JAMA Health Forum

State-level abortion bans are associated with increased moral distress and work-related stress in #OBGYN clinicians but minimal overall geographic movement of the workforce across states since Dobbs. ja.ma/4fpLj6H

Diana Foster, PhD, of the University of California, San Francisco, joined JAMA Health Forum Editor in Chief Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH, to discuss the impact of the Dobbs decision and role of science in documenting reproductive health in the coming years. ja.ma/4wzUgk1

Among children and youth with special health care needs (#SHCN), four distinct subpopulations with unique health indicator profiles were identified, supporting tailored policies and programs to improve pediatric health outcomes. ja.ma/3Pa07vI

💬 Viewpoint: Medicaid medical directors recommend clinically anchored medical frailty exemptions under HR 1, using diverse data sources and efficient processes to prevent gaps in coverage for vulnerable adults. ja.ma/4uQ8rzJ

Expansions to the Pediatric Research Equity Act grant new FDA enforcement authority, but most drugs for children lack pediatric labeling, revealing ongoing gaps in #PediatricResearch and timely study completion. ja.ma/4323O9L

Expansions to the Pediatric Research Equity Act grant new FDA enforcement authority, but most drugs for children lack pediatric labeling, revealing ongoing gaps in #PediatricResearch and timely study completion. ja.ma/4uwSHS4

Yesterday, the JAMA Health Forum editorial board met to discuss plans for the journal, which is dedicated to addressing health policy and strategies affecting medicine, health, and health care.

After the Medicaid rebate cap removal, manufacturers shifted utilization from branded to authorized generic #Dapagliflozin, especially in managed care organizations, reducing rebate exposure and financial losses. ja.ma/42WIlz6

Among traditional #Medicare beneficiaries, private equity acquisition of primary care practices was not associated with changes in all-cause or preventable hospitalizations, but modestly reduced emergency department visits. ja.ma/49Du7XA

Medicare negotiation and most-favored-nation pricing could have substantially reduced 2024 spending on brand-name #Cancer medicines. Savings were notably greater than negotiated discounts alone. ja.ma/3OAOn5a

Among #Medicare beneficiaries, primary care visit rates and access declined from 2017 to 2023. Telemedicine was more frequently used by underserved groups for primary care access. ja.ma/48DvO77

💬Viewpoint: Media and policy emphasis on individual #Obesity treatment may unintentionally “crowd out” support for structural interventions, including unhealthy food taxes and regulation of food environments. ja.ma/4urNlaU

#SocialNeeds screening is subject to sampling, detection, nonresponse, and misclassification bias, which may limit its use for organizational decision-making and population health policy. ja.ma/4t61RUF

State policy support for fully virtual #telehealth buprenorphine prescribing for #OpioidUseDisorder among Medicaid enrollees varies widely, with more restrictive policies for nurse practitioners and physician assistants compared with physicians. ja.ma/3Ore8EW

Through 2019, more US states enabled minors to independently consent to #MentalHealth care, but recent laws in several states have revoked this capacity, often without strong #Confidentiality protections for patient records. ja.ma/4u8kqsb

In 2025, Medicare Part D plans broadly covered generics for #MultipleSclerosis disease-modifying therapies; coverage for brand-name-only agents declined, especially after implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act. ja.ma/4vQxqnN

The End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices model by @CMSGov did not meaningfully increase use of home dialysis or kidney transplant among Medicare beneficiaries with #KidneyDisease after nearly 4 years of implementation. ja.ma/4n8mluF

Hospital diagnoses of #Depression or #AlcoholUseDisorder were associated with substantial, long-term reductions in personal income, surpassing losses for stroke or breast cancer and disproportionally affecting younger and non-employed individuals. ja.ma/4vKV1Gy

Among US women aged 39 to 50 years, about half did not support performance metrics based on cancer screening attendance, and most preferred physician scores focus on informed discussion rather than receipt of screening. ja.ma/4ckwyAe

Institution-based and population-based definitions capture distinct groups of safety-net ambulatory practices, with minimal overlap, indicating that policy approaches may need to be tailored for different health equity and funding objectives. ja.ma/48cuyrn