J M Polinski

..Future studies should use multilevel longitudinal designs to quantify the relative impact of potential patient, provider, and health system factors on progression and health outcomes...

..abstract:..

..The coverage gap remains the subject of Congressional debate; evidence regarding its impact on cardiovascular drug use and health outcomes is needed...

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..Part D implementation was associated with increased use and affordability of APMs for the elderly without prior drug insurance...

..Health care utilization databases have been increasingly used for studies of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the accuracy of RA diagnoses in these data has been inconsistent...

..Beneficiaries' knowledge and choices should be monitored on an ongoing basis to inform potential changes to the Part D program...

..The effect of the Part D transition period remains unclear. Although public-use data will validate these results, policymakers can use the existing evidence to inform changes and enhancements to Part D immediately...

..We found several correlates of readiness to undergo BMD screening that may be used to design effective interventions...

..We conclude that the clinical usefulness and costs of such drugs should be the primary drivers of coverage decisions, not moral attitudes toward sexual performance...

..Statins can be split safely. General practitioners (GPs) may not direct their patients to split statins because of safety concerns or unawareness of costs. Medical chart inserts provide cost-effective education to physicians...

..Years after implementation, these policies remain controversial among physicians...

..While increased discontinuation of and adherence to essential medications is a regrettable response, increased switching to less expensive but therapeutically interchangeable medications is a positive response to minimize costs...

..More than a year later, no state had changed its PA policy in response. We discuss the roles of Medicaid and other insurers in responding to emerging drug safety issues and their challenges in weighing drug risks and benefits...

..Bone mineral density (BMD) testing is a key tool used to diagnose and treat osteoporosis. We assessed the rate of scheduling BMD tests among health plan members at risk for osteoporosis who received interactive voice response (IVR) calls...

..Academic detailing programs have improved physician's prescribing behaviors; however, the feasibility of large-scale programs across a large, geographically disperse state is unclear...

..Claims include only prescriptions filled at 1 pharmacy location or within 1 pharmacy chain and do not include prescriptions filled at outside pharmacies, potentially limiting research accuracy and pharmacy-based safety interventions...

..To evaluate the literature regarding the effect of Medicare Part D on the under- and overuse of specific medications and corresponding health outcomes...

..We sought to estimate the percentage of patients who restart osteoporosis therapy after a prolonged lapse in medication use and to identify the factors associated with a return to compliance...

..We assessed whether access to bone mineral density (BMD) testing was a predictor of osteoporosis management in an at-risk population of patients from New Jersey...

..To examine whether adherence to osteoporosis medications can be improved by educational interventions targeted at primary care physicians (PCPs) and patients...

..This study was undertaken to assess the level and determinants of compliance with drugs prescribed for osteoporosis...

..This study evaluated Medicaid's prior-authorization policies restricting the prescribing of antidepressant medications for children...

..We tested the effectiveness of an intervention to improve care in patients at-risk of osteoporosis...

..04; 95% ci, 0.85-1.26)...

..To evaluate state Medicaid prior authorization programs for biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)...

..To compare prospectively and retrospectively defined benchmarks for the quality of end-of-life care, including a novel indicator for the use of opiate analgesia...

..To date, no one has examined the cost-sharing structures for biologic DMARDs in Part D plans or the resulting cost burden for patients...

..The setting was a large publicly funded state pharmacy benefits program. The patients were 31,715 Medicare beneficiaries from Pennsylvania who participated in a drug benefits program for low-to-moderate income elderly people...

..CONCLUSION: Osteoporosis awareness is high, but the older adults interviewed had an incomplete understanding of the condition. This could hinder efforts to improve prevention and treatment of osteoporosis...

..To evaluate medication use, out-of-pocket spending, and medication switching during the transition period for patients dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare (dual eligibles)...