News

Congress is looking to reign in excessive payment to MA plans, especially PFSS, in order to bring them closer to FFS rates

The Federal Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in a 2 to 1 decision held that New Hampshire's Prescription Information Law "that among other things prohibited certain transfer of physicians' prescribing histories for use in detailing" regulates conduct, not speech, thereby removing "the challenged portions of the statute from the proscriptions of the First Amendment."

FDA announced that the agency is evaluating data from a clinical study in which all-cause mortality was increased among patients treated with tinzaparin (Innohep, Celgene) versus patients treated with unfractionated heparin (UFH).

FDA informed healthcare professionals that the agency is evaluating data regarding a potentially increased risk of serious skin reactions, including Stevens Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis, in association with phenytoin (Dilantin, Pfizer; Phenytek, Mylan; generic phenytoin) or fosphenytoin (Cerebyx, Pfizer; generic fosphenytoin) treatment in Asian patients who are positive for the human leukocyte antigen allele HLA-B*1502.

Rosiglitazone was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality and congestive heart failure (CHF) compared with pioglitazone in an inception cohort study of patients aged >65 years. Patients treated with rosiglitazone or pioglitazone demonstrated similar rates of myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke. These results were published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who have not responded to previous treatment with pegylated interferon alfa-2a (peginterferon) and ribavirin do not demonstrate a reduced rate of disease progression when they undergo long-term treatment with pegylated interferon alfa-2a compared with untreated patients. These results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Evidence supports the clinical equivalence of generic and brand-name cardiovascular drugs, according to a meta-analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Despite this evidence, more than half of the editorials discussing the issue of generic interchangeability that were assessed in this analysis do not support generic substitution for brand-name cardiovascular drugs.

Kent W. Clapp, chairman, president and CEO of Medical Mutual of Ohio, the state?s oldest and largest health insurance company, died along with his fiancée, Tracy Turner, 40, when their chartered plane crashed into a Puerto Rico mountainside around noon on December 3.

Regardless of gains made by medications to control some lipids, triglycerides, like obesity and diabetes, are on the rise, according to WellPoint's HealthCore. LDL levels alone aren't enough to knock out heart disease.

A Mercer survey of benefits programs in 48 countries shows that there are global concerns about retirement and the cost of healthcare. The concept of retirement is changing so that more workers will be forced to postpone it and be covered longer by employer-sponsored plans.

PQC report shows that we cannot look at expanding access to care or decreasing costs in a vacuum?improving quality of care is key.

Health plans have been hit hard by major reductions in their investment incomes. Case-in-point: Los Angeles-based HealthNet, which announced changes in the responsibilities of senior executives after reporting lower-than-anticipated earnings for the third quarter.

According to a Mercer survey of employers, $1,000 deductibles became the norm in 2008. Deductibles are rising due to cost-sharing built into plan design, as well as the growth in consumer-driven, high-deductible health plans.

A CMS report predicts that Medicaid benefits spending will increase 7.3% from 2007 to 2008, reaching $339 billion and grow at an annual average rate of 7.9% over the next 10 years, reaching $674 billion by 2017.

BlueCross BlueShield Venture Partners makes its first investment in a identity and data management software vendor. The venture fund was created to finance technologies that will improve health informatics, health wellness and disease management means, back-office tools and transparency processes.

New molecular entity: Fesoterodine (Toviaz), a muscarinic receptor antagonist, was approved on October 31, 2008, for the treatment of overactive bladder

Second-generation antidepressants generally have equivalent efficacy, according to a review published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Although these agents demonstrate similar response rates, differences in onset of action or side effects may affect prescribing decisions.

Treatment with bevacizumab is associated with a significantly increased risk of venous thromboembolism, according to a meta-analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

During his campaign for the presidency, President-elect Barack Obama stated that all Americans have a right to healthcare and that he will expand coverage for the uninsured. Many voters cited healthcare as a key election issue; however, the need to address a rising unemployment rate and low economic growth may force Obama to seek more limited changes in the near future.

Among the new data presented at the 2008 AHA Scientific Sessions were the results of JUPITER, as well as a phase 2 study of rivaroxaban and an observational study of DES versus BMS in diabetics.

Recent FDA action (through December 2008) related to denileukin, ferumoxytol, cetuximab, HQK-1001, ALD-101, NTX-010, and RTA 402

Generic drugs approved by FDA (through December 2008) including levetiracetam tablets, dorzolamide/timolol ophthalmic solution, and dorzolamide ophthalmic solution

Recent FDA approvals (through December 2008) related to Kogenate FS, Treanda, Prezista, Seroquel XR, Apriso, Precedex, Reyataz, Vaprisol, LoSeasonique, Astepro, Apidra, Risperdal Consta, Stalevo, Akten, Taxus, and Ontak.

New biologic: C1 inhibitor (human) (Cinryze) was approved on October 10, 2008, for routine prophylaxis against angioedema attacks in adolescent and adult patients with hereditary angioedema

New molecular entity: Lacosamide (Vimpat), an antiepileptic drug, was approved on October 28, 2008, as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of partial-onset seizures in patients with epilepsy aged 17 years or older

New molecular entity: Silodosin (Rapaflo), an alpha-blocker, was approved on October 8, 2008, for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of BPH

In 2003, the Canadian Forces (CF) drug benefit plan used preferential listing to control costs associated with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs); however, significant expenditures for nonbenefit PPIs continued. A database review was thus conducted to explain this anomalous usage pattern. This study provides further information regarding the effectiveness of preferred listing as a cost-saving measure, noting that adherence to such policies may be less than projected.

Agents in late-stage development for the treatment of multiple sclerosis

Because of their physical size, obese patients often cannot use standard wheelchairs, waiting-room armchairs, blood pressure cuffs, hospital beds and gowns, or M.R.I. and CAT scan machines.

In the past year, more employers asked for benefit plans that cover medical care overseas in order to rein in costs.