Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs: Lessons From 9 States
The CDC released a report Integrating & Expanding Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Data: Lessons from Nine States detailing a promising strategy for addressing the prescription opioid overdose epidemic. The study focused on improving the use of prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs)…
Medicaid Under-Utilization Group Demographics: Where’s Growth?
Possible opportunities for growth, for payers and providers connected with the Medicaid systems in eligible states, exist in the continually low enrollments in Medicaid Savings Programs. The Medicaid under-utilization group demographics emerged through a recently released report from Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC).
Injured Worker Compensation Claims Uncover Relief
The results from a recently released report identified promising results in some of 26 state workers’ compensation systems. Using data comprising over 400,000 nonsurgical injured worker compensation claims with more than seven days of lost time, and over 2 million prescriptions are associated with these claims from 26 states, a new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) observed considerable decreases in the prevalence of longer-term dispensing of opioids to injured workers in a number of states studied.
Opioid Use Drops 32% Over 3 Years
Blue Shield of California saw opioid use drop among its plan participants with non-cancer pain during the first two years of the health plan’s Narcotic Safety Initiative, a three-year program to help its members avoid opioid abuse and addiction.
Autism Care Costs: Healthcare’s Perfect Storm
Autism care costs balance in the middle of many competing issues and agendas leaving payers, providers, and consumers trying to sort out the facts from fictions. The size of the funding pie “…over the next 10 years [is] about a half a million youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) will enter adulthood. The majority of the costs in the U.S. health care systems for ASD are directed at the adult population: $175 to $196 billion for adults compared to $61 to $66 billion for children.” writes Monica Oss, CEO, Open Minds.
Cyber-attacks: Not A Matter Of “If”, But “When”
The KPMG 2017 Cyber Healthcare & Life Sciences Survey of providers and health plans found a dramatic rise in computer system breaches, cyber-attacks, and data compromises, which include patient records, over the past two years. Despite that increase, more executives, who oversee protecting patient records and other information, say they are better prepared than two years ago to protect themselves against cyber-attacks.
Insurance Coverage Improve Health Outcomes In Four Ways: NEJM
The national debate over the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has involved substantial discussion about what effects — if any — insurance coverage has on health and mortality. Health plans play a leadership role in healthcare reforms. While debate continues, a recent piece in the New England Journal of Medicine answers one main question. Does having insurance coverage improve health outcomes?
Health Plans Create Best Practices: New Opioid Crisis Report
Health plans create best practices and lead with concrete strategies for preventing opioid overuse. The Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP) recently issued a report detailing the innovations and best practices of its member Health Plans in their efforts to combat opioid misuse and overuse. The opioid epidemic led to an estimated 33,000 deaths and more than 300,000 emergency room visits in 2015, and recognized as a subject of intense debate on Capitol Hill and in statehouses around the country.
Key Payer Competitive Differentiator: Analytics
Many health plans are facing uncertainties: the changing health insurance landscape, the speed at which value–based care is approaching, and growing demands from customers, to name a few. But one investment may help executives meet each of these challenges—an investment in analytics. Health plans are data rich, yet those data are not always leveraged to understand what happened and why, or predict what is likely to happen. Health plans that don’t take advantage of their data may risk being disrupted and left behind. Analytics can be a key payer competitive differentiator setting your organization ahead of the pack.
Health Systems Financial Futures at Risk: New National Survey Results
According to a new report, prominent factors are challenging small hospitals and health systems financial futures and notes organizations can address these obstacles through a transformation leading to a competitive advantage and better health outcomes for patients.