Dear John,

This week, we released our December issue on risk adjustment, insurance markets, and more.

Order your copy and become a subscriber today!

Upcoding Linked To Up To Two-Thirds Of Growth In Highest-Intensity Hospital Discharges In 5 States, 2011–19

Daniel Crespin et al.

Excess Diagnosis Coding In Medicare Advantage: Evidence From Skilled Nursing Facility Clinical Assessments

Cyrus M. Kosar et al.

Lack Of Persistent Coding In Traditional Medicare May Widen The Risk-Score Gap With Medicare Advantage

Niru Ghoshal-Datta et al.

Medicare Advantage: National Carriers Expand Market Share While Regional Carriers Without Affiliation Decline, 2012–23

Joseph G. P. Hnath et al.

Prevalence And Profits Of Insurers In The Administrative Services Only Market Serving Self-Insured Employers, 2010–22

Jean M. Abraham et al.

Strengths And Weaknesses Of Introducing An Inflation Factor Into The Medicare Physician Fee Schedule

Michael E. Chernew et al.

Providers Paid Substantially Less By Marketplace Nongroup Insurers Than By Employer Small-Group Plans, 2021

Caroline Hanson et al.

Hospital Payment Caps Could Save State Employee Health Plans Millions While Keeping Hospital Operating Margins Healthy

Roslyn C. Murray et al.

Promoting Access To Hospital Care In Rural Areas: Current Approaches And Ongoing Challenges

Caitlin Carroll et al.

More US Pharmacies Closed Than Opened In 2018–21; Independent Pharmacies, Those In Black, Latinx Communities Most At Risk

Jenny S. Guadamuz et al.

Medicare Local Coverage Determinations: Evidence Quality Is Stronger For Covered Indications

Osman Moneer et al.

Thread Unites Community & Combats Childhood Loneliness

On this week's Research and Justice For All, Rhea Boyd, MD, MPH, pediatrician and public health advocate, interviews Sarah Hemminger of Thread about social isolation and wellbeing, particularly for young people.

The Real Reasons Drug Prices Are So High

Murray Ross and Anthony Barrueta

Enforcing Hospital Price Transparency: Lessons From CMS Actions

John (Xuefeng) Jiang et al.

The FDA Should Reduce Nicotine In Cigarettes—And Use A Better Test To Ensure It Happens

John Maa and Michelle Zhang

Together, Medicaid Capitation Withholds And Value-Based Payments Can Improve Care For Dually Eligible Managed Care Enrollees

Ryan Stringer et al.

Centering Beneficiaries’ Perspectives Amidst Change In The Medicare Advantage Supplemental Benefits Environment

Claire B. Cruse et al.

Addressing The Perinatal Mental Health Needs Of Adolescents

Amy Lewin

California’s Failed Bid To Regulate Private Equity Investment In Health Care

Hayden Rooke-Ley et al.

Addressing Health Disparities Amid Growing Health Care Costs

Join Health Affairs December 16 for a virtual event exploring how efforts designed to increase access to and quality of care for underserved communities may align with efforts to address the rising cost of health care. This event is sponsored by Deloitte. 

Health Affairs’ Director of Health Equity Vabren Watts, PhD, will moderate the virtual briefing.

Speakers include: 

• Margarita Alegria, PhD, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School
• Andrew Anderson, PhD, Johns Hopkins University
• Nelson Dunlap, JD, Meharry Medical College 

Health Workforce Issues and Challenges in the Post-Pandemic Era

This week, Health Affairs Scholar unveiled the first part of their new series focusing on insights into several key issues currently affecting the health workforce.

Topics covered throughout the series will include health workforce shortages, the impact of health professions regulation, and the physical and mental well-being of health care workers, among others.