Kronborgmorgan1105
The mean value of our employer market power measure was 62 for 2016, compared with the mean value of 5410 for hospital market power in the United States. Regression analyses find a slight relationship A 1-point increase in employer market power was associated with a $6.61 decrease in the hospitalization price (mean = $20,813), but this result becomes statistically insignificant once the models control for hospital wages.
Employer market power is low in most MSAs. Self-insured employers may consider building purchase alliances with state and local government employee groups to enhance their market power and lower negotiated prices for hospital services.
Employer market power is low in most MSAs. Self-insured employers may consider building purchase alliances with state and local government employee groups to enhance their market power and lower negotiated prices for hospital services.
To evaluate whether increased placement of generic drugs on higher cost-sharing tiers in Medicare Part D is associated with coverage of multisource brand-name drugs, plan type, or product characteristics.
Descriptive study of Medicare Prescription Drug Formulary Files.
We analyzed plan coverage and tiering of brand-name drugs and matched generics from 2013-2019. We compared tiering changes and estimated out-of-pocket spending by tier for all Part D plans and by plan type (Medicare Advantage prescription drug [MA-PD] vs stand-alone prescription drug plan [PDP]) for covered generic drugs. Finally, we identified the generic products commonly placed on higher tiers in 2019 and categorized them based on clinical characteristics.
Across 5,220,488 plan-product combinations in 2019, 76.4% of generic drug observations reflected coverage on Part D plan formularies, compared with only 12.1% of brand-name drugs. Between 2013 and 2019, the share of observations reflecting covered generics on lower tiers decreased from 76.8% to 53.9%, whereas the share on higher tiers increased from 7.5% to 28.0%. MA-PD plans were more likely than PDPs to place generic drugs on lower tiers, even among plan sponsors offering both plan types. Despite these trends, higher tier placement does not appear to be related to more generous coverage of brand-name products. Instead, in 2019, 70% of high-tier generics had multiple formulations, required heightened clinical monitoring, or had head-to-head treatment options available.
Although Part D plans have increasingly placed covered generic drugs on higher formulary tiers over time, this may be partly explained by a drug's clinical profile and availability of substitutes rather than preferred brand-name drug coverage.
Although Part D plans have increasingly placed covered generic drugs on higher formulary tiers over time, this may be partly explained by a drug's clinical profile and availability of substitutes rather than preferred brand-name drug coverage.
Racial disparities in cancer care and outcomes remain a societal challenge. Medicaid expansion through the Affordable Care Act was intended to improve health care access and equity. This study aimed to assess whether state Medicaid expansions were associated with a reduction in racial disparities in timely treatment among patients diagnosed with advanced cancer.
This difference-in-differences study analyzed deidentified electronic health record-derived data. Patients aged 18 to 64 years with advanced or metastatic cancers diagnosed between January 1, 2011, and January 31, 2019, and receiving systemic therapy were included.
The primary end point was receipt of timely treatment, defined as first-line systemic therapy starting within 30 days after diagnosis of advanced or metastatic disease. Racial disparity was defined as adjusted percentage-point (PP) difference for Black vs White patients, adjusted for age, sex, practice setting, cancer type, stage, insurance marketplace, and area unemployment rate, with time and state fixed effects.
The study included 30,310 patients (12.3% Black race). Without Medicaid expansion, Black patients were less likely to receive timely treatment than White patients (43.7% vs 48.4%; adjusted difference, -4.8 PP; P < .001). With Medicaid expansion, this disparity was diminished and lost significance (49.7% vs 50.5%; adjusted difference, -0.8 PP; P = .605). The adjusted difference-in-differences estimate was a 3.9 PP reduction in racial disparity (95% CI, 0.1-7.7 PP; P = .045).
Medicaid expansion was associated with reduced Black-White racial disparities in receipt of timely systemic treatment for patients with advanced or metastatic cancers.
Medicaid expansion was associated with reduced Black-White racial disparities in receipt of timely systemic treatment for patients with advanced or metastatic cancers.The authors of "Rideshare Transportation to Health Care Evidence From a Medicaid Implementation" respond to a letter to the editor.Previous research on rideshare-based nonemergency medical transportation has limited generalizability due to the specific model studied, and the lack of trip-level data raises concerns of ecological fallacy.A database of information about more than 30,000 patients verified improved morbidity and mortality due to vaccines and preventive health care in prospective trials.Tissue glycans usually contain various structures, from simple to highly complicated, in different quantities. N-Glycans are particularly heterogeneous, with up to pentaantennary structures, different branch sequences, and several isomeric structures. 2-Aminopyridine (PA) tagging on released N-glycans is useful for separating isomers and to quantitatively analyze both the major and minor glycan structures in tissues using reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC)-mass spectrometry (MS) and MS/MS analysis. Because the structural differences of PA-N-glycans influence their retention on a reversed-phase C18 column, it is easy to deduce the core structure, including core Fuc and bisecting GlcNAc as well as the branching pattern of each PA-N-glycan, based on the results of elution position, full MS, and MS/MS analysis. If more detailed structural analysis is required, combining sequential exoglycosidase digestions, sialic acid linkage-specific alkylamidation (SALSA), and/or SALSA/permethylation is useful for deteric Protocol 6 Sequential modifications of glycans with SALSA and permethylation Basic Protocol 7 LC-MS and MS/MS analysis of PA-N-glycans (before permethylation) Basic Protocol 8 LC-MS, MS/MS, and MSn analysis of PA-N-glycans (after permethylation).
Spin, i.e., the misrepresentation of research findings, has the potential to affect patient care. Evidence suggests that spin is prevalent in obesity randomized controlled trials. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to evaluate spin in abstracts of systematic reviews covering obesity treatments.
MEDLINE and Embase were searched to retrieve systematic reviews on obesity treatments. Each systematic review abstract was inspected for the nine most severe types of spin, i.e., the misrepresentation of study findings by exaggeration or omission, regardless of intentionality. Screening and data extraction occurred in a masked, triplicate fashion. Methodological quality was determined using A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews (AMSTAR-2).
Spin was identified in 20 (out of 200, 10%) abstracts, with spin type 5 (claiming efficacy despite high risk of bias among primary studies) being most common (11/200, 5.5%). Spin types 2 and 7, both related to unsupported efficacy claims, were not found. No associations were found between spin and extracted study characteristics. The methodological quality of the sample was rated as follows critically low (23.0%), low (13.5%), moderate (60.5%), and high (3%).
Although these findings demonstrate a low proportion of spin in the abstracts of systematic reviews for obesity treatment; increased preventive measures may further reduce its presence.
Although these findings demonstrate a low proportion of spin in the abstracts of systematic reviews for obesity treatment; increased preventive measures may further reduce its presence.
Obesity is a major risk factor that increases morbidity and mortality upon infection. Although type I and type III interferon (IFN)-induced innate immune responses represent the first line of defense against viral infections, their functionality in the context of metabolic disorders remains largely obscure. selleck inhibitor This study aimed to investigate IFN responses upon respiratory viral infection in obese mice.
The activation of IFNs as well as IFN regulatory factors (IRFs) upon H3N2 influenza infection in mice upon high-fat-diet feeding was investigated.
Influenza infection of obese mice was characterized by higher mortalities. In-depth analysis revealed impaired induction of both type I and type III IFNs as well as markedly reduced IFN responses. Notably, it was found that IRF7 gene expression in obese animals was reduced in homeostasis, and its induction by the virus was strongly attenuated.
The results suggest that the attenuated IRF7 expression and induction are responsible for the reduced expression levels of type I and III IFNs and, thus, for the higher susceptibility and severity of respiratory infections in obese mice.
The results suggest that the attenuated IRF7 expression and induction are responsible for the reduced expression levels of type I and III IFNs and, thus, for the higher susceptibility and severity of respiratory infections in obese mice.HLA-C*15241 differs from HLA-C*15020101 by one nucleotide substitution in codon 48 in exon 2.
To summarize existing evidence regarding body image in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, with the following considerations (a) the perceptions patients have of their body changes; (b) how patients cope with changes in their body; (c) and what their perceptions are of body changes.
A systematic review of literature integrating quantitative and qualitative studies. We searched databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, SCOPUS, the Web of Science, Medline, Medline Complete, and Academic Search Premier) and publications from 2010 to 2020 with "Systemic Lupus Erythematosus" AND "Self-Concept" OR "Body Image" AND "Woman" as medical subheading terms. The studies included were subjected to a thematic content analysis, which allowed subjective interpretation of data through a systematic classification process for coding themes or patterns.
We identified 647 studies, of which 22 were analyzed in this study. Our results indicate that changes in the body image of people with lupus and their perception are issues that must be treated as characteristics of the disease; therefore, they need to receive the same attention as is given to physical disabilities and pain. The analysis identified 3 thematic categories (a) depression and anxiety associated with body changes (hair loss, weight gain); (b) body image reflecting the disease; and (c) confrontations and interventions to promote acceptance and adaptation to the new image.
The dimensions of self-concept and body image are essential for assessing the quality of life of individuals with lupus. The formation of a adjusted self-concept can be managed by health professionals supporting these people.
The dimensions of self-concept and body image are essential for assessing the quality of life of individuals with lupus. The formation of a adjusted self-concept can be managed by health professionals supporting these people.