This week's RxWire will be our last distribution in 2014. We will resume our regular Thursday distribution on January 8, 2015. We wish you all warm holidays and a happy new year!
With Hospitals Under Stress, Tennessee’s Governor Pursues Medicaid Expansion
New York Times - December 15, 2014
Under mounting pressure from financially strapped hospitals, Gov. Bill Haslam of Tennessee proposed on Monday an alternative plan for expanding Medicaid that he said would bring health coverage to tens of thousands more poor residents of his state without following traditional Medicaid rules.
Actavis, Mylan, Teva launch first Celebrex generics in US
FirstWord Pharma - December 10, 2014
Actavis, Mylan and Teva announced Wednesday the launch in the US of the first generic versions of Pfizer's Celebrex (celecoxib).
Generic Antiepilepsy Drugs Have Minimal Differences: Study
University of Cincinnati - December 10, 2014
A comparison of two of the most disparate approved generic antiepileptic drugs found minimal differences when compared under rigorous testing procedures in people with epilepsy, according to research presented by a University of Cincinnati (UC) clinician-researcher.
CMS Forecast: Big Drug Spending Growth, But Hospitals and Doctors Will Still Capture Most Healthcare Spending
Drug Channels - September 9, 2014
Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its latest forecasts for national health expenditures. The forecast is summarized in a new Health Affairs article: National Health Expenditure Projections, 2013−23: Faster Growth Expected With Expanded Coverage And Improving Economy (free download).
CDC: Many Patients Still Need to Get 2014-2015 Flu Vaccine
HealthDay News - December 11, 2014
Fewer than half of Americans have gotten a flu vaccine so far this flu season, which might be a bad sign for a season that could be potentially severe, according to a Dec. 11 report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Forbidden Topic in Health Policy Debate: Cost Effectiveness
New York Times - December 15, 2014
If I had a pill that would extend your life by one day, but it cost a billion dollars, it’s unlikely that many people would argue that health insurance should pay for it. We all understand that while the benefit might be real and quantifiable, it’s not worth the expense. But what if the pill cost a million dollars? And what if it extended your life by 10 years?
Medicare Advantage 2015 Data Spotlight: Overview of Plan Changes
Kaiser Family Foundation - December 10, 2014
In 2014, more than 16 million Medicare beneficiaries (30%) were enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans – private plans, such as HMOs or preferred provider organization (PPOs) that receive funds from the federal government (Medicare) to provide Medicare-covered benefits to enrollees.
Doctors Dole Out Prescriptions for Exercise
Wall Street Journal - December 8, 2014
Patients are coming out of the doctor’s office with prescriptions for physical activity in addition to drugs, doctor referrals and follow-up protocols.
Uninsured Under the ACA: Millions of Americans Can’t Afford Coverage
U.S. News & World Report - December 15, 2014
Rocky Rush, a 37-year-old single father from Nebraska, has gone without health insurance for years due to the cost, and the Affordable Care Act hasn’t changed that.
Biotechs and Generic Drug Makers Compromise on Biosimilar Lobbying
Wall Street Journal - December 10, 2014
Two years ago, a coterie of biotechs began lobbying state legislatures to pass laws that would make it more difficult to substitute lower-cost biosimilars for brand-name biologic medicines.
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