HHS announces new Affordable Care Act options for community-based care

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 26, 2012 Contact: HHS Press Office (202) 690-6343 Medicaid and Medicare introduce greater flexibility for beneficiaries to receive care at home or in settings of their choice

New opportunities in Medicaid and Medicare that will allow people to more easily receive care and services in their communities rather than being [...]

New: GAO Report Identifies Mental Health Among Top Three Pre-Existing Conditions Leading to Denial of Insurance Coverage

Hypertension, mental health disorders and diabetes are the most commonly found medical conditions among adults that could lead to a health insurer denying coverage, the Government Accountability Office concluded in a new report about pre-existing conditions (PDF).

Iowa ACO launched in partnership between insurer and integrated health system

Agreement designed to enhance patient experience and slow cost increases April 26, 2012 DES MOINES, Iowa (April 26, 2012) – Today, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa announced a groundbreaking collaboration with Iowa Health System that creates Iowa’s first commercial health plan Accountable Care Organization (ACO). The new ACO focuses on coordinating [...]

SAMHSA Releases Mental Health 2010 Report

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) today released Mental Health, United States, 2010, the latest in a series of publications issued biannually by SAMHSA since 1980. Modeled after CDC’s annual report, Health, US, this new report includes mental health statistics at the national and State levels from 35 different data sources. [...]

Additional Coverage for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Won’t Hurt Employers, According to New Thomson Reuters Research

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Make up only 2.2% of Employer Health Spending

WASHINGTON, April 12, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) is unlikely to have a large effect on the growth rate of employer healthcare expenditures, according to two new studies conducted by researchers from [...]