JAMA Health Forum

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

The US Food and Drug Administration Sentinel Initiative’s ARIA system assessed hundreds of postmarket #DrugSafety concerns, but data limitations and reporting gaps often made it insufficient for concerns identified during premarket review. ja.ma/3OcxAFn

Most branded medication prescriptions initially rejected by prior authorization were delayed or denied, with lower approval rates among patients with Medicaid or multiple disease conditions, highlighting barriers to timely access for these populations. ja.ma/4vAvTC7

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/4mb6Z7U

Editorial by JAMA Health Forum Editor in Chief Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH: Federal policy changes in 2026, including work requirements tied to #Medicaid expansion under the #ACA, are projected to increase uninsured rates among low-income adults. ja.ma/4tKk1fo