Gregg Margolis: If you can only read three things about health policy this week, I suggest…

Gregg Margolis, the Director of Health Policy Fellowships and Leadership Programs at the National Academy of Medicine, shared on LinkedIn:

“If you can only read three things about health policy this week, I suggest…

CNBC: Biden Administration Unveils First 10 Drugs Subject To Medicare Price Negotiations The drugs listed Tuesday are among the top 50 with the highest spending for Medicare Part D, which covers prescription medications that seniors fill at retail pharmacies. The 10 medicines accounted for $50.5 billion, or about 20%, of total Part D prescription drug costs from June 1, 2022, to May 31, 2023, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS. (Constantino, 8/29)

The New York Times: Mental Health Spending Surged In Pandemic, Study Finds Use of mental health care increased substantially during the coronavirus pandemic, as teletherapy lowered barriers to regular visits, according to a large study of insurance claims published Friday in JAMA Health Forum. From March 2020 to August 2022, mental health visits increased by 39 percent, and spending increased by 54 percent, the study found. Its examination of 1,554,895 claims for clinician visits also identified a tenfold increase in the use of telehealth. (Barry, 8/25)

Axios: Medicaid Unwinding And Fewer Outpatient Procedures Squeeze Hospitals Hospitals’ financial performance worsened in July due to a summertime drop in outpatient business and ongoing Medicaid redeterminations in more than 30 states, the consultancy Kaufman Hall said in its latest industry report. While there was some improvement in operating margins compared to last year, bad debt and charity care as a percentage of hospitals’ gross operating revenue rose 7% from June to July. (Bettelheim, 8/29)”

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Source: Gregg Margolis/LinkedIn