The Latest Research, Commentary, And News From Health Affairs
Tuesday, September 21, 2021
Dear John,
An article and several letters in the September issue discuss pharmaceuticals and technology.
Pharmaceuticals & Technology
In a new article, James Robinson and colleagues analyzed prices paid for cancer drugs by Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in hospital
outpatient departments and freestanding physician offices in 2019.
They concluded that “plans paid 50–90 percent more in hospital outpatient departments than in freestanding physician offices for most of the drugs.”
Also in pharmaceuticals and technology, letters to the editor in the September issue discussed past papers about diagnostic imaging and biosimilars.
William Mehan and colleagues argued that Gary Young and colleagues' conclusions about inappropriate diagnostic imaging, published in May 2021, should be viewed with caution due to methodological limitations. Gary Young and coauthors responded, addressing several critiques.
Bruce Feinberg and colleagues wrote a letter in response to Ariel Stern and colleagues’ June 2021 study on biosimilars, advocating that further analyses by product would strengthen their findings. Ariel Stern and Mark Trusheim replied, providing additional ideas for future research.
Elevating Voices: Hispanic Heritage Month: In the July 2021 issue, Borders, Immigrants, and Health, Alexandra Rivera-González and coauthors found that Latino immigrants in Puerto Rico experience major health insurance coverage inequities.
Health Affairs Editor-in-Chief Alan Weil interviews Landon Hughes, a doctoral candidate at the University of Michigan, on his research regarding the health statuses of people who identify as transgender.
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