In October of 2014, the Controlled Substance Act of 1970 was reformed - making the regulations around the prescription of hydrocodone combination products more strict. The research in this article was presented at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy’s in 2016, and investigates the effects of this change on claims for HCPs in the Medicaid population before and after October 2014.
Our Work
Journal Article
May 01, 2017
White Paper
April 28, 2017
Research shows community health workers (CHW) positively effect both the health of patients and the financial outcomes of healthcare providers. This policy brief offers findings on the potential effects of CHW's in Connecticut.
Blog
April 27, 2017
We should reform or align 42 CFR Part 2 with HIPAA to better serve patients with substance use disorder, UMass Medical School pharmacists Kimberly Lenz and Tyson Thompson write in an opinion piece for Managed Healthcare Executive.
Blog
April 18, 2017
A new project that strives to connect college students with disabilities to employers will be piloted in Boston in an effort to increase the employment opportunities for these students. National Organization on Disability President Carol Glazer and Work Without Limits Director Kathleen A. Petkauskos wrote about the project for The Huffington Post.
Blog
March 29, 2017
How the Trump administration can use waivers to alter Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), reforming health care at the state level. Health policy analyst Rachel Gershon delves into Section 1332 and 1115 waivers for STAT news.
Poster
March 27, 2017
An analysis of the Massachusetts Medicaid Pediatric Behavioral Health Medication Initiative Workgroup suggests a peer-to-peer outreach program is associated with increased awareness and implementation of evidence based medicine in a pediatric population treated with behavioral health medications.
Poster
March 27, 2017
An evaluation of the effectiveness of HCV genotype 1 treatment with Harvoni® (ledipasvir/sofosbuvir) as measured by a sustained virological response (SVR) of 12 weeks in the MassHealth fee-for-service and Primary Care Clinician plan population.
Blog
March 13, 2017
The patient-centered medical home model of care should be applied to incarcerated populations, who have complex medical, behavioral, and substance abuse issues that demand integrated care. A blog on The Huffington Post about the positive impact PCMH can have on correctional health care from Julie White of the Health and Criminal Justice Program.
Technical Report
March 01, 2017
An analysis of a 2017-2018 budget proposal to rollback Connecticut Medicaid eligibility to 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level finds that 9,500 parents would lose their coverage. The change would likely increase the uninsurance rate by 4,300.
Poster
February 24, 2017
An analysis of medication adherence and birth outcomes among members receiving progesterone for the prevention of preterm birth in a state Medicaid program.
Technical Report
February 08, 2017
The ninth edition of Common Health for the Commonwealth updates data and trends on preventable health conditions and social factors affecting the health of Massachusetts residents. The report covers Social Determinants of Health, Health Risk Factors, and Preventable Health Conditions.
Blog
February 07, 2017
As President Donald J. Trump begins his term and his administration takes shape, it is important for us to reflect on all of the criminal justice reforms of the past eight years under President Barack Obama. A blog on The Huffington Post outlining those reforms from Julie White of the Health and Criminal Justice Program.
Presentation
February 01, 2017
An overview of Medication Therapy Management (MTM) and the Star Rating measure. Learn the best practices for a successful MTM program, including the link to Comprehensive Medication Review quality and care management team integration.
Blog
January 31, 2017
Nationwide, 65 percent of inmates meet the medical criteria for substance use disorder, but just 11 percent receive treatment while incarcerated. A UMass Medical School correctional health collaborative will address substance use disorder by assessing current screening and treatment practices for opioid addiction, making recommendations and implementing proven practicel. Warren J. Ferguson, MD, writes about the collaborative in CommonWealth magazine.
Technical Report
January 05, 2017
This issue brief describes the key elements of the most recent MassHealth 1115 waiver extension, including the shift to a delivery system centered on Accountable Care Organizations and Community Partners, a Delivery System Reform Incentive Program, the redesigned Safety Net Care Pool, and the expansion of services for treatment of substance use disorders. It concludes with a discussion of implications of the new system for major stakeholder groups.
White Paper
December 20, 2016
How managed care organizations can better address the opioid addiction crisis, including improving access to naloxone and Medication Assisted Therapies (MAT) as well as ensuring benefit design will support alternative pain management methods.
Poster
December 16, 2016
The strategies used by the Southern New England Practice Transformation Network (SNE-PTN), a collaborative led by UMass Medical School and UConn Health, to enroll more than 5,000 clinicians from a variety of specialties by the end of October 2016. The strategies led SNE-PTN to achieve 186 percent of the year one enrollment target.
Journal Article
December 14, 2016
The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) Partnership Forum, Navigating Innovations in Diabetes Care, brought together AMCP members, industry experts, and other key healthcare stakeholders together to discuss the impact of advances in diabetes treatments related to a range of new drugs, technology solutions and care management models.
Technical Report
December 08, 2016
Pipeline Trends is produced by the Clinical Pharmacy Services division and is distributed at least once a year. It provides an overview of promising new agents, investigational indications, projected generic entry, FDA updates and industry trends.
Presentation
December 05, 2016
Lean about the concept of self-direction in Managed Long-Term Services and Supports, including its origin and characteristics and individual and caregiver perspectives. Also presented are health plan considerations, suggestions, and best practices.
Blog
December 01, 2016
Hospitals face financial challenges when providing access to medical interpreters. A new study shows that access to interpreters lowers readmission rates, a key quality indicator. Greater access to medical interpreters may help hospitals facing new payment incentives to reduce readmissions.