War On Smoking Offers Some Lessons For Obesity Fight

By Judith Graham, Kaiser Health News

May 05, 2012

 This story was produced in collaboration with

Since first lady Michelle Obama made childhood obesity her signature project almost two years ago, the issue has had the kind of highly visible national leadership that it previously lacked.

But that isn’t enough, say public [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

Commonwealth Fund Report: States Actions Implementing Affordable Care Act’s Early Health Insurance Market Reforms

March 22, 2012

Contact(s):

Mary Mahon Public Information Officer TEL 212-606-3853, cell phone 917-225-2314, mm@cmwf.org

Jemma Weymouth TEL (301) 280-5706; jweymouth@burnesscommunications.com

March 22, 2012, New York, NY—As the second anniversary of the Affordable Care Act approaches, a new Commonwealth Fund report finds that 49 states and the District of Columbia have already taken action [...]

Health Insurance Exchange Final Rule: Impact on Behavioral Health

On March 12, HHS published a final rule on Affordable Health Insurance Exchanges. The Exchange final rule includes standards for:

The  establishment and operation of an Exchange Health insurance plans that participate in an Exchange Determinations of an individual’s eligibility to enroll in Exchange health plans and in insurance affordability programs Enrollment in health [...]

Affordable Care Act Demonstration to Expand Access to Emergency Psychiatric Care

New demonstration program to help States to improve the quality of care for patients with psychiatric emergency

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                              Contact: CMS Media Relations Group

March 13, 2012                                                                         (202) 690-6145

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced that 11 States and the District of Columbia will participate in [...]

Preserving the Safety Net: Behavioral Health Field Can Learn From Commonwealth Fund Report and Recommendations

The Commonwealth Fund released a report of recommendations aimed at preserving the fragile safety net. Specifically, the report addresses safety net hospitals that treat a disproportionate share of the indigent and uninsured populations. As the uninsured become insured (primarily via Medicaid expansion and health insurance exchanges) these facilities – like much of the mental health [...]

Inland Empire HIE Selects Orion Health For Community-Wide Health Information Exchange

  In yet another example of how health information is central to emerging business models and the realities of eHealth, this self-funded HIE will provide timely and secure access to patient data that will enable clinicians in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties to improve care for more than 4.1 million residents. Behavioral healthcare providers of [...]