In brief: CGMs save money, Aeroflow Health signs Molina, AdvaMed names chair

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Use of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) among individuals with diabetes treated with bolus insulin is associated with a nearly 20% reduction in total health care costs and a 23% decrease in acute care utilization over one year, according to a new study from CCS. Yet approximately 80% of eligible patients remain without a CGM prescription, the study says. 

CGM users experienced total health care costs of $6,245 compared to $7,786 for non-users, according to the study. 

“The findings provide compelling evidence that continuous glucose monitors represent a high-value, cost-effective intervention that simultaneously improves patient outcomes while reducing health care system spending - and also holds strong potential to increase quality scores, as well,” said Coni Dennis, DNP, RN, and NE-BC, SVP, study author and chief clinical officer at CCS. 

The study, which analyzed 938,740 patients and was published in Diabetes Technology and Therapeutics, represents one of the largest matched cohort analyses of its kind, CCS says. 

Beyond cost containment, CGM users in the study demonstrated: 

• 19% higher odds of achieving HbA1c below 9%, a critical HEDIS and Medicare STAR performance measure; 
• 20.7% fewer diabetic ketoacidosis-related hospitalizations; 
• 18.1% decrease in combined serious complications requiring emergency or inpatient care; and 
• 4.3% reduction in severe hypoglycemia-related acute events. 

“The data demonstrate that expanding CGM prescribing and patient adoption represents one of the most impactful opportunities available today to simultaneously improve quality metrics, reduce avoidable utilization and deliver better patient outcomes,” said Dennis. 

For more details on the study, please visit: www.ccsmed.com/research. 

Aeroflow Health provides nutrition services to Molina Healthcare members 

ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Aeroflow Health has a new partnership with Molina Healthcare of South Carolina to offer in-network nutrition counseling and diabetes self-management education (DSME) services to the insurer’s commercial and Medicare members throughout the state. Through Aeroflow’s comprehensive Nutrition Therapy Program, Molina South Carolina members now have access to an online network of qualified dietitians who specialize in educating patients on how nutrition impacts multiple aspects of their health and wellness.  "For many different patient profiles, nutrition services offer a lifeline by delivering personalized education and strategies that improve long-term health outcomes, " said Amanda Minimi, vice president of health solution marketing & operations at Aeroflow Health. “By making these programs available, health plans are transforming into a true partner for patients and a resource that connects them with the tools and support needed to take control of their health. We’re grateful for the opportunity to partner with Molina Healthcare of South Carolina to help their members make informed decisions about their health and tackle some of their most pressing health challenges.” Aeroflow’s program combines personalized guidance from registered dietitians and certified diabetes specialists with evidence-based education resources and digital support tools. The company says these services help members manage blood glucose, make sustainable lifestyle and dietary changes, adopt tailored medication and wellness routines, and reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications. Aeroflow Health’s Nutrition Therapy Program and DSME services are offered through a virtual format, ensuring members receive high-quality care regardless of location. Individual and group nutrition coaching is provided to help patients establish personalized goals and care plans.  

• FMI: Molina South Carolina members can learn more about the nutrition and diabetes services available from Aeroflow’s diabetes division, Aeroflow Diabetes, by visiting aeroflowdiabetes.com/medical-nutrition-therapy. 
• Related: Aeroflow Health inks deal with Cigna for nutrition services. 

WellSky partners with uMed to expand access to clinical research registries 

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – WellSky and uMed have announced a strategic partnership that expands patient access to national clinical research registries – longitudinal programs that track real-world patient outcomes and experience – by enabling home care patients to participate in clinical studies from their home. By combining the WellSky network of more than 10,000 home-based care organizations with uMed’s automated registry platform, the collaboration creates a scalable model for collecting high-quality real-world clinical information from patients – particularly underserved, rural, and aging populations – who want to participate in clinical research, with no disruption to their routine or care, the company says. “Access to participate in clinical research has historically been limited for many patients, particularly those not connected to major academic medical centers,” said Bill Miller, chairman and CEO of WellSky. “By integrating WellSky’s expansive provider network with uMed’s turnkey registry infrastructure, we are establishing a new framework for inclusive, patient-centered research that meets individuals where they are.” Through this partnership, providers can enhance the quality of their reporting and measure their performance against national benchmarks. This enables organizations to clearly identify their strengths and opportunities for growth, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes. The result is a comprehensive model that simultaneously advances scientific understanding, strengthens business practices, and elevates the standard of care. 

AdvaMed names Resmed’s Mick Farrell as new chair 

WASHINGTON – AdvaMed has announced that Mick Farrell, chairman and CEO of Resmed, will be the next chair of the AdvaMed board of directors. Farrell, who will serve a two-year term beginning in January 2026, succeeds Peter J. Arduini, president and CEO of GE HealthCare. “The entire board and the global industry AdvaMed represents are excited to have Mick as our chair during a rapidly evolving pace of medtech innovation,” said Scott Whitaker, AdvaMed president and CEO. “Whether in international forums or in the halls of the U.S. Congress, Mick’s enthusiasm for the power of medtech to change lives is endless and contagious. His egalitarian approach is inspiring. As chairman and CEO of Resmed, he is relentlessly committed to helping people sleep better, breathe better, and live longer, healthier lives. We’ll continue to take inspiration from his vision of life-changing medtech for all.” Farrell has served on the AdvaMed board of directors since 2015. He currently chairs the International Board Committee and recently joined an AdvaMed CEO delegation to Japan focused on medtech and healthy aging. He also contributed to several board committees and working groups. “It’s a privilege to follow in the footsteps of leaders like Mike Minogue, Ashley McEvoy and Pete Arduini, who each brought powerful focus to our shared goal of putting patients first, driving innovation, and shaping a better future for health care,” Farrell said. “As chair, I’ll build on that foundation. I’m focused on accelerating patient-first innovation, advancing digital transformation, and expanding global access to medtech. That means supporting policies that enable care to be delivered everywhere, from hospitals to homes, and personalizing that care for every individual. Together, we can share what’s next in health care, and I’m excited to get to work.”  

BFLOW Solutions debuts new logo in nod to tech transformation 

FRESNO, Calif. - BFLOW Solutions has debuted a new logo. The company, which offers home medical equipment (HME) software, says the new logo represents a new direction powered by artificial intelligence (AI). “We’ve transformed from large, traditional development teams to lean, AI-enhanced teams that can accomplish in months what once took years,” it stated. “This shift hasn’t changed who we are –it’s made us more efficient, more agile and more focused on what matters most: simplifying your workflow while maintaining the process you trust.” The new logo’s U-turn represents the company’s ability to balance innovation without disrupting what already works, it says. BFLOW will have new merch – hats, T-shirts and more – available soon. “Our new look reflects our energy, our forward-thinking spirit and our commitment to continuous improvement,” the company stated. “The best is yet to come.” BFLOW was founded in 2016. 

New PBM bill reintroduced in the House of Representatives 

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) supports Pharmacists Fight Back Act, a bill reintroduced Dec. 11 that aims to address pharmacy reimbursement and provide significant penalties for pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) violations. The bill, reintroduced by Reps. Jake Auchincloss, D-Mass., James Comer, R-Ky., and Diana Harshbarger, R-Tenn., joins other significant PBM reform bills that are currently pending in Congress, such as the PBM Reform Act (H.R. 4317) and the PBM Price Transparency and Accountability Act (S. 3345). “With this legislation and the other legislative proposals introduced in Congress, legislators have many options at their disposal to check the PBMs — and no reason to delay,” says NCPA CEO Douglas Hoey. “PBM reform would rein in the big health insurance lobby, make prescription drugs more affordable for consumers, and throw a lifeline to the thousands of small, family-owned pharmacies that are on the brink of closure. We are continuing to push hard, along with our allies, for Congress to finalize PBM reform legislation and send it to the president’s desk as soon as possible.” Among other things, Pharmacists Fight Back Act would: 

• Reform payments in federal health programs — including Medicare, Medicaid, and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program — by requiring reimbursements that are based on acquisition costs and fair dispensing fees 
• Ban patient steering and allow for patients to choose their pharmacy 
• Redirect PBM rebates to the patients and plan sponsors to decrease premiums. 

Auchincloss, Comer and Harshbarger led the reintroduction of the Pharmacists Fight Back Act with a press conference on the lawn of the Capitol where they were also joined by cosponsoring Reps. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., Sanford Bishop, D-Ga., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., as well as pharmacists from 17 states across the country. The representatives and pharmacists spoke on the challenges pharmacists deal with daily and the dire need for PBM reform. 

NC governor orders state to restore Medicaid reimbursement 

RALEIGH, N.C. - Gov. Josh Stein is directing the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) to restore Medicaid reimbursement rates to Sept. 30, 2025, levels. The governor’s office says the legislature’s failure to fully fund Medicaid forced cuts to the program in October and the months-long budget stalemate between the legislative chambers has resulted in a wave of litigation against the state. It says recent court orders have made it untenable to continue with rate reductions. “North Carolinians who rely on Medicaid are suffering because the General Assembly has failed to fully fund the program," Stein said. "NCDHHS is restoring rates because the courts have required doing so, but the $319 million funding gap remains. The General Assembly must act to fully fund Medicaid and protect health care for more than 3 million North Carolinians." The governor’s office says without legislative action to fill the gap, Medicaid is projected to exhaust its funding before the end of the fiscal year, jeopardizing care for more than 3 million North Carolinians.  North Carolina’s providers, health plans and health care advocates are standing with Governor Stein and urging the legislature to make good on their promise to fully fund Medicaid. "We thank Gov. Stein for reversing Medicaid reimbursement cuts – an encouraging step toward stability for providers and the patients who depend on them," said Josh Dobson, president & CEO of North Carolina Healthcare Association. "As Medicaid continues to face financial pressures, we stand ready to work with the Governor and General Assembly on immediate and long-term solutions to strengthen healthcare delivery across North Carolina."