Mental Healthcare

How Affordability Challenges Reveal Care Disparities for ESI Members

January 31, 2024 - Employees in employer-sponsored health plans face significant care disparities based on income, sexual orientation, and race that influence health outcomes for each group, a report from Morgan Health uncovered. Researchers assessed 2021 data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), National Study on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), and the...

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UnitedHealthcare Platform Improves Member Access to Well-being Programs

by Victoria Bailey

UnitedHealthcare has launched a platform to facilitate member access to health and well-being programs and lower costs for employers. The UHC Hub offers a network of more than 20 health and well-being...

Humana Foundation Grants $1M to Address Food Insecurity, Mental Health

by Victoria Bailey

Humana’s philanthropic arm, the Humana Foundation, has awarded research grants totaling $1 million to three universities that will go toward improving food security and mental health in their...

Medicare ACO Enrollment Did Not Improve Mental Healthcare Outcomes

by Victoria Bailey

Medicare beneficiaries newly enrolled in accountable care organizations (ACOs) did not see any improvements in their depression and anxiety symptoms, suggesting Medicare ACOs may need better incentives...

How Can Payers Support Providers Through Workforce Challenges?

by Victoria Bailey

Although they likely existed before, the COVID-19 pandemic both highlighted and exacerbated workforce challenges among healthcare providers. Providers have implored federal leaders and agencies to increase support and resources as they...

Finances, Mental Health Concerns Impact Adults’ Wellbeing, Cigna Finds

by Victoria Bailey

Americans are feeling more optimistic about their wellbeing than last year, but financial concerns and mental health challenges are still negatively impacting their health, according to a report from...

3 Ways That Large Employers Influence Health Insurance Costs, Coverage

by Kelsey Waddill

Traditionally, health insurance companies have been the face of the payer industry, for better or for worse. But companies have incredible sway in the health insurance world, particularly large employers. Employers offer and manage...

Does Medicaid Managed Care Impact Specialty Care Access for Kids?

by Victoria Bailey

Medicaid managed care enrollment was not associated with poorer specialty care access for children with special healthcare needs, but it was tied to greater caregiver frustration and reduced mental...

Mortality Rates Among Women and Children Are Rising, UHG Report Finds

by Victoria Bailey

Mortality rates among women and children grew between 2018 and 2021, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing preventive care and public health interventions, a report from the United Health...

Anthem Blue Cross Grants CA Orgs $1.2M to Address Mental Health

by Victoria Bailey

Anthem Blue Cross Foundation has awarded $1.2 million in grants to five California-based organizations that focus on addressing mental health and substance use disorders in surrounding...

Employers Grapple with Workforce Mental Health Needs Post-Pandemic

by Kelsey Waddill

Mental health has been a primary focus for employers following the peak of COVID-19. As the pandemic becomes more manageable, large employers are implementing strategies to address access to care, burnout, and quality of mental healthcare,...

Biden Admin Proposes Mental Health Parity in Private Health Plans

by Victoria Bailey

The Biden-Harris Administration has proposed a rule to improve access to mental healthcare for privately insured Americans by establishing mental health parity requirements. The rule supports the...

CA, KY Expand Behavioral Health Services Through Mobile Crisis Teams

by Victoria Bailey

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved proposals to expand behavioral health services for Medicaid beneficiaries in California and Kentucky through community-based mobile...

How Mental and Behavioral Health Disparities Impact Adults, Youth

by Victoria Bailey

Mental and behavioral health disparities disproportionately impact racial minority groups, people with disabilities, and those who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual, a report from UnitedHealth...

Medicare Advantage Plans Have Narrow Psychiatrist Networks, Study Finds

by Victoria Bailey

Psychiatrist networks in Medicare Advantage plans are narrower than those in Medicaid managed care and Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans, according to a study published in Health Affairs. As demand for...

Humana Foundation Supports Initiative to End Veteran Suicide

by Victoria Bailey

The Humana Foundation is supporting a new initiative that aims to reduce veteran suicide and promote mental healthcare. USAA and the USAA Foundation established the Face the Fight initiative to raise...

Members with Anxiety, Depression Face Higher Out-of-Pocket Spending

by Kelsey Waddill

Individuals with depression, anxiety, or both who are enrolled in large employer-sponsored health plans have higher out-of-pocket spending than individuals without such diagnoses, according to an issue...

BCBSA Will Invest $10M to Address Youth Mental Health Crisis

by Victoria Bailey

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) has partnered with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to address the youth mental health crisis by increasing access to trauma-informed care. “The...

Blue Cross MN Commercial Plans Will Cover Peer Support Specialists

by Victoria Bailey

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross) is improving member access to mental health resources by adding coverage of peer support specialists to commercial plans next year. “As the...

BCBSTX Provider Network Expansion Improves Behavioral Healthcare Access

by Victoria Bailey

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) is improving behavioral healthcare access for members with an expanded provider network and additional telehealth offerings. After the payer expanded its...

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