Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Research Roundup: Surprise Medical Bills; Opioid Abuse; And Heart Health
Health Affairs: Consumers’ Responses To Surprise Medical Bills In Elective Situations
A surprise medical bill is a bill from an out-of-network provider that was not expected by the patient or that came from an out-of-network provider not chosen by the patient. We investigated consumers’ hospital choices after receipt of surprise out-of-network medical bills in an elective situation, using a large national sample of medical claims for obstetric patients with two deliveries covered by employer-sponsored health insurance in 2007–14. (Chartock et al, 3/1)
Pediatrics: Nonmedical Prescription Opioid Use By Parents And Adolescents In The US
Controlling for other factors, parental NMPO use was associated with adolescent NMPO use (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.30; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09–1.56). Mothers’ use had a stronger association with adolescent use than fathers’ use (aOR 1.62 [95% CI 1.28–2.056] versus aOR 0.98 [95% CI 0.74–1.24]). Associations between parental and adolescent NMPO use did not differ by adolescent sex or race and/or ethnicity. (Griesler, 3/1)
JAMA Cardiology: Association Of Initial And Serial C-Reactive Protein Levels With Adverse Cardiovascular Events And Death After Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Secondary Analysis Of The VISTA-16 Trial.
In this secondary analysis of the VISTA-16 randomized clinical trial that included 5145 patients, baseline and longitudinal high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels were independently associated with increased risk of a major adverse cardiac event, cardiovascular death, and all-cause death during the 16-week follow-up. (Mani et al, 3/6)
Pediatrics: Factors Associated With Unrestrained Young Passengers In Motor Vehicle Crashes
Unrestrained child passengers are at significant risk of crash-related injury. Previous researchers using nationally representative crash data from 1992 to 1993 found an association between driver and passenger safety-belt use. Our objective in this study is to investigate factors associated with young, unrestrained passengers in fatal and nonfatal motor vehicle crashes using updated national crash data. (Roehler et al, 3/1)
Health Affairs: Vulnerable And Less Vulnerable Women In High-Deductible Health Plans Experienced Delayed Breast Cancer Care
The effects of high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) on breast cancer diagnosis and treatment among vulnerable populations are unknown. We examined time to first breast cancer diagnostic testing, diagnosis, and chemotherapy among a group of women whose employers switched their insurance coverage from health plans with low deductibles ($500 or less) to plans with high deductibles ($1,000 or more) between 2004 and 2014. (Wharam et al, 3/1)
