News
UPDATE: Early Analysis Finds 2017 Proposed Exchange Premiums for Low Cost Silver Plans Increasing 8 Percent on Average
Rates vary widely by state; popular low cost options see smaller increases.
Avalere Welcomes Senior Healthcare Advisor
Wendy Everett, ScD, joins Avalere as a senior advisor.
Providers Across the US Express Interest in Moving to New Cancer Payment Model to Control Medicare Costs
Earlier today, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released participation information for its new Oncology Care Model (OCM) slated to begin July 1.
Health Plans Are Interested in Tying Drug Payments to Patient Outcomes
Hepatitis C and Oncology Are Top Therapeutic Area Targets
MedPAC Proposes Changes for 42 Million Medicare Beneficiaries Enrolled in Part D
Cost-sharing changes could increase costs for many beneficiaries.
Inovalon Announces Agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb to Focus on Real World Outcomes & Value-Based Contracting Initiatives
Avalere and Inovalon recently entered into an agreement with Bristol-Meyers Squibb (BMS) to support the manufacturer's innovative initiatives using real-world outcomes data to design and test value-based contracting models. The agreement brings together Avalere's deep expertise on manufacturer and payer contract negotiation and Inovalon's significant data assets to meet the complex challenges around ensuring value and access while addressing growing healthcare costs concerns.
13 Million Adults Could Be Eligible to Purchase Medicare Coverage Under Proposed Clinton Plan
A new Avalere analysis finds that nearly 13 million Americans age 50 or over who are currently uninsured or have individual coverage purchased through the private market-inside and outside the exchange- could be eligible to buy-in to the Medicare program under a plan proposed by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
Christie Teigland Receives AMCP Platinum Award
Christie Teigland, PhD, vice president, Advanced Analytics, recently received the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy’s (AMCP) prestigious Platinum Award for her research entitled “Association of Socioeconomic and Clinical Factors with Rates of High-Risk Medication Use in Medicare Advantage Plans.”
Medicare Beneficiaries Will Pay More for Biosimilars than for Their Biologic Reference Products in Part D
Two Potential Policy Changes Would Reduce Out-of-Pocket Costs for Consumers
Proposed Medicare Part B Rule Would Reduce Payments to Hospitals and Some Specialists, While Increasing Payments to Primary Care Providers
Rule Would Decrease Medicare Reimbursement for Drugs That Cost More than $480 per Day; Seven of the 10 Most Affected Drugs Treat Cancer
Only 33 Percent of Exchange Enrollees in 2016 Kept Their Same Plan from 2015
One third of those who enrolled in a health insurance plan on Healthcare.gov this year picked the same plan as last year, according to a new analysis from Avalere. In total, 3.2 million of the 9.6 million exchange shoppers in 2016 kept their previous plan.
Sixty Percent of Hospitals Must Reduce Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) Costs Under New Medicare Demo or Face Penalties
Hospitals should focus on care after discharge, which drives more than 39 percent of spending.
Majority of Drugs Now Subject to Coinsurance in Medicare Part D Plans
Percentage of drugs in Part D plans that require coinsurance increased significantly since 2014. Medicare Advantage plans require coinsurance far less often than Part D plans.
Kindred Partners with Avalere and Inovalon to Support Value-Based Payment in Post-Acute Care
Avalere and Inovalon have entered into a multi-year agreement with Kindred Healthcare, Inc., the nation’s largest provider of post-acute care (PAC) services, to deploy the power of data and analytics to engage payers. The combined solutions will result in a data-driven platform that will support Kindred in improving clinical outcomes and promoting coordinated, efficient care under new value-based payment models.
Medicare Has the Potential to Avoid Preventable Illnesses by Encouraging Broader Coverage for Adult Vaccines
A new analysis by Avalere finds that, despite efforts by policymakers to encourage broader vaccination rates, Medicare enrollees have limited access to a set of 10 recommended vaccines without having to pay out-of-pocket (e.g., co-payments).
Avalere’s Take: President Obama’s FY2017 Healthcare Budget
President Obama released his budget for the 2017 fiscal year today. Avalere offers the following observations on the healthcare proposals:
Exchange Enrollment Is on Track to Meet Administration’s Goal
Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that 9.6 million individuals selected a health insurance plan on HealthCare.gov during the recent open enrollment season. Avalere estimates that 2016 year-end enrollment will slightly exceed the Obama administration's goal of enrolling 10 million people.
Nearly 60 Percent of New Medicare Advantage Plans Are Sponsored by Healthcare Providers
A new analysis from Avalere Health finds that hospitals and health systems are increasingly taking risk for the cost of Medicare patients and the quality of the care they receive.
Federal Government Underpays Medicare Advantage Plans for Enrollees with Multiple Diseases
A new analysis by Avalere finds that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) underpay Medicare Advantage (MA) plans for the costs of treating individuals with multiple chronic conditions.
Seasoned Payment and Delivery Expert Joins Avalere
Fred Bentley, an experienced leader in payment and delivery system reform, has joined Avalere’s Center for Payment & Delivery Innovation. Fred will supplement our existing deep expertise in provider strategy and provide analytic and strategic support on issues related to care delivery.