This research aimed to estimate the annual prevalence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) among MassHealth members using claims data.

This research evaluated whether the initiation of dupilumab, a biologic indicated for asthma, reduced asthma-related emergency department visits or hospitalizations, the number of asthma rescue medications used, and the total cost of asthma-related exacerbations among MassHealth members

In light of the need to increase access to behavioral health (BH) services, particularly highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation commissioned a study from experts at Commonwealth Medicine to assess the need for a BH consultation program designed to help primary care providers (PCPs) support adult patients with mental health conditions and substance use disorders.

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), enacted in March 2021, includes many provisions specific to state health care policy and programs. This issue brief, developed for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation of Massachusetts, examines ARPA’s impact on the Massachusetts health care system – MassHealth coverage and services, subsidized health insurance through the Health Connector, health care workforce issues, and more – and poses questions for policy makers to consider in trying to create long-lasting impact from these time-limited funding boosts.

An evaluation of the utilization of two pre-exposure prophylaxis therapies, emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (Truvada®) and emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (Descovy®), among a MassHealth population.

New drugs are coming to market faster than ever. For many patients, new pharmaceutical therapies represent the potential for life-changing impact. Yet uncertain uptake of these often high-cost specialty drugs poses a significant risk for pharmacy budgets. To protect you from surprises, Commonwealth Medicine pharmacists and data analysts provide expert Budget Impact Forecasting.

Research shows a connection between oral health and overall wellness. To improve access to oral health care, more than 78 percent of Massachusetts Community Health Centers (CHCs) offer direct dental services at approximately 58 state-wide locations. Adequate staffing and expertise are critical to providing care. However, little is known about the recruitment and retention of the vitally important dental workforce. Commonwealth Medicine designed and implemented a survey in 2018 to understand the motivators and barriers that influence the recruitment and retention of the dental workforce at CHCs.

Commonwealth Medicine's newborn screening experts have developed an algorithm that can be used to tell when a newborn's genotype may need to be retested. Learn more about this formula, which can determine when alleleic dropout has occurred, and find out why this practice could be vital for newborn screening programs across the country in this presentation.

In this presentation, Stephanie Tran, PharmD, clinical consultant pharmacist, explains how a retrospective compounding monitoring program demonstrated a reduction in per member per year spend through the placement of select high-cost compounding ingredients on prior authorization.