Nov 5, 2021 | Managed Care Friday
118: The amount of funding in millions that Workit Health recently raised for its telehealth SUD treatment. The venture funds of BCBS and CVS contributed, indicating continued interest from health plans on novel models for treating addiction. Workit currently offers SUD treatment in 10 states and plans to use the funding to expand to new markets. Seeing Straight: Arrhythmias and orthostatic hypertension can cause dizziness, panic disorders can lead to blurry vision and acute stress can cause a range of issues, including migraines, and The Department of Defense has put out a range of...
Oct 29, 2021 | Managed Care Friday
66: On a hunch, about two thirds of parents of children on the spectrum are, themselves, somewhere on the spectrum too, though the vast majority self reported that they were never formally diagnosed, according to a random exploration into ABA and autism diagnostic and treatment spending by Paula Ortiz, a recent college graduate who conducted the study for her Master’s degree in Rhode Island. Ortiz acknowledges this was just a random sampling of 100 and may not mean anything. She works two jobs to help pay for her degree, and raises a 6-year-old with significant verbal delays, and “so I...
Oct 22, 2021 | Managed Care Friday
850: Pacific Dental Services, the Irvine, CA based dental service organization, hasn’t just opened its 850th dental practice but it has launched a dental-medical practice with the opening of 3 practices - general dentistry, pediatric dentistry, and medical care - all in one Nevada location. All Bets Off Kenny Rogers: More payers are covering therapy for gamblers but not in every setting and not as restrictive as you might think. Excellus BCBS allows OP therapy for gamblers without pre-approval. Residential, partial hospitalization and inpatient services are thought to be investigational. ACT...
Oct 15, 2021 | Managed Care Friday
76: Percent of high school seniors polled here in my home town this past week who are reportedly going to pursue a career in nursing. Homeward Bound: SCAN Health Plan is offering a new type of plan for members who are homebound or reside in SNFs or assisted living, called the Embrace plan. The plan, an Institutional Special Needs plan for MA enrollees, will focus on allowing these members to remain in their homes or facilities while receiving care that would typically be provided in a doctor’s office or hospital. Enrollment in Embrace for calendar year 2022 begins on October 15, 2021....
Oct 8, 2021 | Managed Care Friday
112M: The cost savings BCBS of NC experienced through its partnership with laboratory benefit manager, Avalon Healthcare Solutions. Since initiating the partnership in 2017, Avalon helped move more lab services in-network and implemented pre-approval to ensure tests were medically necessary. There’s a growing focus on the “clinical utility” of lab tests. In 2020, 99% of all lab services were provided within BCBS NC’s network, compared to 86% in 2017. Good Genes: Beginning January 2022, BCBS Michigan will begin allowing genetic counselors to join their network and receive direct...
Oct 1, 2021 | Managed Care Friday
1M: Blue Shield California’s community investment to help the California Department of Education expand support for youth mental and behavioral health services within the state’s public school system. California’s Department of Education specifically needs help expanding access to preventive programming, scaling youth mental health training for educators, and creating a statewide Medi-Cal technical assistance guide to help more families access mental and behavioral health services across the state. Papa Does Preach: Maybe Madonna had it wrong after all. A senior companionship company, Papa,...
