A survey released by AHIP found most commercial, Medicare Advantage and managed Medicaid health insurance providers are already offering some type of virtual care, and they report benefits including improved health outcomes, increased patient satisfaction and better access to care. Most commercial and Medicaid managed care providers, however, said patient engagement remains a barrier to full adoption of virtual care.

Health care information is highly lucrative on the black market, making health organizations a frequent target of cyberattacks. Several hospices have experienced serious data breaches in recent years, are taking steps to enhance cybersecurity programs and are following the National Institute for Standards and Technology's Cyber Security Framework.

Health analytics company Covera Health worked with Walmart to develop a list of 800 imaging centers with high accuracy rates. The retail giant sought Covera's help after determining that employees were undergoing unneeded surgeries based on inaccurate imaging results.

UPMC is building on five years of experience using telemedicine to manage infectious diseases and launching a new company, Infectious Disease Connect, to help hospitals -- especially small hospitals -- across the US improve patient outcomes and reduce transfers. Studies have shown infectious disease specialists can reduce hospital lengths of stay, readmissions and mortality rates, but many hospitals in small communities lack the resources to hire ID specialists.

Nimble Pharmacy has closed its six bricks-and-mortar drugstores in the San Francisco Bay area and launched a same-day delivery service for independent pharmacies amid Amazon's push into the market. Nimble has hired engineers to develop and maintain the software needed to handle patient data, orders, customer service and delivery coordination.

A patient intake tool developed by Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University tracks and analyzes nonspecific symptoms such as pain, fatigue, disturbed sleep, anxiety and depression to help primary care providers diagnose complex conditions. The SymTrak tool accurately detected chronic illnesses in a study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine and was easily integrated into clinical workflow.

Boston Medical Center has primary care patients fill out a one-page screening tool, which is linked to their EHR, that assesses whether they are affected by social determinants of health. The EHR then prompts physicians to bring up SDOH during the patient's visit.

A study in Pediatrics showed that children with asthma who used the e-Asthma Tracker app had significantly improved asthma control and quality of life scores, significantly fewer missed or interrupted school and parent work days, and reduced hospital and emergency department admissions as well as reduced oral corticosteroid use after one year than at baseline. Researchers also found 59% fewer hospital and ED admissions and 26% lower corticosteroid use among those who used the app, compared with controls.

The CMS issued a final rule that requires Medicare Advantage and Part D plans to offer a drug cost transparency tool that can be integrated into prescribers' EHRs and also requires Part D plans to share price transparency and low-cost alternative information in monthly letters to beneficiaries. The final rule also bans contract clauses that restrict pharmacist-patient conversations about drug prices, but it does not include measures requiring price concessions to be passed to consumers, nor does it include proposed changes to management of protected drug classes.

The CMS is holding a summit July 1 in Baltimore for insurance agents and brokers who are registered to handle health plans sold on HealthCare.gov. The CMS will brief agents and brokers on new policies and regulations and changes planned for HealthCare.gov next year, and a panel of experienced agents and brokers will hold a discussion.

Every state is different. But they share this common health care goal: to help an expanding number of consumers live healthier lives. At AHIP's Annual State Issues Retreat, Sept. 26 through 27 in Washington, D.C., you'll get expert guidance on how your peers across the nation are making health care better, more affordable, and more sustainable. Sign up to be notified when registration opens.

White papers and case studies submitted by our Affiliate Organizations (AOs) bring you the latest thinking on current topics in health care. This month's features include Accenture's guide to using AI to unlock value and become an Intelligent Payer; integration of chiropractic care into health care clinics by the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress; myths surrounding the Medicare Inpatient-Only List from MCG; thoughts on the legal risks in value-based contracts from Optum; and health insurance enrollment trends for year-end 2018 from Mark Farrah Associates (MFA).