Transforming Addiction Care: From Stigma to Support
For National Recovery Month, we are joined by Matthew O. Hurford, MD, vice president, Behavioral Health, UPMC Insurance Services Division, and Michael Lynch, MD, an attending emergency physician and medical toxicologist at UPMC. Among the topics we hit on are the 4 crucial dimensions of recovery; understanding that addiction is a brain disease, not a moral failing; and the challenges and opportunities they encounter in providing behavioral health services to millions of Pennsylvanians.
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Navigating the Alzheimer Disease Blood Test Revolution
We discuss the May 16 FDA approval of the first blood test to diagnose Alzheimer disease. This landmark approval marks a significant shift in how Alzheimer disease is identified, moving away from more traditional methods or invasive methods. Our guests, Howard Fillit, the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, and Anthony “Nino” Sireci, MD, MSc, Eli Lilly and Company, help us understand this “huge accomplishment" and how it may be able to transform the diagnostic landscape from one of nihilism to one of hope and early intervention.
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AI in Health Care: Balancing Governance, Innovation, and Trust
Committed to building safe, reliable, and value-driven AI solutions that enhance health care delivery and the member experience, UPMC Health Plan's approach to AI is grounded in strong governance, balancing innovation with critical ethical concerns. In this conversation, we dive into how UPMC Health Plan builds trust with providers and members, discuss challenges of scaling AI effectively, and hear about concrete examples of AI's positive impact.
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Infertility Coverage Boosts ART Use and Pregnancy Success: Richard A. Brook, MS, MBA
On this episode of Managed Care Cast, The American Journal of Managed Care® speaks with Richard A. Brook, MS, MBA, president of Better Health Worldwide, Inc., and author of a study published in the August 2025 issue.
His retrospective analysis, "The Impact of Health Benefit Design on Patients With Infertility," examined how benefit design influences infertility treatment use and pregnancy outcomes. The study found that coverage for infertility treatment was associated with significantly higher use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) medications, more ART procedures performed, and improved pregnancy outcomes.
In this conversation, Brook explores the current state of infertility care in the US, the inspiration behind his study, its key findings, and next steps to expand access to ART.
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The Breakdown: Breast Cancer Research Awareness Day
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in the US. In light of Breast Cancer Research Awareness Day, the American Journal of Managed Care® breaks down the most recent advancements in breast cancer prevention, screening, and therapies.
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