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)...
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.
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.
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.
The era of volatile swings and double-digit growth in employer medical costs appears to be ending. With medical cost trend hovering in the single digits for several years, the industry has been waiting for the inflection point when spending will take off. But that spike appears unlikely to happen. The New Health Economy is settling into a “new normal,” typically characterized by more attenuated fluctuations and a single-digit trend.For four years, medical cost trend has hung between 6 and 7 percent, seeming to settle into a “new normal.” PwC’s Health Research Institute (HRI) anticipates a 6.5 percent growth rate for calendar year 2018, half a percentage point higher than in 2017.
Calculating future expenses stresses all managers and directors. In the ever-changing world of healthcare, making the time to accurately budget costs can cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, and palpitations. (Please do not operation heavy machinery while thinking about budgets.) Estimating the financial impact of the growing behavioral health gaps may be the final straw. Today's blog gathers data points from recent studies, reports, and presentations from around the healthcare industry and offers a starting point for your various budget models. Make the time to verify your models are sporting the most current data. Challenge your assumptions, because margins are thin and getting thinner.
The greatest need for mental health professionals are found in the more populated east coast and remote northern states. Large populations and rural settings significantly impact behavioral health staff shortages. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) released the most current data. The table shows the 10 states with the worst behavioral health professions clinical coverage, the national average, and the 10 states with the best BH coverage.
The largest health plans share more things in common than you might imagine. Striving for the high quality patient care comes to mind. How about striving for process efficiency? Absolutely. Integrating continuous improvements move these organizations ahead of the rest.
Healthcare spending is on the rise. The federal government has begun several initiatives to control costs, increase efficiency, and increase quality. Revisiting one of the ACA, Medical Loss Ratio.
Level of Care Guidelines are usually derived from generally accepted standards of behavioral health practice. These standards include guidelines and consensus statements produced by professional specialty societies, as well as guidance from governmental sources such as CMS’ National Coverage Determinations (NCDs) and Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs).