Drug shortages have become a persistent problem. To make matters worse, many drugs now require prior authorization from insurers, explained #USCSchaeffer Center expert @KarenVanNuys to @NPR. This process can impede access and delay patient care. npr.org/sections/healt…

If you have a #Medicare Part D drug plan, there's a high chance you'll face trouble getting brand-name medications covered, explains Geoffrey Joyce in @FortuneMagazine. Nearly 70% of branded drugs are restricted or excluded, found #USCSchaeffer research. fortune.com/well/article/m…

Join #USCSchaeffer Center from 2 – 3:30 p.m. PT on April 16 as economist Katherine Carman from @SECGov explores people's "willingness to pay" for more sustainable work arrangements that prevent burnout. See seminar details here: healthpolicy.usc.edu/events/seminar…

Medicare coverage of weight-loss drugs could provide $1 trillion in societal value over the next 10 years, explains #USCSchaeffer Center expert Alison Sexton Ward to @NPR. Learn more about the research findings. kpcw.org/show/mountain-…

Only 2.2% of #Medicare beneficiaries with #cancer will benefit from the Inflation Reduction Act’s drug price negotiation provisions, found #USCSchaeffer Center research. healthpolicy.usc.edu/research/why-i…

Most hospitals do not engage in promoting interest-bearing loans and credit cards to patients for medical bills, and those that do are more financially-strained, according to a #USCSchaeffer Center study in @JAMAHealthForum recently featured in @HlthExec. healthexec.com/topics/healthc…

Only about 1/3 of older Americans report being assessed for #cognitive issues, despite Medicare requiring it as part of annual wellness visits. This has created a "hidden epidemic" of early #dementia, explains #USCSchaeffer Center expert @zissimop. healthpolicy.usc.edu/article/withou…

The immense value generated by weight-loss medications dwarfs their initial costs, argue #USCSchaeffer Center co-director Dana Goldman and research scientist Alison Sexton Ward in @statnews. Read more: statnews.com/2024/04/03/med…

Obesity is a leading risk factor for mortality, notes #USCSchaeffer Center expert Darius Lakdawalla in @medical_xpress. The rising popularity of anti-obesity drugs like #Ozempic is more than just hype – it represents a potential public health breakthrough. medicalxpress.com/news/2024-03-b…

Can #Medicare keep up with the needs of our aging population? Boomers, all of whom will be over 65 by 2030, will have an outsized impact on Medicare spending, according to #USCSchaeffer research featured in @FortuneMagazine. fortune.com/well/article/m…

As regulators scrutinize predatory lending practices in light of growing medical debt, a new study from the #USCSchaeffer Center found fewer than one-in-ten hospitals promoted interest-bearing medical credit cards or loans to patients. healthpolicy.usc.edu/article/few-ho…

Canada’s legislative review of the Cannabis Act cited #USCSchaeffer Center research by @PaculaRosalie, whose work helped inform a comprehensive look at the act’s wide-spread impacts since the country legalized #cannabis in 2018. canada.ca/en/health-cana…

There is a growing mental health crisis among older adults, but only a fraction of affected #Medicare beneficiaries receive treatment due to limited access to mental health providers, according to research from the #USCSchaeffer Center. healthpolicy.usc.edu/article/medica…

Four independent Kansas pharmacists have launched their own #pharmacy benefit manager to challenge major PBMs like CVS Caremark, Express Scripts and Optum Rx. #USCSchaeffer Center expert Karen Van Nuys spoke with @NPR about controversial PBM practices: kcur.org/health/2024-03…

Spending at the end of life accounts for a growing share of healthcare costs. #USCSchaeffer Center research co-authored by Alice Chen analyzes the benefits of Medicare reimbursement for advance care planning for critically-ill patients. healthpolicy.usc.edu/research/payin…

Only 16 state Medicaid programs cover anti-obesity drugs, but pressure is rising as evidence of their effectiveness mounts. #USCSchaeffer Center expert Alison Sexton Ward shares perspective with @BLaw. news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-and…

President Biden’s 2024 Economic Report cites #USCSchaeffer Center research on the #opioid crisis, co-authored by @PaculaRosalie. With crackdowns on opioid overprescription, demand has shifted to even deadlier illegal opioids like heroin and fentanyl. whitehouse.gov/cea/written-ma…

California lawmakers are taking steps to protect residents from the financial burden of medical debt. #USCSchaeffer Center expert @ErinLDuffy1 shared insights about the issue with ABC 7 Eyewitness News. abc7.com/medical-debt-c…

Nearly half a million children in low and middle-income countries die from diarrhea yearly. #USCSchaeffer research found that oral rehydration salts are an effective, low-cost treatment but they’re underprescribed due to a gap between knowledge and action. nih.gov/news-events/ni…

Prescription drugs in #Medicare Part D plans are increasingly limited, found #USCSchaeffer Center research published in @Health_Affairs. Most brand-name-only compounds, lacking generic alternatives, were restricted or excluded from coverage. healthpolicy.usc.edu/article/medica…