To Save On Drug Costs, Insurer Wants To Steer You To ‘Preferred’ Pharmacies
Blue Shield of California is hoping to steer consumers to “preferred” pharmacies where drugs are cheaper and copays lower.
All Coverage
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Repeal & Replace Watch
Trump, Dems Look For Common Ground On Drug Prices
Two Democratic congressmen met with President Trump to seek his support for a bill to expand the government’s ability to negotiate drug prices, but it’s not clear it would have much impact or will gain support.
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Navigating Aging
A Playbook For Managing Problems In The Last Chapter Of Your Life
Many people age 75 or older can take steps to avoid a crisis in the remaining years of their lives.
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Repeal & Replace Watch
LA County Health Chief Wants To ‘Catch’ People Dropped From Coverage
Mitch Katz, director of the L.A. County Health Agency, says California must find ways to cover state residents who might lose their health coverage if Obamacare is repealed.
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Repeal & Replace Watch
Five Ways The GOP Health Bill Would Reverse Course From The ACA
From Medicaid funding to paying for over-the-counter drugs, the legislation offered by House Republicans offers a far different pathway to coverage than Obamacare.
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Dentists Work To Ease Patients’ Pain With Fewer Opioids
Dentistry is at a crossroads and many in the field are reassessing their narcotics prescribing habits.
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Los Angeles County Scores An E-Success In Managing Specialist Care
An electronic consulting and referral system adopted by the county’s safety net public health system in 2012 has reduced waiting times for appointments with specialists and eliminated the need for such appointments in a significant number of cases, according to a new study in the journal Health Affairs.
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Three Key Senators Ask GAO To Investigate Possible Abuses Of The Orphan Drug Act
Amid an uproar over high drug prices, three GOP senators are asking the Government Accountability Office to investigate whether the Orphan Drug Act is being abused.
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Are Virtual Doctor Visits Really Cost-Effective? Not So Much, Study Says
Rand Corp. finds that telehealth encourages patients to seek care for minor illnesses they wouldn’t bother to make an office visit for, raising overall health costs.
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Cancer Rates Dropped During The Recession. That’s Not Necessarily A Good Thing.
Researchers believe Californians, many of whom lost health coverage, delayed doctor visits that could have led to earlier detection. Now, with people seeking medical care under the Affordable Care Act, some experts expect to see an increase in late-stage cancers.
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Repeal & Replace Watch
GOP Overhaul Would Keep Obamacare’s ‘Cadillac Tax,’ But Delay It Until 2025
Although Republicans flirted with the idea of changing the tax code so that the value of employer-sponsored health insurance is added to workers’ tax liability, House leaders decided to instead keep the ACA’s tax on insurers and employers that provide generous coverage.
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Repeal & Replace Watch
House GOP Health Bill Jettisons Insurance Mandate, Much Of Medicaid Expansion
After intense negotiations among party factions, Republican leaders unveil legislation that committees will mark up this week.
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Dentistry Advocates Aim To Fill Medicare Gaps
Brushing aside a political climate that favors federal cuts in health care spending, advocates for oral health are pushing to expand Medicare to provide America’s elderly with dental benefits.
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‘Right-To-Try’ Laws Expose Dying Patients To Exploitation, Ethicists Warn
More than 30 states have laws on the books to allow dying patients the right to try experimental treatments. But these treatments may not be covered by insurance, and ethicists worry vulnerable people could be exploited near the end of their lives. The laws may also duplicate a process the FDA already has in place.
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Repeal & Replace Watch
With ‘Trumpcare’ On Horizon, Voters Go Wobbly On Repeal
The prospect of repealing the Affordable Care Act – with no replacement ready – finds many having second thoughts.
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State Fires Contractor After Problems Put California HIV Patients At Risk
The company tasked with enrolling eligible patients in an HIV assistance program failed to keep an online enrollment portal working effectively and violated other contract terms, the public health agency said.
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California Medical Board President Faces Questions Over Vote In Sexual Misconduct Case
After the medical board reinstated the license of doctor who molested patients, one member –now president — secured a $40 million donation for a pet project from the doctor’s relative. He says the two events are unrelated. Critics are demanding an investigation.
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For New Medicaid Patients, The Doctor Is In (Generally). But You May Have To Wait.
A new study examines whether people newly insured through the Affordable Care Act are adding pressure to primary care access challenges.
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Making Multiple Drugs In One Factory Risks Scary Side Effect Of Shortages
Hundreds of drug brands are being made in giant contract facilities. When a plant shuts down, a widespread drain on supply can result.
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Lost In Translation: When Parents And Pediatricians Don’t Speak The Same Language
Latino parents who speak only Spanish are less likely to report having satisfactory experiences with their children’s doctors than Latino parents who speak English, a new California study shows.
