Health Affairs This Week

This month, HHS released the final "Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters" for 2025. This final notice sets standards and requirements for the Affordable Care Act marketplaces and health insurers. Sabrina Corlette and Jason Levitis, who both co-authored a piece about the notice in Health Affairs Forefront, join Health Affairs This Week host Jeff Byers to discuss the new standards and how the ACA marketplace has matured over the years. Read the "ahead-of-print" article, "The Impact of Telemedicine on Medicare Utilization, Spending, and Quality, 2019-2022." Related Links: Final 2025 Payment Notice: Marketplace Standards and Insurance ReformsHealth Affairs Forefront

Health Affairs This Week is back! Host Jeff Byers interviews Brent Fulton from University of California, Berkeley about the current state of antitrust and private equity in health care. Brent is an author of a special newsletter from Health Affairs Insider on antitrust and markets in health care. Subscribe to Insider to catch Brent's and our other Insider newsletters on drug pricing (from Stacie Dusetzina), health spending, and health equity. Join Insider. Related Links: Private Equity-Acquired Physician Practices and Market Penetration Increased Substantially, 2012-21Health Affairs

Health Affairs' Kathleen Haddad and Rob Lott go behind the pages of the new April issue focusing on Perinatal Mental Health & Well-Being. Their conversation provides insight into what has changed since Health Affairs published their first theme issue on the subject, which featured papers left a resounding impact on the editors, and so much more. Health Affairs would like to thank Perigee Fund, the California Health Care Foundation, W. K. Kellogg Foundation, the Hilton Foundation, Cambia Health Foundation, and Con Alma Foundation for their financial support of this issue. Order the April 2024 Health Affairs Perinatal Mental Health & Well-Being theme issue! Related Links: Health Affairs Perinatal Mental Health & Well-Being Theme IssuePerinatal Mental Health: Father Inclusion At The Local, State, And National Levels (Video Abstract)My Story Of Trauma And Reproductive HealthAngelica Al JanabiJournal Club: “Antidepressant Prescriptions Increased For Privately Insured People With Perinatal Mood And Anxiety Disorders, 2008–2020"

This is a special publication of the first season of the new Health Affairs podcast, Research and Justice For All. The first season, "Private Sector Solutions," is sponsored by CVS Health. This is the final episode of the first season. Guest: Rashad Burgess, Vice President of Advancing Health and Black Equity at Gilead Sciences CVS Health’s Sree Chaguturu and Joneigh Khaldun interview Rashad Burgess of Gilead Sciences about how private sector companies can advance health equity goals. They also discuss how Gilead is addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Black and brown communities throughout Southern states in the US. This season is sponsored by CVS Health. Related Links: LGBTQ+ Health Is An Essential Component of Public Health Equity EffortsHealth Affairs ForefrontBuilding Community Power To Dismantle Policy-Based Structural Inequity In Population HealthAbout the Gilead COMPASS Initiative®Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program LegislationExplore the CVS Health-sponsored Health Affairs Forefront short series, “Private Sector Solutions for Health Equity.”

This is a special publication of the first season of the new Health Affairs podcast, Research and Justice For All. The first season, "Private Sector Solutions," is sponsored by CVS Health. Guest: Dr. Karen DeSalvo, Chief Health Officer, Google CVS Health’s Sree Chaguturu and Joneigh Khaldun interview Karen DeSalvo of Google on how to leverage data and partnerships to drive positive, equitable health outcomes. They also discuss both the public and private sector approaches to promoting health equity. This season is sponsored by CVS Health. Related Links: A Health System’s Experience With Inclusive Race And Ethnicity Data Collection, And The Need For Data Equity PrinciplesHealth AffairsBuilding a Clinical Team in a Large Technology CompanyNEJM CatalystGoogle is committed to health equityExplore COVID-19 Symptoms Search TrendsMed-PaLM Explore the CVS Health-sponsored Health Affairs Forefront short series, “Private Sector Solutions for Health Equity.”

This is a special publication of the first season of the new Health Affairs podcast, Research and Justice For All. The first season, "Private Sector Solutions," is sponsored by CVS Health. Guest: Dr. Nicole Christian-Brathwaite, MD, Head of Medical and Clinical Strategy at Headway and CEO and Founder of Well Minds Psychiatry & Consulting CVS Health’s Sree Chaguturu and Joneigh Khaldun interview Nicole Christian-Brathwaite of Headway and Well Minds Psychiatry & Consulting about the impact that mental health care disparities have had on historically marginalized communities and strategic approaches that can improve mental health outcomes. This season is sponsored by CVS Health. Related Links: Addressing The Mental Health Equity Crisis: Can The Private Sector Lead?Health Affairs ForefrontHeadway x Violet - Improving access to inclusive mental health careYouth Risk Behavior Survey: Data Summary & Trends ReportExplore the CVS Health-sponsored Health Affairs Forefront short series, “Private Sector Solutions for Health Equity.”

This is a special publication of the first season of the new Health Affairs podcast, Research and Justice For All. The first season, "Private Sector Solutions," is sponsored by CVS Health. Guest: Dr. Mary-Ann Etiebet, AVP for Health Equity at Merck and Lead of Merck for Mothers CVS Health’s Sree Chaguturu and Joneigh Khaldun interview Mary-Ann Etiebet of Merck about how to address disparities in maternal health outcomes and the contributions of the Merck for Mothers initiative. This season is sponsored by CVS Health. Related Links: Employers Can Help Raise The Bar for Reproductive Health EquityHealth Affairs ForefrontThe US Maternal Health Crisis: It’s Time To Reverse The TrendImproving Maternal Health Equity in the USMaternal Health of Women and Girls of African Descent in the AmericasExplore the CVS Health-sponsored Health Affairs Forefront short series, “Private Sector Solutions for Health Equity.”

This is a special publication of the first season of the new Health Affairs podcast, Research and Justice For All. The first season, "Private Sector Solutions," is sponsored by CVS Health. Guest: Bryan O. Buckley, Director of Health Equity Initiatives at the National Committee for Quality Assurance CVS Health’s Sree Chaguturu and Joneigh Khaldun interview Bryan O. Buckley of the National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA) about health equity accreditation and why collaboration with communities is key to improving health equity. This season is sponsored by CVS Health. Related Links: Private Sector Companies Must Partner With Communities To Advance Health EquityHealth Affairs ForefrontCommunity Trust And Relationships: The Key For Strengthening Public Health SystemsHealth Affairs ForefrontNCQA’s Health Equity Accreditation ProgramsHEDIS and Performance MeasurementExplore the CVS Health-sponsored Health Affairs Forefront short series, “Private Sector Solutions for Health Equity.”

This is a special pod of the first episode of the new Health Affairs podcast, Research and Justice For All. The first season, "Private Sector Solutions," is sponsored by CVS Health. Guest: Thomas Sequist, Chief Medical Officer at Massachusetts General Brigham In the first episode of Research and Justice For All, CVS Health’s Sree Chaguturu and Joneigh Khaldun interview Thomas Sequist from Massachusetts General Brigham on the important role of health and hospital systems in driving health equity in the US. This season is sponsored by CVS Health. Related Links: Beyond Research, Taking Action Against RacismHealth Affairs ForefrontUnited Against Racism 2-Year Anniversary: A Reflection from Mass General Brigham’s Chief Community Health & Health Equity OfficerMass General Community HealthExplore the CVS Health-sponsored Health Affairs Forefront short series, “Private Sector Solutions for Health Equity.”

Health Affairs' Ellen Bayer and Rob Lott go behind the pages of the new February issue focusing on Housing and Health. Their conversation provides insight into the approach taken for this particular theme issue, the relationship between housing and health, a number of the journal articles featured and so much more. Health Affairs would like to thank Kaiser Permanente, The Colorado Health Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the California Health Care Foundation, and The California Endowment, whose generous support made the theme issue possible. Order the February 2024 Health Affairs Housing and Health theme issue! Related Links: Health Affairs Housing and Health Theme IssueBreaking The Cycle of Homeless Through Art by Ryann TanapInteractive Timeline: Linden: An Ohio Neighborhood's LegacyJournal Club: “Housing-Sensitive Health Conditions Can Predict Poor Quality Housing”

In a special series on housing and health, Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Michael Lens from the University of California Los Angeles. This is a special series leading up to the release of a theme issue on housing and health, which will be released next week. Pre-order the issue here. Related Links: Low-Density Zoning, Health, and Health EquityHealth AffairsResidential Segregation and Health: History, Harms, and Next StepsHealth AffairsPublic Policies to Address Residential Segregation and Improve HealthHealth Affairs

In a special series on housing and health, Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Ingrid Gould Ellen from the NYU Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy. This is a special series leading up to the release of a theme issue on housing and health in February. Pre-order the issue here. Related Links: Eviction and Health: A Vicious Cycle Exacerbated by a Pandemic Health AffairsHousing Mobility Programs and Health OutcomesHealth AffairsGentrification and the Health of Legacy ResidentsHealth Affairs

In a special series on housing and health, Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Craig Pollack from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. This is a special series leading up to the release of a theme issue on housing and health in February. Pre-order the issue here. Related Links: Using the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit to Fill the Rental Housing GapHealth Affairs

In a special series on housing and health, Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Corianne Scally from the Urban Institute. This is a special series leading up to the release of a theme issue on housing and health in February. Pre-order the issue here. Related Links: Housing and Health: An Overview of the LiteratureHealth AffairsHousing and Health: The Role of Inclusionary ZoningHealth Affairs

Health Affairs' Leslie Erdelack and Margaret Saunders go behind the pages to discuss the latest theme issue from Health Affairs on Global Lessons From COVID-19.

Health Affairs's Leslie Erdelack and Rob Lott take cues from Spotify Wrapped to look back to the most important headlines from the first eleven months of 2023. They discuss Medicaid unwinding, drug price negotiations, life after Dobbs, Ozempic, artificial intelligence, COVID-19, affirmative action, and more. Related Links: Maintaining Coverage Gains During Medicaid UnwindingHealth Affairs ForefrontThe Future Of COVID-19 Vaccine DevelopmentHealth Affairs ForefrontArriving At A Fair Price In The Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program: Considerations From Other CountriesHealth Affairs ForefrontHow Will The Executive Order On Artificial Intelligence Impact Health Care?Health Affairs ForefrontA Year After Dobbs: Diminishing Access To Obstetric-Gynecologic And Maternal-Fetal CareHealth Affairs ForefrontT-Swift of stocks: Ozempic is unending markets, despite unknowns AxiosWith affirmative action off the table, medical schools plan new diversity tactics Stat NewsA roadblock to life-saving addiction treatment is gone. Now what?

Health Affairs' Ellen Bayer and Chris Fleming interview Harlan Krumholz from the Yale School of Medicine about President Biden's executive order on artificial intelligence and the implications for health care. Read the "ahead-of-print" article: "A Systematic Review Of COVID-19 Misinformation Interventions: Lessons Learned" Related Links: Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial IntelligenceHow Will The Executive Order On Artificial Intelligence Impact Health Care?Health Affairs ForefrontBig Data And New Knowledge In Medicine: The Thinking, Training, And Tools Needed For A Learning Health SystemHealth AffairsThe Challenge Of Federal Coverage And Payment For AI Innovation In Health CareHealth Affairs Forefront

Health Affairs' Jessica Bylander and Vabren Watts chat about the latest developments from the health equity department at Health Affairs. They discuss a recent professional development event for authors, the second theme issue we published on racism and health, Native American Heritage Month, and more. Related Links: Professional Development: Writing About Racism in Health CarePrivate Sector Opportunities To Foster American Indian/Alaska Native Health EquityHealth Affairs ForefrontA Black Woman’s Pandemic Birth ExperienceHealth AffairsChanging How The Health Care Workforce Sees Patients Like MeHealth AffairsHow Funding Policy Maintains Structural Inequity Within Indigenous Community-Based OrganizationsHealth Affairs

Health Affairs' Jessica Bylander and Marianne Amoss discuss the findings in KFF's new Employer Health Benefits survey. In the report, KFF finds that annual premiums for employer-sponsored family health coverage will increase 7% on average this year. Related Links: Health Benefits In 2023: Premiums Increase With Inflation And Employer Coverage In The Wake Of DobbsHealth AffairsIncorrect Provider Directories Associated With Out-Of-Network Mental Health Care And Outpatient Surprise BillsHealth AffairsThe Problem With Provider DirectoriesHealth Affairs This WeekConsistency of Physician Data Across Health Insurer DirectoriesJAMA

Health Affairs' Leslie Erdelack and Michael Gerber discuss labor relations and news out of California, providing an update on the Kaiser Permanente workforce strike and how California will raise its minimum wage for health care workers to $25 an hour. So does California, so does the US? Read the ahead-of-print article, "Health Benefits In 2023: Premiums Increase With Inflation And Employer Coverage In The Wake Of Dobbs." Related Links: California sets $25 per hour minimum wage for healthcare workersHealthcare DiveAfter historic strike, Kaiser Permanente workers win 21% raise over 4 yearsNPRAddressing the healthcare staffing shortage