December 2005

Cover Story

Consumers Don't Know What They Don't Know
All the state-of-the-art health care literacy tools go for naught when faced with such ignorance

John Carroll

The Ethical Way In a Season of Change
Advancing technologies and new coverage designs are creating opportunities — and obligations — for health plan medical directors

MargaretAnn Cross

Flu's Other Cost
If the next pandemic is anything like the 1918 outbreak, some small regional health plans might see their membership decimated, or worse

Jack McCain

Putting EBM To Work (Easier Said Than Done)
Evidence-based medicine can help cut costs and raise the standard of care, but we'll need a common measure of quality

Ricardo Guggenheim, MD

Peer-Reviewed

The Cost Benefit to Health Plans of Pharmacotherapy for Alzheimer's Disease
As with other chronic diseases of aging, early diagnosis and pharmacologic therapy may reduce the costs for enrollees with Alzheimer's disease

David S. Geldmacher, MD

Editor's Memo

All Men Are Not Equal When Choosing a Provider

John A. Marcille

Medication Management

Reports Confirm High Value of Step-Therapy Programs
Tiered benefit design and mail order pharmacy are useful, but don't overlook this other significant vehicle for savings.

Martin Sipkoff

Legislation & Regulation

Taxpayers Reject Idea of Losing Deduction for Health Insurance
A proposal to levy a tax on health care insurance meets a chilly response from Capitol Hill, the Bush administration, AHIP, and pollsters. What a surprise.

John Carroll

Compensation Monitor

Health plan medical directors doing well
Employer Update

Kansas City Focuses on Depression
Health plans, researchers, employers, and workers make common cause to identify and treat depression

Lola Butcher

The Formulary Files

Polypharmacy interventions result in sustained decreases
Managed Care Outlook

Pharmacy cost increases below medical for the first time in four years