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Rather than replacing human representatives, the tool was created to support staff by providing clear, plain-language responses during customer interactions.

Proposed Medicaid cuts by the House Budget Committee could result in 7.6 million more uninsured Americans and more than 16,000 preventable deaths annually, according to a new analysis published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Semaglutide appears to reduce the risk of death, heart attack and stroke in adults with type 2 diabetes more effectively than empagliflozin and dulaglutide, according to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Here’s what you missed this week on Managed Healthcare Executive.

The FDA has accepted a New Drug Application for zoliflodacin, a first-in-class oral antibiotic for treating uncomplicated gonorrhea, offering a potential new option amid rising antibiotic resistance.

A new study found that implementing a specialty pharmacy program at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital helped more young HIV patients achieve medication adherence and undetectable viral loads.

Ibtrozi had a 90% response rate in treatment naïve adults with locally advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer, according to the results of a news release.

These tools, available through the myCigna member portal, are designed to make navigating health insurance more straightforward and to improve overall customer experience, according to a news release sharing the announcement today.

Enflonsia is the first FDA-approved respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) preventative for infants, regardless of weight, according to the news release.

The booking feature is now live for all Blue Shield employer-sponsored plans, Individual and Family Plans and Medicare members. The tool provides access to more than 1 million bookable appointment hours across a 90-day window.

The United States has twice the postpartum hemorrhage mortality rate of other developed countries, which is why it’s essential to create and maintain safety protocols during obstetric emergencies, according to Abigail Wooldridge, assistant professor of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering at The University of Illinois.

Although some HIV programs will remain, the proposed cuts in the fiscal year 2026 budget are too severe and will hinder HIV care and research in the United States, according to Carl Schmid, executive director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute in Washington, D.C.

Gen Z was the age group most likely to spend the money on GLP-1 agonists; still, only 27% would.

Bonnie Hui-Callahan, Pharm.D., says her career took off after not matching for a pharmacy residency—a setback that taught her resilience and led her to a better fit the second time around.

Here’s what you missed this week on Managed Healthcare Executive.

In a new Wolters Kluwer report, it was revealed that 80% of respondents cited “optimizing workflows” as a top organizational goal, but only 63% felt prepared to use GenAI to achieve that.

The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate of any high-income country, a crisis perpetuated by the lack of federal funding of pregnancy research, according to a review published in JAMA Health Forum.

Ernst & Young study shows 85% of participating organization leaders are seeing better patient outcomes, and nearly 75% report financial benefits when focusing on outcome-driven strategies.

Matthew Helbling says the turning point in his pharmacy career came when he took on a pilot program for medication therapy management—and discovered the power of connecting more deeply with patients.

The Teal Wand was recently approved by the FDA as the first self-collection device to screen for cervical cancer, a major step forward for accessible women’s health, according to Rahma S. Mkuu, Ph.D., M.P.H., assistant professor in the Department of Health Outcomes & Biomedical Informatics at the University of Florida College of Medicine.

Although 52% of healthcare leaders believe a fatal cyber-related patient incident will happen within the next five years, cybersecurity was not ranked as a top business challenge, according to the results of Omega Systems’ 2025 Healthcare IT Landscape Report.

Esteban Gallardo, Pharm.D., said his career path changed after early mentorship showed him how managed care pharmacists could make a broader impact on a larger scale.

How pharmaceutical tariffs could reshape drug pricing, supply chains and domestic production in the United States, according to Eric Tichy, Pharm.D., M.B.A., vice chair of pharmacy formulary at the Mayo Clinic Health System.

Lack of insurance, financial instability and even fear are potential reasons women may forego their cervical cancer screening appointments, according to Rahma S. Mkuu, Ph.D., M.P.H., assistant professor in the Department of Health Outcomes & Biomedical Informatics at the University of Florida College of Medicine.

Approximately 57% of Americans are lonely, with younger generations, Gen Z and Millennials, reporting higher levels than older Americans, a recent Cigna survey shows.

Here’s what you missed this week on Managed Healthcare Executive.

In a recent conversation with Managed Healthcare Executive, Hunter shared reflections on his tenure, the challenges of expanding impact through partnerships and what he believes sets CareOregon apart from typical insurance organizations.

Alcon, a global eye care company known for products such as Systane and GenTeal Tears, plans to launch Tryptyr in the U.S. market in the third quarter of 2025. International rollouts are expected to follow.