Vol. 17, No. 4
April 2008
Cover Story
Mental Health Parity at Last?
A coalition of health plans, employers, legislators, and consumer advocates is bringing equal
coverage closer to reality than it has ever been.
Forging a Better Cancer Policy
Health plans say that 20 percent of treatment costs can be eliminated, but oncologists
are a hard sell.
Get Tough With Your PBM!
It starts with the language in the PBM contract and the request-for-proposals process. An experienced
negotiator is your guide.
Could a Wal-Mart PBM Succeed?
The world’s largest retailer is putting one giant-sized toe in the waters of the pharmaceutical
benefit management business.
Q&A: Bruce Bagley, MD, Urges Straight Talk
This American Academy of Family Physicians official wants doctors to get serious about quality
improvement.
Managed Medicaid: A Good Place to Be
As rolls grow, states turn to health insurers for assistance, and many kinds of companies are
now involved.
An Options Market for Health Care?
You, your employer, or your doctor would buy options guaranteeing the price of services you
might eventually need.
Departments
Editor’s Memo
Will parity really make it this time?
Legislation & Regulation
Procecutor says UCR isn’t that at all.
News and Commentary
Consumer-Directed Plans See Bump in Enrollment
Medicare Advantage Marketing Slammed
Little change in overall rate of medical and pharmacy cost increases (chart)
Headlines on Deadline
Compensation Monitor
P4P programs too diverse?
Formulary Files
Consumers: We can’t afford Rx.
Medication Management
Making the most of OTCs.
Tomorrow’s Medicine
One physician can make a difference.
Outlook
“Boomers” enter Medicare.
