Contraceptive Use in Medicare Varies by Enrollment Type
Contraceptive use among Medicare enrollees — including among beneficiaries of childbearing age who are on Medicare due to a permanent disability — varies greatly depending on whether they’re enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) or traditional Medicare, researchers reported. Use of contraceptives was higher among MA enrollees compared with those in traditional Medicare, with significant variation […]
FDA Approves New First-Line Standard of Care in Bladder Cancer
Patients with locally advanced or metastatic bladder cancer have a permanent new first-line standard of care after the FDA granted full approval to the combination of enfortumab vedotin (Padcev) and pembrolizumab (Keytruda) regardless of cisplatin eligibility. The action finalized the approval process for the combination, which received accelerated approval earlier this year, at the time […]
Ablation, CRT Boost Survival in Permanent Afib With Narrow QRS
A “pace-and-ablate” strategy substantially boosted survival for permanent atrial fibrillation (Afib) patients with a narrow QRS across the range of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), the APAF-CRT trial showed. While relatively small with 133 patients after being stopped early for efficacy at a median 29 months of follow-up, the trial showed a relative 74% survival […]
HHS Secretary Supports Telehealth Expansion, Emphasizes Need for Equity
Should telehealth expansions be made permanent after the COVID-19 pandemic? And if they do become law, how can equity be ensured? HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra and Jack Resneck Jr., MD, president-elect of the American Medical Association (AMA), weighed in on these and other questions during an interview with the Washington Post on Thursday. Over 43 […]