Tag Archive for: What Caught Our Eye
Coronavirus and Cancer Resources for Survivors
Cancer survivors have expressed concerns and questions about COVID-19, the coronavirus, and how they may be at higher risk due to their cancer history. Here are some resources about COVID-19 generally, and its impact for cancer survivors specifically. NCCS is seeking answers from public health experts on the coronavirus and its impact on cancer patients and survivors. Please leave a comment [...]
Health Care Roundup: Health Care Proposals Compared; ‘Surprise Billing’ Under Scrutiny; How Cancer Disrupts Young Adults’ Lives; Medicare Part D; More
Comparing Health Care Proposals – As Medicare-for-all and other public health care proposals continue to be released by Members of Congress, Kaiser Family Foundation created a great interactive summary which they update regularly to compare these plans. Most recently, Senator and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders introduced his Medicare-for-all bill in the Senate. | Surprise Billing – Surprise medical billing has been getting a lot of attention [...]
Health Care Roundup: NCCS Joins Court Brief in ACA Suit; Challenges of Care Coordination; A Stage 4 Survivor on Living in the Present; More
NCCS Joins Amicus Brief in ACA Lawsuit — On April 1, seventeen patient groups, including NCCS, filed an amicus curiae (“friend-of-the-court”) brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in the case Texas v. United States. The brief cited the devastating impact patients would face should the court uphold the district court ruling to invalidate the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The patient groups argue the law was intended to help protect patients with pre-existing [...]
Health Care Roundup: Justice Dept Changes ACA Position; Medicaid Work Requirements Struck Down; Caregivers’ Costs; End-of-Life Conversations; More
There was a steady stream of health care news this past week, including court rulings regarding Medicaid work requirements and association health plans, as well as a major shift in the administration’s position on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) lawsuit. Democrats introduced new legislation to strengthen the ACA on its 9-year anniversary. Here’s what you need to know about these developments: The Justice Department announced that the Trump [...]
Health Care Roundup: Kansas Moves Medicaid Expansion; CDC Study: How Patients Reduce Their Drug Costs; Where EHRs Went Wrong; More
Kansas House Sends Medicaid Expansion to Senate – This week, Kansas is one step closer to expanding Medicaid in the state, after lawmakers passed a bill in the House that would add coverage for an estimated 150,000 Kansans. The expansion bill will head to the Senate where the outcome is unknown. From the Wichita Eagle: “The plan expands eligibility for medical assistance to all adults who are under 65 and make less than 133 percent [...]
Health Care Roundup: White House Proposes Health Care Cuts; NCI’s Sharpless to Head FDA; Care Planning; Patient Safety; More
White House Releases FY 2020 Budget – Earlier this week, the White House released the President’s Budget. This year's budget proposes to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and cap Medicaid, and cuts federal health spending by $659 billion over 10 years. The budget also proposes shaving $818 billion from projected spending on Medicare over 10 years and cutting nearly $1.5 trillion from projected spending on Medicaid. [...]
Health Care Roundup: FDA’s Gottlieb Steps Down; Hearings on High Costs; Coping with Cancer’s Aftermath; Why Insurers Deny Claims; More
FDA Commissioner Gottlieb Announces Resignation — On Tuesday, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, announced that he would be resigning in the next month. Two focus areas during Commissioner Gottlieb’s tenure at the FDA include curbing vaping and making generic drugs more accessible. Dr. Gottlieb says he is stepping down from his role in order to spend more time with his family. Congress Holds [...]
Health Care Roundup: Senate Hearing w/Pharma CEOs; Medicare for All Introduced; Logistical Toxicity; FDA Warns About Robotic Surgical Devices; More
Senate Finance Hearing on Drug Pricing — The Senate Finance Committee held a hearing this week on drug pricing, and Senators questioned seven CEOs from top pharmaceutical companies. While Senators of both parties asked tough questions about pricing practices and price increases, some experts suggested that the hearing was tamer than expected. In the Washington Post, Paige Cunningham wrote, “In the hearing on drug prices [...]
Health Care Roundup: Health Care Spending; Survivorship Care Delivery; Metastatic BC at NY Fashion Week; Susan Gubar on Financial Toxicity; More
This week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published new health care spending projections for the United States. Unsurprisingly, Medicare spending growth is projected to outpace that of other payers in the coming decade due to enrollment growth and higher use of services. See a breakdown of the projections here. On Wednesday, six hospital groups laid out an eight-point plan for dealing with surprise medical billing, [...]
Health Care Roundup: New Health Care Bills; NCCS Co-Founder Susie Leigh on Life After Cancer; Oncology Care Model; Racial Disparities; More
Health Care Bills Discussed, ACA Lawsuit News – A group of Democratic lawmakers this week introduced legislation that would allow for a “Medicare Buy-In,” meaning Americans at age 50 could buy into the program for their health care coverage. Spearheaded by Sen. Debbie Stabenow (MI-D) and Rep. Brian Higgins (NY-26), the legislators say the main goal is to promote more affordable coverage. Hearings on the ACA and drug pricing continued this [...]
Health Care Roundup: Drug Pricing; Cancer Deaths Rise Globally; Health Care Champion John Dingell Remembered; Treatment at Home; “Survivor” Debate
Drug Pricing at SOTU; House Health Care Hearing — At the State of the Union address, President Trump stated that two of his administration’s health care priorities are to protect individuals with pre-existing conditions and lower drug prices. The address did not specify how to achieve those goals. NCCS commented on several drug pricing proposals released previously by the administration, with a specific focus on what the proposals would mean for patients. [...]