More than 9 million American adults aren’t taking their medications as prescribed due to the cost, with those who are uninsured or disabled among the likeliest to cut corners, according to new CDC data released Friday.
Why it matters: Skipping doses, taking less than the prescribed amount or delaying refills to save money can make health conditions worse and more expensive to manage, researchers wrote.
BJC HealthCare of St. Louis and Saint Luke's Health System of Kansas City said that they are exploring a merger that could create a 28-hospital academic health system valued at around $10 billion.
Why it matters: The combined company wouldn't have geographic overlap, which seems to be key for U.S. hospital operators that want to expand (and cut costs) without attracting antitrust attention.
The Supreme Court on Thursday reopened a pair of whistleblower lawsuits charging that Safeway and SuperValu pharmacies overcharged Medicare and Medicaid hundreds of millions of dollars for prescription drugs.
Driving the news: Justices unanimously overturned a 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that the chains didn't "knowingly" violate the False Claims Act when they offered cash-paying customers extended discounts on generic drugs while charging the government full price.
A Medicare plan for covering new Alzheimer's drugs treatments is reviving thorny questions about whether pricey treatments with modest success slowing the disease's progression are worth the cost and safety concerns.
Driving the news: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Thursday outlined conditions under which it would expand coverage for a specific class of Alzheimer's drugs, including Eisai and Biogen's experimental Leqembi.
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