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Nanomedicine Could Improve Patient Outcomes and Reduce Healthcare Costs
Nanomaterials have been increasingly recognized as a promising component of the future of biotechnology and biomedicine. These nanoparticles are measured on the molecular scale, and their extra-small (billionths of a meter) size lends itself to better drug delivery methods and more personalized treatment regimens. The …
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Mississippi, You’re On My Mind
New research by pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts has found that the “U.S. wasted $418 billion in 2012 based on bad medication-related decisions, and the impact was most deeply felt in those states that could least afford it.” The Express Scripts analysis looked at pharmacy-related decisions …
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New Report Details Potential Medicaid Savings from Using PBM Tools
In addition to offering significant savings for private health insurers, pharmacy benefit management (PBM) tools could save the Federal government and state governments $74.4 billion in Medicaid costs over ten years according to a new report by the Menges Group prepared for the Pharmaceutical Care …
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New Developments on Improving Health and Reducing Costs through Vaccines
As the Affordable Care Act celebrates its third anniversary, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced the extension of preventive services coverage to approximately 105 million Americans, including 34 million Medicare beneficiaries. Currently, the U. S. spends close to 18% of the …
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Changing Behavior through Electronic Prescribing
One of the greatest challenges facing the health care system is how best to influence and change both individuals’ and clinicians’ behaviors. Over the past 50 years, whole industries have sprouted up around exercise, nutrition, obesity control, and smoking-cessation programs. Despite notable set-backs — especially …
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Forcing Seniors & Disabled People to Pay Higher Prescription Drug Costs
Every once in a while, independent drugstores push a policy argument that leaves us scratching our heads. The NCPA’s latest notion is the idea that Medicare Part D preferred pharmacy networks might threaten access to quality care and threaten the survival of community pharmacies. In …
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Good vs. Bad Regulation
There are times when enhanced government regulation in health care is desperately needed to protect the public and to restore trust and confidence in certain parts of the system. The recent, tragic case of a Massachusetts compounding pharmacy effectively acting like a drug manufacturer – …
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GAO Pulls Back the Curtain on Pharmacy Services Administrative Organizations (PSAOs)
One of the least understood issues in the pharmacy benefit arena is how the $93 billion independent pharmacy industry relies on third-party pharmacy services administrative organizations, or PSAOs, to negotiate payer contracts and provide other administrative services. Fortunately, Representative Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) requested the Government …
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Biotech Companies Lobbying to Impede Cost-Saving Biosimilars
We have previously written about how the Affordable Care Act’s provisions on biosimilar drugs represent a missed opportunity to bring cost-saving biosimilar drugs to market. Now, a new study from Grant Thornton shows just how much money these biosimilar drugs could save. According to the …
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Narrow Pharmacy Networks Widen Payer Savings
In earlier pieces we talked about the trend towards narrow pharmacy networks and the recent decision by Tricare to use such networks. Now we have a new report from Visante quantifying just how much narrow pharmacy networks could save payers. And the number is breathtaking. The …
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