Final 2023 Medicare Physician Payment Rule Negatively Impacts Anesthesia Groups, Harms Patient Access to Surgical Care

The American Society of Anesthesiologists calls on Congress to block a nearly 4.5% Medicare payment cut to anesthesiologists and other physicians included in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) final rule released yesterday.

Global Experts Introduce Strategic Action Plan to Accelerate Patient Access to Next-Generation DNA Sequencing in Oncology

Value & Outcomes Spotlight, the health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) news magazine of ISPOR—The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research, announced the publication of a supplement, “A Plan of Action: Accelerating Patient Access to Next-Generation Sequencing in Oncology.”

DMIND Application for Screening Depression – An AI Innovation from CU Faculties of Medicine and Engineering Researchers

Introducing a new dimension for consultations with those suffering from depression by the Department of Mental Health and the DMIND AI Innovation from Chula’s Faculties of Medicine and Engineering that provides screening for depression through the Mor Prom Application with greater accuracy, accessibility, and convenience thus reducing the burdens on medical practitioners and psychologists in taking care of patients with depression.

ACR Urges the FTC to Examine the Impact of Pharmacy Benefit Managers on Prescription Drug Costs

In comments submitted to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) urged the agency to address Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) business practices that drive up costs and reduce access for the 54 million Americans living with rheumatic disease.

Cancer Research Institute Celebrates Ninth Annual Cancer Immunotherapy Month™

Cancer Research Institute celebrates progress in cancer immunotherapy research, announces new initiatives aimed at addressing racial and ethnic disparities in cancer treatment and academic research, during ninth annual Cancer Immunotherapy Month this June.

Eleven Provider and Patient Organizations Join the American College of Rheumatology to Oppose UnitedHealthcare Copay Accumulator Initiative

Eleven provider and patient organizations have joined the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) to petition UnitedHealthcare (UHC) to cancel plans to implement a proposed copay accumulator initiative that would require physicians to share details about their patients’ usage of copay assistance programs. The initiative would prevent funds from assistance programs from being applied towards patients’ annual deductible and out-of-pocket maximums. The groups warn that this would jeopardize patient access to medically necessary therapies by increasing the financial burden of care and lead to an increase in treatment abandonment.