Pharmacy immunizations: How to manage a successful claims process
September 15th 2013With the flu season right around the corner, pharmacies should engage payers as early in the year as possible to ensure adequate time to finalize contracting, fully test their billing capabilities, and stock inventory before the official start of the vaccine season.
Compounding pharmacies bring health plan lawsuit
September 15th 2013Massachusetts' Harvard Pilgrim Health Care has instituted a policy shift excluding coverage of prescription drugs compounded for adults. Plaintiffs call this "a callous decision" and "a major blow" to the state's many patients who depend on compounded medications.
What do 3 million kids, 6 million seniors have in common?
September 11th 2013CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, praised the components of the ACA that have already been rolled out and emphasized that a number of provisions have already made in impact. He spoke at a September 10 gathering at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
For children, skipped meds often lead to hospital visits
September 10th 2013Poor medication adherence causes more frequent hospitalizations and emergency department visits among children and adolescents who have a chronic medical condition, such as asthma and type 1 diabetes, according to a study recently published in Pediatrics.
FDA strengthens warnings on long-acting opioids
September 10th 2013In hopes of decreasing opioid abuse, addictions, and overdose deaths, FDA this week announced safety-labeling changes for all extended-release and long-acting opioid analgesics used to treat pain. FDA has also added new postmarket study requirements for opioids such as morphine, oxycodone, and fentanyl.
One quarter of heart disease deaths are preventable
September 9th 2013At least one quarter of the 800,000 deaths annually attributed to cardiovascular disease could be prevented if people stopped smoking, reduced salt intake, and adopted other healthy habits, according to a report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.