November 2006

Loss of Protected Patient Information Real Danger for Health Care Plans
There are plenty of ways that confidential data can escape your control, and the consequences can be major. Can you trust your employees?

Ed Silverman

Managing Editor's Memo

Some Still Want To Know When There's Nothing to Be Done

Frank Diamond

Cover Story

Genetic Testing: Major Opportunity, Major Problems
Whether a person is likely to develop diabetes, cancer, schizophrenia, or stroke will be reasonably well predicted, and tests can also determine whether a patient will respond to a given therapy. That's the good part.

Maureen Glabman

Peer-Reviewed

Implementing Disease Management Programs for Type 2 Diabetes in Germany
Germany has been able to enroll more than a million people with type 2 diabetes in DM programs through legislation that created incentives for physicians and insurers

Heinz Nagel, MD ; Thomas Baehring, PhD ; Werner A. Scherbaum, MD, PhD

Q&A

A Conversation with James E. Hartert, MD: Primed To Take On Challenges to PBMs
This CMO of a pharmacy benefits manager wrestles with some of insurance's most taxing issues. Price, of course. And here come biologics!

Patrick Mullen

Rocky Mountain's Success with Chronic Care Model
Paying for medical group practice redesign can significantly enhance the quality of care for chronically ill patients, and perhaps lower long-term costs

Martin Sipkoff

Tomorrow’s Medicine

Transgenic Drug Production Heads Back to the Farm
The use of transgenic goats to produce a recombinant form of human antithrombin is much more efficient than using mammalian cell cultures

Thomas Morrow, MD

Compensation Monitor

Doctors say they're busy but underpaid
Employer Update

Manipulating Deductibles To Foster Healthful Behavior
Still, some are skeptical about punishing bad behavior. For one thing, it makes coverage more expensive for those who need it most.

Lola Butcher

The Formulary Files

Step therapy for antidepressants saves 11.7 percent in one year
Medication Management

Successful Treatment of Insomnia Starts With Formulary Design
Many insurers may not consider insomnia a serious health problem, but it costs employers a bundle in lowered productivity

Martin Sipkoff

Managed Care Outlook

Health benefit costs continue to outpace CPI
Legislation & Regulation

Health Savings Accounts Face an Uncertain Future
Despite an array of economically and politically strong advocates, a bill to beef up health savings accounts has stirred significant opposition

John Carroll

Viewpoint

Expert Opinions Create Liability for Physicians

Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA



News & Commentary

Employers Focus On Just Who Should Be Covered

AMCP Creates Task Force on Payment Methods

Coverage Outranks Part B on List of Public Concerns