progress of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, how it's being implemented, and how we can best evaluate the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program.Health Affairs will be hosting a virtual Journal Club event on Tuesday, August 27, entitled "Coverage of Anti-Obesity Medicines Could Increase Medicare Spending By Billions" featuring author Benedic Ippolito discussing his recent paper on the topic.This event is exclusive to our Health Affairs Insiders. If you have yet to become an Insider, sign up today to stay up-to-date on what health care experts are thinking and talking about.Related Articles:Is It Working? Evaluating The First Round Of Medicare Drug Price Negotiations (Health Affairs)FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces New, Lower Prices for First Ten Drugs Selected for Medicare Price Negotiation to Lower Costs for Millions of AmericansThe First-Ever Government Negotiation Process For Drugs Has Finished, But The Politics Are Ongoing (Health Affairs Forefront)FAQs about the Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program (KFF)Explaining the Prescription Drug Provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act (KFF)

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Senior Editor Leslie Erdelack back to the program to discuss recent cybersecurity events that have affected both health care businesses and patients alike, prevention measures, and what does a provider do when their technology tools aren't working.This week, Health Affairs published two ahead-of-print articles. You can check those out below: Is It Working? Evaluating The First Round Of Medicare Drug Price Negotiations Expanding Medicare Coverage Of Anti-Obesity Medicines Could Increase Annual Spending By $3.1 Billion To $6.1 BillionRelated Articles:FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Bolsters Protections for Americans’ Access to Healthcare Through Strengthening Cybersecurity

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Stacie Dusetzina of Vanderbilt University back to the program to discuss an interim staff report released by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) about the impact that pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) have on the accessibility and affordability of prescription drugs.Check out the August 2024 issue of Health Affairs.RSVP for our upcoming Age-Friendly Health Briefing entitled "What Do Recent Nursing Home Developments Mean for Residents, Families, and the Future of Long-Term Care?" in partnership with The John A. Hartford Foundation.Become an Insider to not miss out on Stacie Dusetzina's exclusive newsletter, Policy Prescription, which focuses on drug pricing.Related Articles:PRESS RELEASE: FTC Releases Interim Staff Report on Prescription Drug MiddlemenMerging Medical And Drug Benefits: Seeing The Whole Picture (Health Affairs Forefront)Three Key Ways To Strengthen Proposed Pharmacy Benefit Manager Regulations (Health Affairs Forefront)

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Senior Editor Marianne Amoss to the program to explore the state of maternal health in health care and what a recent policy proposal from CMS could do to reduce maternal mortality and advance health equity.RSVP for our upcoming Age-Friendly Health Briefing entitled "What Do Recent Nursing Home Developments Mean for Residents, Families, and the Future of Long-Term Care?" in partnership with The John A. Hartford Foundation.Become an Insider to not miss out on Stacie Dusetzina's exclusive newsletter, Policy Prescription, which focuses on drug pricing.Related Articles:PRESS RELEASE: Biden Harris Administration Proposes Policies to Reduce Maternal Mortality, Advance Health Equity, and Support Underserved Communities (CMS)How bad is maternal mortality in the U.S.? A new study says it's been overestimated by Selena Simmons-Duffin (NPR)

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Senior Deputy Editor Rob Lott to the program to discuss a recent policy proposal that would result in prohibiting medical debt from being included in credit reporting and how the upcoming presidential election could play into the policy's implementation.Read our "ahead-of-print" article on how adverse childhood experiences and health care utilization and expenditures. Check out this year's You're A Health Policy Wonk If... contest!Submit an abstract for our upcoming theme issue focusing on Food, Nutrition, and Health. Submissions are due by Monday, July 29th.Submit an article for the Forefront series "Supplemental Benefits in Medicare Advantage." Submissions will be taken on a rolling basis through June 2025.Related Articles:FACT SHEET: Vice President Harris Announces Proposal to Prohibit Medical Bills from Being Included on Credit Reports and Calls on States and Localities to Take Further Actions to Reduce Medical DebtIllness And Injury As Contributors To Bankruptcy (Health Affairs)Medical Bankruptcy: Dranove And Millenson Respond (Health Affairs)The Joint Distribution Of High Out-Of-Pocket Burdens, Medical Debt, And Financial Barriers To Needed Care (Health Affairs)HEALTH POLICY BRIEF: Health, Income, & Poverty: Where We Are & What Could Help (Health Affairs)

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Senior Editor Leslie Erdelack to the program to discuss FDA's recent approval of an Alzheimer's treatment drug, Lilly’s Kisunla, how private insurers and Medicare may cover the drug, and the emerging new class of drugs surrounding Alzheimer's treatment.We announced the winner for our You're A Health Policy Wonk If... contest this week!Until July 20, we are having a flash sale on Health Affairs Insider membership. Use the code HealthWonkLife for $30 off the normal Insider price.Check out our Request For Abstracts page for the April 2025 theme issue focusing on Food, Nutrition, and Health.Related Articles:Approval of Newest Alzheimer’s Drug Will Accelerate New Era of Treatment by Peter Loftus and Joseph Walker (Wall Street Journal)Press Release: Lilly's Kisunla Approved by the FDA for the Treatment of Early Symptomatic Alzheimer's Disease

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Andrew Twinamatsiko of O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law back to the program to discuss the Supreme Court's recent overturning of the Chevron doctrine and the implications for health policy moving forward. Check out our Request For Abstracts page for the April 2025 theme issue focusing on Food, Nutrition, and Health.Related Articles:The Supreme Court And The Future Of Expert Preventive Recommendations by Richard Hughes IV (Forefront)Two Obscure Cases about Fish May Disempower Health Agencies by Suhasini Ravi, Andrew Twinamatsiko, and Lawrence O. Gostin (MedPage Today)What the Supreme Court’s Rulings on Chevron in Loper Bright Enterprises and Relentless Could Mean for Health Care by Suhasini Ravi (The O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law)

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers chats with Senior Editors Kathleen Haddad and Meg Winchester about their recent trip to AcademyHealth's 2024 Annual Research Meeting (ARM) in Baltimore and the main takeaways that the two found regarding private equity, opioid use, and solutions-orientated research.Order the July 2024 Issue of Health Affairs.Related Links:Request For Abstracts – Food, Nutrition, And HealthProtecting Patients And Society In An Era Of Private Equity Provider Ownership: Challenges And Opportunities For Policy by Christopher Cai and Zirui Song (Health Affairs, May 2024)A Health Podyssey: Christopher Cai on Responding To Challenges Posed By Private EquityAccountable Care for Population Health (a Forefront series)

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers is joined by Andrew Twinamatsiko of O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law to discuss a recent Supreme Court decision to reject a challenge to the FDA's approval of abortion medication. Join us for this upcoming event:7/10/24 - Lunch and Learn: Supreme Court Wrap-Up (Health Affairs Insider Exclusive Event)Become an Insider this week for $40 Off when you use the code InsiderAtTwo at checkout.Related Articles:Supreme Court Rejects Challenge To Abortion Medication, But At What Cost? by Andrew Twinamatsiko et al. (Forefront)

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers is joined by Sabrina Corlette of Georgetown University to discuss an ahead-of-print article released this week that outlines the Congressional Budget Office's health insurance coverage projections in the US for 2024-34. The conversation discusses what went into the CBO's estimates and how the upcoming presidential election may play a big role in how these projections shape up in the future to come.Join us for this upcoming event:7/10/24 - Lunch and Learn: Supreme Court Wrap-UpRelated Articles:Health Insurance Coverage Projections For The US Population And Sources Of Coverage, By Age, 2024–34 by Jessica Hale et al. (Health Affairs)CBO Projections Are Not Destiny: Policies, ACA Investments Can Change Trajectory by Sabrina Corlette (Forefront)CBO Publishes New Projections Related to Health Insurance for 2024 to 2034

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers chats with Senior Editor Michael Gerber about his recent trip to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Health Equity Conference in Bethesda and the main takeaways that he found from the diversity of panels offered.Order the Reimagining Public Health Theme Issue of Health Affairs. Join us for our next edition of Journal Club on June 18.Become an Insider today! For the month of June, you can become an Insider with a $40 discount by using the code InsiderAtTwo.Related Links:2024 CMS Health Equity ConferenceJune 2024 Issue of Health Affairs on Reimagining Public Health

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers talks with Stacie Dusetzina of Vanderbilt University about the current state of obesity medications like Ozempic, the likelihood of insurance coverage, their costs, drug shortages, and how to ensure this medication finds its way to patients. Join Health Affairs Insider to learn more about drug pricing with Stacie Dusetzina. For the month of June, use the code InsiderAtTwo to get $40 off of an Insider membership (offer ends on 6/30/24).The deadline is today (5/31/24) to submit your entry for the "You're A Health Policy Wonk If" Contest and try your chance at winning a subscription to Health Affairs for the next year.Be sure to RSVP for our upcoming Theme Issue Briefing on Reimagining Public Health!

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers talks with Marianne Amoss about recent federal rulemaking activity over nursing facility staff levels and CMS' proposed mandatory kidney transplant value-based model.Read the newly published article "Judicial Decisions Constraining Public Health Powers During COVID-19" from our upcoming Reimaging Public Health theme issue.Related Links:Biden-Harris Administration Acts to Improve Access to Kidney Transplants (CMS)Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting Final Rule (CMS)Disparities in Acceptance of Deceased Donor Kidneys Between the United States and France and Estimated Effects of Increased US Acceptance (JAMA Internal Medicine)

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers interviews Healthcare Dive's Rebecca Pifer to discuss the FTC's move to ban noncompete agreements.Join Health Affairs Insider.Related Links:FTC votes to ban noncompetes, with far-reaching effects on doctors (Healthcare Dive)

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers and Jessica Bylander go over the demise of Walmart Health and the health of retail clinics and telemedicine.Order the May issue of Health Affairs.Finish the sentence: You're A Health Policy Wonk If...Related Links:Walmart shuttering all 51 health centers, citing lack of profitability (FierceHealthcare)The Impact of Telemedicine on Medicare Utilization, Spending, and Quality, 2019-22 (Health Affairs)Variation In Telemedicine Use And Outpatient Care During The COVID-19 Pandemic In The United States (Health Affairs)What is the cost of starting a medical practice? (Wolters Kluwer)Telehealth and COVID-19 (FAIR Health)

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers interviews Jack Hoadley from Georgetown University about the final rule for the Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D programs for 2025.Read the new Health Policy Brief on digital inclusion.Join us for our ONC 20th anniversary event on May 9.Finish the sentence and win an online journal subscription for a year: You're a health policy wonk if...Become a Health Affairs Insider to read our newsletters on drug pricing, antitrust, and more.Related Links:Differences in Use of Services and Quality of Care in Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare, 2010 and 2017 (Health Affairs)Increased Medicare Advantage Penetration is Associated with Lower Postacute Care Use for Traditional Medicare Patients (Health Affairs)DTC Companies Double Down on Medicare Advantage Supplemental Benefits (Health Affairs This Week)

This month, HHS released the final "Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters" for 2025. This final notice sets standards and requirements for the Affordable Care Act marketplaces and health insurers. Sabrina Corlette and Jason Levitis, who both co-authored a piece about the notice in Health Affairs Forefront, join Health Affairs This Week host Jeff Byers to discuss the new standards and how the ACA marketplace has matured over the years. Read the "ahead-of-print" article, "The Impact of Telemedicine on Medicare Utilization, Spending, and Quality, 2019-2022."Related Links:Final 2025 Payment Notice: Marketplace Standards and Insurance Reforms (Health Affairs Forefront)

Health Affairs This Week is back!Host Jeff Byers interviews Brent Fulton from University of California, Berkeley about the current state of antitrust and private equity in health care. Brent is an author of a special newsletter from Health Affairs Insider on antitrust and markets in health care. Subscribe to Insider to catch Brent's and our other Insider newsletters on drug pricing (from Stacie Dusetzina), health spending, and health equity.Join Insider.Related Links:Private Equity-Acquired Physician Practices and Market Penetration Increased Substantially, 2012-21 (Health Affairs)

Health Affairs' Kathleen Haddad and Rob Lott go behind the pages of the new April issue focusing on Perinatal Mental Health & Well-Being. Their conversation provides insight into what has changed since Health Affairs published their first theme issue on the subject, which featured papers left a resounding impact on the editors, and so much more.Health Affairs would like to thank Perigee Fund, the California Health Care Foundation, W. K. Kellogg Foundation, the Hilton Foundation, Cambia Health Foundation, and Con Alma Foundation for their financial support of this issue.Order the April 2024 Health Affairs Perinatal Mental Health & Well-Being theme issue!Related Links:Health Affairs Perinatal Mental Health & Well-Being Theme IssuePerinatal Mental Health: Father Inclusion At The Local, State, And National Levels (Video Abstract)My Story Of Trauma And Reproductive Health by Angelica Al JanabiJournal Club: “Antidepressant Prescriptions Increased For Privately Insured People With Perinatal Mood And Anxiety Disorders, 2008–2020"

This is a special publication of the first season of the new Health Affairs podcast, Research and Justice For All. The first season, "Private Sector Solutions," is sponsored by CVS Health. This is the final episode of the first season.Guest: Rashad Burgess, Vice President of Advancing Health and Black Equity at Gilead Sciences CVS Health’s Sree Chaguturu and Joneigh Khaldun interview Rashad Burgess of Gilead Sciences about how private sector companies can advance health equity goals. They also discuss how Gilead is addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Black and brown communities throughout Southern states in the US.This season is sponsored by CVS Health.Related Links: LGBTQ+ Health Is An Essential Component of Public Health Equity Efforts (Health Affairs Forefront) Building Community Power To Dismantle Policy-Based Structural Inequity In Population Health (Health Affairs) About the Gilead COMPASS Initiative® (Gilead) Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Legislation (Health Resources & Services Administration) Explore the CVS Health-sponsored Health Affairs Forefront short series, “Private Sector Solutions for Health Equity.”

This is a special publication of the first season of the new Health Affairs podcast, Research and Justice For All. The first season, "Private Sector Solutions," is sponsored by CVS Health. Guest: Dr. Karen DeSalvo, Chief Health Officer, Google CVS Health’s Sree Chaguturu and Joneigh Khaldun interview Karen DeSalvo of Google on how to leverage data and partnerships to drive positive, equitable health outcomes. They also discuss both the public and private sector approaches to promoting health equity.This season is sponsored by CVS Health.Related Links: A Health System’s Experience With Inclusive Race And Ethnicity Data Collection, And The Need For Data Equity Principles (Health Affairs) Building a Clinical Team in a Large Technology Company (NEJM Catalyst) Google is committed to health equity (Google) Explore COVID-19 Symptoms Search Trends (Google)Med-PaLM (Google Research) Explore the CVS Health-sponsored Health Affairs Forefront short series, “Private Sector Solutions for Health Equity.”

This is a special publication of the first season of the new Health Affairs podcast, Research and Justice For All. The first season, "Private Sector Solutions," is sponsored by CVS Health. Guest: Dr. Nicole Christian-Brathwaite, MD, Head of Medical and Clinical Strategy at Headway and CEO and Founder of Well Minds Psychiatry & Consulting CVS Health’s Sree Chaguturu and Joneigh Khaldun interview Nicole Christian-Brathwaite of Headway and Well Minds Psychiatry & Consulting about the impact that mental health care disparities have had on historically marginalized communities and strategic approaches that can improve mental health outcomes.This season is sponsored by CVS Health.Related Links: Addressing The Mental Health Equity Crisis: Can The Private Sector Lead? (Health Affairs Forefront) Headway x Violet - Improving access to inclusive mental health care (Headway) Youth Risk Behavior Survey: Data Summary & Trends Report (CDC) Explore the CVS Health-sponsored Health Affairs Forefront short series, “Private Sector Solutions for Health Equity.”

This is a special publication of the first season of the new Health Affairs podcast, Research and Justice For All. The first season, "Private Sector Solutions," is sponsored by CVS Health. Guest: Dr. Mary-Ann Etiebet, AVP for Health Equity at Merck and Lead of Merck for Mothers CVS Health’s Sree Chaguturu and Joneigh Khaldun interview Mary-Ann Etiebet of Merck about how to address disparities in maternal health outcomes and the contributions of the Merck for Mothers initiative.This season is sponsored by CVS Health.Related Links: Employers Can Help Raise The Bar for Reproductive Health Equity (Health Affairs Forefront) The US Maternal Health Crisis: It’s Time To Reverse The Trend (Merck For Mothers) Improving Maternal Health Equity in the US (Safer Childbirth Cities) Maternal Health of Women and Girls of African Descent in the Americas (UNFPA) Explore the CVS Health-sponsored Health Affairs Forefront short series, “Private Sector Solutions for Health Equity.”

This is a special publication of the first season of the new Health Affairs podcast, Research and Justice For All. The first season, "Private Sector Solutions," is sponsored by CVS Health. Guest: Bryan O. Buckley, Director of Health Equity Initiatives at the National Committee for Quality AssuranceCVS Health’s Sree Chaguturu and Joneigh Khaldun interview Bryan O. Buckley of the National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA) about health equity accreditation and why collaboration with communities is key to improving health equity.This season is sponsored by CVS Health.Related Links: Private Sector Companies Must Partner With Communities To Advance Health Equity (Health Affairs Forefront) Community Trust And Relationships: The Key For Strengthening Public Health Systems (Health Affairs Forefront) NCQA’s Health Equity Accreditation Programs (NCQA) HEDIS and Performance Measurement (NCQA) Explore the CVS Health-sponsored Health Affairs Forefront short series, “Private Sector Solutions for Health Equity.”

This is a special pod of the first episode of the new Health Affairs podcast, Research and Justice For All. The first season, "Private Sector Solutions," is sponsored by CVS Health.Guest: Thomas Sequist, Chief Medical Officer at Massachusetts General BrighamIn the first episode of Research and Justice For All, CVS Health’s Sree Chaguturu and Joneigh Khaldun interview Thomas Sequist from Massachusetts General Brigham on the important role of health and hospital systems in driving health equity in the US.This season is sponsored by CVS Health.Related Links: Beyond Research, Taking Action Against Racism (Health Affairs Forefront) United Against Racism 2-Year Anniversary: A Reflection from Mass General Brigham’s Chief Community Health & Health Equity Officer (Massachusetts General Brigham) Mass General Community Health (Massachusetts General Hospital)Explore the CVS Health-sponsored Health Affairs Forefront short series, “Private Sector Solutions for Health Equity.”

Health Affairs' Ellen Bayer and Rob Lott go behind the pages of the new February issue focusing on Housing and Health. Their conversation provides insight into the approach taken for this particular theme issue, the relationship between housing and health, a number of the journal articles featured and so much more.Health Affairs would like to thank Kaiser Permanente, The Colorado Health Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the California Health Care Foundation, and The California Endowment, whose generous support made the theme issue possible. Order the February 2024 Health Affairs Housing and Health theme issue!Related Links:Health Affairs Housing and Health Theme IssueBreaking The Cycle of Homeless Through Art by Ryann TanapInteractive Timeline: Linden: An Ohio Neighborhood's LegacyJournal Club: “Housing-Sensitive Health Conditions Can Predict Poor Quality Housing”

In a special series on housing and health, Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Michael Lens from the University of California Los Angeles.This is a special series leading up to the release of a theme issue on housing and health, which will be released next week.Pre-order the issue here.Related Links:Low-Density Zoning, Health, and Health Equity (Health Affairs)Residential Segregation and Health: History, Harms, and Next Steps (Health Affairs)Public Policies to Address Residential Segregation and Improve Health (Health Affairs)

In a special series on housing and health, Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Ingrid Gould Ellen from the NYU Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy.This is a special series leading up to the release of a theme issue on housing and health in February.Pre-order the issue here.Related Links:Eviction and Health: A Vicious Cycle Exacerbated by a Pandemic (Health Affairs)Housing Mobility Programs and Health Outcomes (Health Affairs)Gentrification and the Health of Legacy Residents (Health Affairs)

In a special series on housing and health, Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Craig Pollack from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.This is a special series leading up to the release of a theme issue on housing and health in February.Pre-order the issue here.Related Links:Using the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit to Fill the Rental Housing Gap (Health Affairs)

In a special series on housing and health, Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Corianne Scally from the Urban Institute.This is a special series leading up to the release of a theme issue on housing and health in February.Pre-order the issue here.Related Links:Housing and Health: An Overview of the Literature (Health Affairs)Housing and Health: The Role of Inclusionary Zoning (Health Affairs)

Health Affairs' Leslie Erdelack and Margaret Saunders go behind the pages to discuss the latest theme issue from Health Affairs on Global Lessons From COVID-19.

Health Affairs's Leslie Erdelack and Rob Lott take cues from Spotify Wrapped to look back to the most important headlines from the first eleven months of 2023. They discuss Medicaid unwinding, drug price negotiations, life after Dobbs, Ozempic, artificial intelligence, COVID-19, affirmative action, and more.Related Links:Maintaining Coverage Gains During Medicaid Unwinding (Health Affairs Forefront)The Future Of COVID-19 Vaccine Development (Health Affairs Forefront)Arriving At A Fair Price In The Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program: Considerations From Other Countries (Health Affairs Forefront)How Will The Executive Order On Artificial Intelligence Impact Health Care? (Health Affairs Forefront)A Year After Dobbs: Diminishing Access To Obstetric-Gynecologic And Maternal-Fetal Care (Health Affairs Forefront)T-Swift of stocks: Ozempic is unending markets, despite unknowns (Axios)With affirmative action off the table, medical schools plan new diversity tactics (Stat News)A roadblock to life-saving addiction treatment is gone. Now what? (NPR)

Health Affairs' Ellen Bayer and Chris Fleming interview Harlan Krumholz from the Yale School of Medicine about President Biden's executive order on artificial intelligence and the implications for health care.Read the "ahead-of-print" article: "A Systematic Review Of COVID-19 Misinformation Interventions: Lessons Learned" Related Links:Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence (White House)How Will The Executive Order On Artificial Intelligence Impact Health Care? (Health Affairs Forefront)Big Data And New Knowledge In Medicine: The Thinking, Training, And Tools Needed For A Learning Health System (Health Affairs)The Challenge Of Federal Coverage And Payment For AI Innovation In Health Care (Health Affairs Forefront)

Health Affairs' Jessica Bylander and Vabren Watts chat about the latest developments from the health equity department at Health Affairs. They discuss a recent professional development event for authors, the second theme issue we published on racism and health, Native American Heritage Month, and more.Related Links:Professional Development: Writing About Racism in Health Care (Health Affairs Events)Private Sector Opportunities To Foster American Indian/Alaska Native Health Equity (Health Affairs Forefront)A Black Woman’s Pandemic Birth Experience (Health Affairs)Changing How The Health Care Workforce Sees Patients Like Me (Health Affairs)How Funding Policy Maintains Structural Inequity Within Indigenous Community-Based Organizations (Health Affairs)

Health Affairs' Jessica Bylander and Marianne Amoss discuss the findings in KFF's new Employer Health Benefits survey. In the report, KFF finds that annual premiums for employer-sponsored family health coverage will increase 7% on average this year.Related Links:Health Benefits In 2023: Premiums Increase With Inflation And Employer Coverage In The Wake Of Dobbs (Health Affairs)Incorrect Provider Directories Associated With Out-Of-Network Mental Health Care And Outpatient Surprise Bills (Health Affairs)The Problem With Provider Directories (Health Affairs This Week)Consistency of Physician Data Across Health Insurer Directories (JAMA)

Health Affairs' Leslie Erdelack and Michael Gerber discuss labor relations and news out of California, providing an update on the Kaiser Permanente workforce strike and how California will raise its minimum wage for health care workers to $25 an hour. So does California, so does the US?Read the ahead-of-print article, "Health Benefits In 2023: Premiums Increase With Inflation And Employer Coverage In The Wake Of Dobbs."Related Links:California sets $25 per hour minimum wage for healthcare workers (Healthcare Dive)After historic strike, Kaiser Permanente workers win 21% raise over 4 years (NPR)Addressing the healthcare staffing shortage (Definitive Healthcare)

Health Affairs' Kathleen Haddad and Rob Lott discuss the recent news where direct-to-consumer companies continue to expand into the Medicare Advantage territory. They discuss Instacart launching a new grocery benefits and the news out of the HTLH conference in Las Vegas regarding a partnership between Uber and Optum.Read the health policy brief on Water Insecurity and Population Health.Listen to the final episode of the first series of Research and Justice For All.Related Links:Filling The Gaps: The Role and Value of Supplemental Benefits in Medicare Advantage (Health Affairs Forefront)Rapid Enrollment Growth In 'Look-Alike' Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plans: A Threat To Integrated Care (Health Affairs)Medicare Advantage Now Chosen By the Majority of Minority and Low-Income Beneficiaries (Health Affairs Forefront)Instacart Will Accept Medicare Advantage for Grocery Orders (The Verge)Uber Adds Optum-enabled Benefits Card to Health Platform (Healthcare Dive)

Health Affairs' Jessica Bylander and Ellen Bayer explore the new October issue focusing on Structural Racism In Health. Their conversation provides insight into unique online features exclusive to this issue as well as highlighting a number of the journal articles featured.Health Affairs would like to thank Gilbert Gee of the University of California Los Angeles and Ruqaiijah Yearby of Ohio State University, who served as theme issue advisers.Health Affairs would also like to thank the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the California Wellness Foundation, and the Episcopal Health Foundation for their financial support of this issue.Order the October 2023 Health Affairs Tackling Structural Racism In Health theme issue!Related Links:Health Affairs Tackling Structural Racism In Health Theme IssueHealth Affairs Racism & Health Resource PageTackling Structural Racism In Health: A ConversationRyan J. Petteway On Poetry, Place-Health Research, And Structural Racism (Health Affairs)Interactive Gallery: Baltimore Voices

Health Affairs' Marianne Amoss and Rob Lott explore the impact of Medicaid unwinding on children's health.Read Milkie Vu's article from the upcoming "Tackling Structural Racism in Health" issue.Related Link:We cut child poverty to historic lows, then let it rebound faster than ever before (Vox)Federal Health Policy Requires Child Health Investment Focus (Health Affairs Forefront)Medicaid (KFF)Racism and Health Resource Page (Health Affairs)

Health Affairs' Ellen Bayer and Rob Lott break down CMS's new funding opportunity for states to create an all-payer model.Listen to the second Research and Justice For All episode, sponsored by CVS Health.Related Link:Three Outstanding Questions About CMS's Ambitious New AHEAD Model (Health Affairs Forefront)Maryland Hospital All-Payer Model: Can It Be Emulated? (Health Affairs Forefront)Maryland's All-Payer Model - Achievements, Challenges, and Next Steps (Health Affairs Forefront)Hospital Rate Setting: Successful in Maryland but Challenging to Replicate (Healthcare Value Hub)

Health Affairs' Michael Gerber and Chris Fleming discuss the Biden administration's proposal to increase minimum staffing levels at nursing homes.Listen to the first Research and Justice For All episode, sponsored by CVS Health.Related Link:HHS Proposes Minimum Staffing Standards to Enhance Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes (CMS)High Nursing Staff Turnover In Nursing Homes Offers Important Quality Information (Health Affairs)President Biden: Nursing homes are putting residents at risk. We're ending the abuse today. (USA Today)Federal Officials Propose New Nursing Home Standards To Increase Staffing (New York Times)

Health Affairs' Rob Lott and Chris Fleming discuss Biden administration's announcement regarding the first 10 drugs selected for Medicare price negotiation.Listen to the Research and Justice For All trailer.Related Link:Biden-Harris Administration Announces First Ten Drugs Selected for Medicare Price NegotiationA Deep Dive Into Takings Clause Challenges to the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program (Health Affairs Forefront)Medicare Drug Price Negotiations: A Principles-Based Guide for CMS (Health Affairs Forefront)

Health Affairs' Leslie Erdelack and Kathleen Haddad discuss the shifting pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) landscape in the wake of Blue Shield of California's decision to shift some of its pharmacy business to new companies.Read the ahead-of-print article, "The Forgotten Middle: Worsening Health and Economic Trends Extend to Americans with Modest Resources Nearing Retirement."Related Links:Blue Shield of California Press Release

Health Affairs' Marianne Amoss interviews Catherine Sharkey from NYU School of Law to discuss regulations and patient safety regarding laboratory developed tests (LDT).View Health Affairs' current Request for Abstracts.Related Links:To Protect Patients And Spark Innovation, Codify The FDA’s Oversight Of Laboratory-Developed Tests (Health Affairs Forefront)F.D.A. Warns Patients About Some Prenatal Genetic Tests (New York Times)F.D.A. Wants to Regulate Prenatal Tests That Have Misled Parents (New York Times)Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing: The FDA's Dual Role as Safety and Health Information Regulator (DePaul Law Review)Regulatory and Medical Aspects of DTC Genetic Testing (Consumer Genetic Technologies: Ethical and Legal Considerations)

Health Affairs' Michael Gerber and Rob Lott discuss the latest developments at the FDA, including the first oral treatment for postpartum depression, the Accelerated Approval Program, and the agency being namechecked on the GOP presidential campaign trail.Related Links:Create An Economic Incentive For The Timely Completion Of Confirmatory Trials (Health Affairs Forefront)The Conundrum Of Patient Access To Therapeutic Medical Devices (Health Affairs Forefront)FDA Approves First Oral Treatment for Postpartum Depression Request For Abstracts - Reimagining Public HealthRequest For Abstracts - Perinatal Mental HealthCurrently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available — and we’d like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcasts free for everyone.

Listen to Health Affairs' Jessica Bylander and Kathleen Haddad discuss the recently-released merger guidelines from the Federal Trade Commission and its potential impacts on the health care industry. Read the CVS Health-sponsored series "Private Sector Solutions for Health Equity."Related Links:Biden Declares War on the Cult of Efficiency (The Atlantic)Who Pays for Health Care Costs? The Effects of Health Care Prices on Wages (SSRN)Access, Quality, and Financial Performance of Rural Hospitals Following Health System Affiliation (Health Affairs)Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available — and we’d like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcasts free for everyone.

Listen to Health Affairs' Ryann Tanap and Vabren Watts discuss what policies and news developments have been shaping the health equity landscape this summer. They discuss the proliferation of LGBTQIA+ policies, affirmative action, Bebe Moore Campbell Minority Mental Health Month and the one-year anniversary of 988, the suicide and crisis hotline.Read the "You're A Health Policy Wonk If..." submissions.Read the new Ahead-of-Print article, "Early OxyContin Marketing Linked To Long-Term Spread Of Infectious Diseases Associated With Injection Drug Use." Read the CVS Health-sponsored series "Private Sector Solutions for Health Equity."Related Links:Diversity & Health Equity (American Psychiatric Association)Black men make up less than 3% of physicians. That requires immediate action, say leaders in academic medicine. (AAMC)Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available — and we’d like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcasts free for everyone.

Listen to Health Affairs' Leslie Erdelack and Rob Lott discuss President Joe Biden's proposed rules to reduce "junk insurance."Read the "You're A Health Policy Wonk If..." submissions.Read the Underemployment Health Policy Brief.Related Links:Administration Takes Action To Limit Junk Health Insurance (Health Affairs Forefront)The Biden Administration Takes Aim At Medical Financing Products (Health Affairs Forefront)Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available — and we’d like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcasts free for everyone.

Health Affairs' Ellen Bayer and Chris Fleming discuss the wide-reaching health care implications of the recent Supreme Court decision on affirmative action.Join us July 10 for a virtual Lunch and Learn event on the Supreme CourtRelated Links:How Health Care May Be Affected by the High Court's Affirmative Action Ruling (KFF Health News)Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard CollegeEliminating Racism In Health Care Before And After The Supreme Court’s Affirmative Action Decision (Health Affairs Forefront)Brief for Amici Curiae Association of American Medical CollegesCurrently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available — and we’d like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcasts free for everyone.

Health Affairs' Marianne Amoss and Michael Gerber break down CMS's new primary care model, the Making Care Primary (MCP) Model.Check out the first issue of Health Affairs Scholar.Related Links:The Changing Landscape of Primary Care: Effects of the ACA and Other Efforts Over the Past Decade (Health Affairs Forefront)Making Care Primary Model Summary (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)CMS Launches New Pilot Program to Test Out Value-Based Primary Care in 8 States (FierceHealthcare)