4+ day, 7+ hour ago (337+ words) Telehealth has quickly become a central part of the mental health system among younger, higher-income, college-educated, and privately insured patients. This cross-sectional analysis is published in JAMA Psychiatry. Differences across subgroups'such as age, education, income, insurance, urban vs rural residence, psychological distress level, treatment type, and clinician type'were assessed using models adjusted for age, sex, and distress (Kessler-6 scale). The primary exposure was the type of mental health care received: all telemental health, hybrid, or all in-person. This approach enabled the researchers to characterize national use patterns and identify which groups were more or less likely to rely on telehealth-based care. Among adults surveyed, 27.8% (95% CI, 25.7-29.8) received all telemental health care, 21.5% (95% CI, 19.8-23.1) received hybrid care, and 50.6% (95% CI, 48.2-53.1) received all in-person care. Telehealth use was highest among adults aged 18 to 44 years (31.7%; 95% CI, 29.0%-34.3%), college graduates (34.5%; 95% CI, 31.5%-37.5%), higher-income patients (33.8%; 95% CI, 30.9%-36.7%), private insurance holders (30.8%; 95% CI,…...

3+ week, 5+ day ago (290+ words) Researchers found more local pharmacies than facilities that prescribed pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in areas of high case load. The formulation of a protocol depicting and identifying the potential effect of expanding access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and other HIV prevention services across pharmacies revealed that there are more available pharmacies in the US than there are facilities that prescribe PrEP, indicating a potential gap in services that can be used to expand access to PrEP.1 The maps the researchers created spanned all 50 states, with 1 US territory and 54 cities. The researchers found that there was more accessibility to pharmacies across the country compared with facilities that prescribed PrEP. Areas of high caseloads of HIV also had more accessibility to pharmacies compared with facilities that prescribed PrEP across state, county, and zip code levels. The mean PrEP facility-to-need ratio (PfnR) for pharmacies…...

1+ week, 2+ day ago (270+ words) Survivors of SJS/TEN face severe long-term physical and psychological effects, with major gaps in post-discharge care, support, and physician guidance. Another factor impacting patients" mental health was related to familial and communal support. Many patients wished there were more education for their families to help them navigate their psychological symptoms. A patient lost her husband because he could not understand her PTSD; others experienced feelings of depression due to a lack of social support in addition to their physical issues. However, those who did receive social support from their families, friends, and online networks said that it helped them heal from the trauma of their SJS/TEN event. Yet, many still held distrust for the medical system, as they felt unprepared post-discharge. The lack of clear guidance and inadequate knowledge was a significant point of stress for 13 of the…...

1+ week, 5+ day ago (350+ words) Targeted financing, clinician recruitment, and telehealth expansion are needed to improve rural primary care. Rural primary care is under significant strain due to clinician shortages and limited access, according to a report published today by The Commonwealth Fund, underscoring the need for reforms to strengthen care delivery and improve patient outcomes.1 Additionally, nearly half of patients in rural areas are uninsured or rely on public insurance. The researchers highlighted that this limited payer mix, combined with relatively low reimbursement rates and higher levels of uncompensated care than in nonrural areas, threatens the financial stability of rural primary care practices. To better understand these challenges, they analyzed data from the Commonwealth Fund 2023 International Health Policy Survey, supplemented with Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) data. They used this information to describe the current state of rural primary care, focusing on the…...

3+ week, 2+ day ago (289+ words) CMS introduced the GENEROUS Model to reduce Medicaid drug costs, enhance access, and improve health outcomes for beneficiaries starting in 2026. CMS today announced the GENErating cost Reductions fOr U.S. Medicaid (GENEROUS) Model, a new drug payment model that will aim to lower prescription drug spending in Medicaid and strengthen the program overall.1 Under the GENEROUS model, participating manufacturers will adjust prices to align with what other countries pay'known as MFN drug pricing'via supplemental rebates to participating states. States will invoice manufacturers for supplemental rebates, and CMS will monitor payment accuracy. Rebates with states will be shared with CMS through reduction in the federal share of Medicaid payments. "Drug prices in the US remain far too high," CMS Innovation Center Director Abe Sutton said in a statement.1 "GENEROUS aims to ensure that Medicaid pricing will be on par with those in other…...

1+ week, 6+ day ago (205+ words) Cuts to Medicaid could spell trouble for pediatric health, as millions of children rely on Medicaid to cover their hospital expenses. The study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of pediatric hospitalization in 2022 at both the system level and the patient level. The researchers attempted to measure the impact that Medicaid has on health care access for both children and families and to assess the financial viability for health systems. A total of 48.3% of all pediatric charges were paid for by Medicaid in 2022, which broke down into 54.9% of all nonnewborn discharges and 44.2% of all newborn discharges. Non-Hispanic White patients were the most frequent users of Medicaid (32.6%), followed by Hispanic (28.6%) and non-Hispanic Black (20.7%) patients. The absence of data on bed capacity, use of Medicaid as secondary insurance, and cost of pediatric hospitalizations was a major limitation of the study. "Compared with past…...

1+ week, 6+ day ago (172+ words) Guselkumab significantly inhibited structural joint damage and improved symptoms in active PsA through 48 weeks. Guselkumab (Tremfya; Johnson & Johnson) continued to reduce signs and symptoms of active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and sustained inhibition of structural joint damage through 48 weeks, according to new phase 3b APEX (NCT04882098) study results.1 Presented at the Inflammatory Skin Disease Summit 2025, the findings reinforce guselkumab's role in slowing radiographic progression, improving clinical response, and supporting its potential label expansion for adults with active PsA. Patients who choose to continue into the long-term extension will receive an additional 2 years of active treatment before the final safety follow-up. Safety outcomes were consistent with the established profile, with adverse events reported in 38.2% (Q4W), 42.5% (Q8W), and 37.3% (placebo) of participants and no new safety signals identified. These findings support guselkumab's potential as a first-line therapy for biologic-na've patients and strengthen Johnson & Johnson's supplemental FDA submission to…...

1+ week, 4+ day ago (324+ words) An improvement in ophthalmological knowledge was seen compared with older large language models and ophthalmology trainees. The use of foundational models (FMs) for medical assistance was comparable to ophthalmology experts for textual questions in a new analysis,1 with notable improvements found over older large language models (LLMs) and ophthalmology trainees. These results encourage the use of these FMs for help in ophthalmologic textual queries, but multimodal imaging may still require human guidance. The researchers used a textbook that acts as preparation material for the Fellowship of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists part 2 written multiple-choice examination. The textbook provided 360 questions for the FM to answer, of which 13 were multimodal and 345 were textual. A consultant created 27 more multimodal imaging questions for a total of 40 images to be used. There were 7 FMs that were trialed, of which none had customization, fine-tuning, or additional…...

1+ week, 3+ day ago (99+ words) Adam Brufsky, MD, PhD | Authors | The American Journal of Managed Care provides insights into the latest news and research in managed care across multimedia platforms. Adam Brufsky, MD, PhD Articles by Adam Brufsky, MD, PhD Postpandemic Breast Cancer Screening Rates Explained: Adam Brufsky, MD, PhD Adam Brufsky, MD, PhD, addresses how the COVID-19 pandemic affected breast cancer screening rates across Pittsburgh. Bronchiectasis Hospitalizations Deadlier, Costlier Than Those for COPD, Asthma FDA Approves Sevabertinib for Nonsquamous NSCLC Family Caregivers Report Weak Coordination With Medical Professionals Medicaid Work Requirements Mirror Programs in Georgia, Arkansas: Ciara Zachary, PhD, MPH...

2+ week, 1+ day ago (217+ words) Panelists highlight that patient advocacy is crucial in improving high-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML) outcomes by providing emotional support, funding research, influencing clinical guidelines, promoting patient engagement, facilitating collaboration between community and academic care, addressing systemic access barriers, and implementing innovative programs like medication recycling to enhance treatment availability. Patient advocacy plays an increasingly vital role in improving outcomes for patients with high-risk AML. Advocacy organizations and foundations provide essential support ranging from peer mentorship to financial assistance, helping patients navigate the complex treatment landscape. These groups not only offer emotional and practical support but also fund critical research efforts, accelerating the development of new therapies. In addition, patient advocates are actively involved in shaping clinical guidelines and reviewing clinical trial protocols to ensure that patient perspectives and needs are integrated into the decision-making process. Innovative programs are also emerging…...