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The specialty drug spend and data flow and connectivity were among the themes of the presentations given at the hybrid conference this week in Orlando, Florida.

Tezepelumab, which is being currently reviewed by the FDA, provides small improvements in daily symptoms and quality of life but is only modestly cost-effectiveness at the anticipated price, according to the cost-effectiveness group's calculations.

Artificial intelligence is improving healthcare methods and insights. But when used incorrectly, AI is rife with pitfalls.

An Ibrance-Jakafi combination shows promise in a mouse model of myelofibrosis.

States are putting caps on prices, and Semglee, the first interchangeable biosimilar in the United States, may exert some downward pressure.

But CVS, Walgreens and Walmart differ in how they are setting up in-store health clinics.

The new company has developed an app and platform that guides cancer survivors through the experience of dealing with disease.

CVS’ Joshua Fredell, Pharm.D., and Tierra Ford, Pharm.D., described how an integrated, proactive approach can engage members and rein in costs.

Paula Bickley and Ashleigh Burdette of Biologics by McKesson described a program that identifies 1 in 3 patients as being at risk of nonadherence and then provides support to keep them on track and identify side effects and other problems early.

WellDyne executives David Skomo, RPh, and Nick Page told PBMI Annual Conference attendees that matching communication channels and messages with patient preference is the way to engage patients and increase adherence.

Abarca’s Javier Gonzalez discussed the advantage of health plans insourcing PBM services in an à la carte fashion.

Treatments aimed at certain mutations have proliferated and moved upstream to earlier-stage lung cancers. But there are many questions about insurance coverage and which tests to use to identify the biomarkers that help guide treatment.

Government regulations are designed to encourage data fluidity in healthcare, which could "radically empower" consumers, said Kim Diehl-Boyd, CoverMyMeds vice president of industry relations and government affairs, at the 2021 Annual National Conference of the Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute.

Amazon is gearing up for an era that includes telehealth and home testing, but the former FDA commissioner says the new model is more than a logistics challenge and that healthcare companies will prevail.

OptumRx SVP Kerri Tanner, RPh, Pharm.D., said management of specialty medications cannot be delivered in pieces and that innovation is needed to curb the tendency toward fragmentation.

Senior Vice President of OptumRx, Savitha Vivian, shares with MHE when expected upcoming biosimilars are coming to market and the challenges she's seeing with biosimilar acceptance.

High hopes for COVID-19 vaccine for children before the end of the year, Breakthrough Designation for Jardiance, thumbs down on an EUA for cytokine storm therapy and no decision yet on Juul's vaping products.

In an interview with MHE, SVP Savitha Vivian said the biosimilars to Humira and Novolog that are expected to be on the market in the next few years could have the kind of impact that proponents of biosimilars have been hoping for.

Briana Contreras of MHE met Stephanie Mercado, CEO and Executive Director of NAHQ (National Association for Healthcare Quality) for this week's episode of Tuning In to the C-Suite. The two discussed NAHQ’s mission to improve healthcare quality and what improvements, as well as shortcomings have been made. She also shared what steps need to be taken in healthcare as a whole to continue improving the quality of care.

The former FDA commissioner's presentation on Monday will kick off three-day meeting that will cover contracting, drug benefit design, cost containment and a wide range of other pharmacy benefit topics.

Community health workers can address social determinants of health, and some programs have been shown to reduce healthcare costs.

Point32Health is the name of the not-for-profit health care organization formed by the merger of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan.

A genomic analysis of the lung cancer tumors of 232 never smokers grouped them into three categories with musical names: piano, mezzo-forte and forte.

Medicare funding shortfalls may trickle down to the Medicare Advantage plans and the Star Rating program bonuses, which have quadrupled in recent years.

Japanese researchers say their study suggests that atrial fibrillation may trigger adverse events in HCM patients.

With healthcare costs outpacing income growth and health insurance deductibles increasing by 212% over the past decade, many patients are left feeling that their health insurance doesn’t provide as much value as it did 10 years ago.

Investigators find there is strong adherence soon after patients fill prescriptions but less consistent use after initial treatment.