Improving adherence to drug-treatment regimens for glaucoma.

Compliance with glaucoma therapy is relatively poor. Because glaucoma progresses slowly, long-term adherence is crucial to improving clinical and financial outcomes of treatment. Physicians must consider several factors before steps can be taken to promote correct use of medications.

Glaucoma arrives on managed care's doorstep.

Popular new prostaglandins, prostamides, and alpha2 agonists have brought about higher utilization, while their expense has produced a new cost driver in managed care organizations. The recent appearance of competitive products within these drug classes has offered patients, health plans, and physicians new treatment options.

Anticipating the future: how the emergence of innovative biologic agents impacts benefit design, utilization, and provider relations.

Objective: To review the impact of biologic therapies on commercial and government payers.

Summary: Biologic agents, a mainstay in the treatment of cancer and immunopathologic conditions, are being used for an expanding number of indications, and new agents are being developed for use in many other diseases. These biologic agents have the potential to improve patient quality of life and the overall quality of care with minimal risk of adverse events.

Availability of nutrition services for Medicaid recipients in the northeastern United States: lack of uniformity and the positive effect of managed care.

Objectives: To evaluate third-party coverage of medical nutrition therapy for the Medicaid population, among whom obesity is a common health problem, and to compare coverage in managed care Medicaid programs with that in fee-for-service state Medicaid programs.

Methods: Fifty-four Medicaid organizations in 14 states were surveyed by telephone and asked about their provision of nutrition counseling to members.

Results: Overall, similar percentages of state Medicaid programs and Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) reimbursed for nutrition counseling; significantly more Medicaid MCOs reimbursed for this service for treatment of obesity alone.