Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Research Roundup: Diabetes And Breast Feeding; Hospital Closures; And Diagnostics
New England Journal of Medicine: Elimination Of Cost Sharing For Screening Mammography In Medicare Advantage Plans
The elimination of cost sharing for screening mammography under the ACA was associated with an increase in rates of use of this service among older women for whom screening is recommended. The effect was attenuated among women living in areas with lower educational attainment and was negligible among Hispanic women. (Funded by the National Institute on Aging.) (Trivedi, Leyva, Lee et. al, 1/18)
JAMA Internal Medicine : Lactation Duration And Incident Diabetes In Young Women Across the Childbearing Years
Is the protective association between lactation duration and progression to diabetes supported by a biochemical evidence basis? ...This study provides evidence to support the hypothesis that lactation may lower risk of diabetes in women; these findings open new avenues into mechanisms leading to glucose intolerance. (Gunderson, Lewis, Lin et. al., 1/16)
Health Affairs: Understanding The Relationship Between Medicaid Expansions And Hospital Closures
We found that the ACA’s Medicaid expansion was associated with improved hospital financial performance and substantially lower likelihoods of closure, especially in rural markets and counties with large numbers of uninsured adults before Medicaid expansion. Future congressional efforts to reform Medicaid policy should consider the strong relationship between Medicaid coverage levels and the financial viability of hospitals. (Lindrooth, Parraillon, Hardy et. al., 1/18)
RAND Corporation: Effect Of Time To Diagnostic Testing For Breast, Cervical, And Colorectal Cancer Screening Abnormalities On Screening Efficacy: A Modeling Study
Longer times to diagnostic testing after an abnormal screening test can decrease screening effectiveness, but the impact varies substantially by cancer type. Impact: Understanding the impact of time to diagnostic testing on screening effectiveness can help inform quality improvement efforts. (Rutter, Kim, Meester et. al., 1/24)
