Aug 16, 2019 | Managed Care Friday
1. 406: The number of responses to our recent caregiver story about the health impact of being a caregiver and what was most shocking was that about half came from those in healthcare, and the other half from educators or business owners, almost all of whom are struggling themselves to take care of their parents. The response is by far the biggest reaction to any one story in the 20 some years of this managed care column. Our full study will be published by 2020 and we will make every effort to incorporate everyone’s ideas. A teacher from Oregon said she wishes her dad trusted others. She...
Aug 9, 2019 | Managed Care Friday
1. 72: The percent of caregivers reporting mental stress and physical health declines. In our initial study on caregiver health we found that 91% of those caring for a senior family member with a condition like dementia, Alzheimer’s or cancer report mental stress, 75% report depression, 27% say they have gained weight, 19% say they have lost it, and 25% say they have been to the hospital or urgent care at least once for their own health event. 72% say their overall physical and mental health has declined since becoming more responsible for their mom or dad or relative, partly impacted by...
Aug 2, 2019 | Managed Care Friday
1. 59: Percent of school teachers and administrators in our poll of 1,306 last month who say 2 of their top 3 challenges they need help addressing in the next school year are health related—autism and mental health. 2. Jet Blues: The airline operator now will give its employees access to psychologists and psychiatrists 7 days a week at $20 a session. 3. Pre Approval Coming: BCBS of Texas will require pre approval starting at the end of August for genetic testing and sleep studies. Evicore will handle the decisions. 4. Lung Outcomes: Kramer took dog pills to treat his chronic respiratory...
Jul 26, 2019 | Managed Care Friday
1. New MA Plan 2020: Montifiore Health System and Oscar Health will create a joint Medicare Advantage plan in NYC starting in 2020 featuring individual and small groups plans for New Yorkers. It will be interesting to see two things – adoption of the plan as well as how well these models fare on a total cost of care basis vs. purely independent providers. 2. NW Blue Inks Deal With TalkSpace: Premara, the Blue plan in the upper northwest, wins in early votes as among the most favorable insurers for behavioral health. Case in point, it just signed a contract with the virtual counseling service...
Jul 19, 2019 | Managed Care Friday
1. 319: The number of high school students in our poll of 500 who said they have a friend who vapes. 2. In-Home Behavioral Coverage Kick Off: Starting this month, Blue Massachusetts now covers in-home behavioral health monitoring and therapy for those under 19, as well as intensive care coordination, community based treatment, mobile crisis intervention. 3. Transgender Boost: Transgender employees with the University of Michigan will now have new medical services covered starting this fall under a new BCBS policy here – procedures now covered include face and neck hair removal, facial...
Jun 28, 2019 | Managed Care Friday
1. 50: The percent of all lifetime cases of mental illness that begin by age 14. And 75% develop by age 24, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Talkspace, an online therapy company, now has a service for teens rather than just adults. With parental consent, teens can be connected with a licensed therapist in their state. By 2022 we think that the national telehealth community will get behind a change in policy to allow credentialed/licensed therapists to treat a patient outside their region. Full story here. 2. Surprising Episodes: There are some episodes that catch you by...
