HHS investigates rise in generics
July 15th 2015The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will investigate how much money Medicaid has lost over the past decade paying for rising generic drug prices by comparing price increases between 2005 and 2014 against the rate of inflation.
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FDA approves new heart failure drug
July 8th 2015The FDA this week approved Novartis’s sacubitril/valsartan (Entresto) tablets to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization for heart failure in patients with chronic heart failure (NYHA Class II-IV) and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).
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Eight ways to retain high-deductible members
July 8th 2015High-deductible plans are often used by relatively healthy people with a small chance of exceeding the plan's annual deductible. These individuals have little loyalty to their plans. Here are eight ways health plans can create "stickiness" to keep members happy.
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5 reasons to watch the new cystic fibrosis drug
July 7th 2015FDA’s approval last week of Vertex Pharmaceutical’s groundbreaking drug lumacaftor/ivacaftor (Orkambi) for cystic fibrosis is certainly good news, but formulary managers need to be aware of the high cost of the drug and other factors.
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Under attack: Arm yourself against hackers
July 7th 2015While recent attacks on Anthem, Community Health Systems, Premera and CareFirst helped focus awareness on the importance of cybersecurity, many healthcare payers and providers are still mired in outmoded or unfocused strategies and thus remain vulnerable.
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Investigational drug reverses anticoagulant effect of dabigatran in minutes: Study
July 6th 2015Use of investigational reversal agent idarucizumab can allow physicians to focus on other vital aspects of emergency management beyond anticoagulant reversal in dabigatran-treated patients, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Studies: Zykadia shrank tumors in patients with ALK+ NSCLC
July 6th 2015New data from two phase 2 studies showed ceritinib (Zykadia) shrank tumors in patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive (ALK+) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had received previous treatment with an ALK inhibitor and in those receiving an ALK inhibitor for the first time.
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Over-prescribing antibiotics to nursing home residents dangerous for all
July 2nd 2015Antibiotics are frequently and often inappropriately prescribed to nursing home residents, according to a new study in JAMA Internal Medicine. These antibiotics pose direct risks to recipients and indirect risks to others residents.
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