The American journal of managed care
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We describe online portal account adoption and feature access among subgroups of patients who traditionally have been disadvantaged or represent those with high healthcare needs. ⋯ The diversity of portal features accessed may bode well for the ability of portals to engage some patients, but without purposeful intervention, reliance on portals alone for patient engagement may exacerbate known social disparities-even among those with an activated portal account.
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With the passing and implementation of the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act in 2010, biosimilars became a new classification of FDA-approved drugs. The biosimilar classification, created with a streamlined drug approval process, was intended to spur competition and reduce the cost of biological product therapies. Since the first FDA-approved biosimilar in 2015, the impact of biosimilars on the US biological product market remains to be seen. ⋯ A key factor in gaining this acceptance is educating the public, physicians, and healthcare professionals on the rigorous approval standards required of biosimilars by the FDA. Other factors that will affect market share of biosimilars include litigation actions by biopharmaceutical manufacturers; positions stated by physician organizations; and the influences of insurers and managed care. The clinical and basic science required for biosimilar approvals will be major underlying elements driving biosimilar acceptance and increased market presence.
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To use the CMS 5% data sample to explore the impact of Alzheimer disease and other dementias (ADOD) on individual and population costs of certain potentially modifiable comorbid conditions, in order to assist in the design of population health management (PHM) programs for individuals with ADOD. ⋯ Prevalence and costs of all study comorbidities were higher in beneficiaries with ADOD compared with those without. Individual cost ratios and population cost ratios may be useful for PHM programs trying to cost-effectively manage individuals with ADOD and comorbid chronic conditions.
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The aim of this study was to evaluate whether veterans in Massachusetts receiving opioids and/or benzodiazepines from both Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and non-VHA pharmacies are at higher risk of adverse events compared with those receiving opioids at VHA pharmacies only. ⋯ Among veterans in Massachusetts, receipt of opioids from multiple sources was associated with worse outcomes, specifically nonfatal opioid overdose and mortality. Better information sharing between VHA and non-VHA pharmacies and prescribers has the potential to improve patient safety.