A recent study found that 1 in 5 households were strapped with medical debt; hospitals and hospital systems in North Carolina proposed a way to expand Medicaid to hundreds of thousands of adults; the CDC reported that more adults sought mental health treatment in 2021 compared with 2019.
A study in published in JAMA Network Open found that 1 in 5 households are struggling with medical debt, which leaves them more vulnerable to food insecurity, eviction, and inability to pay for necessities, according to NBC News. The study also found that medical debt is the driver of health and financial inequalities in the United States, which emphasizes the need for reform. Uninsured people had the highest risk of medical debt but it was also common for those with private insurance, such as high deductible plans and Medicare Advantage.
Hospital systems and hospitals in North Carolina proposed a way to expand Medicaid to hundreds of thousands of low-income adults in the state in order to restart stalled negotiations. The offer was sent to Republican legislative leaders and to Governor Roy Cooper and included reforms to state laws that require regulatory approval before some medical buildings can be constructed or services offered in the region. An expansion bill was passed in the House earlier this year but did not include medical supply-side proposals that the Senate had wanted. House Speaker Tim Moore was appraising the offer before the General Assembly is scheduled to return on Tuesday.
The CDC released data that found that the percentage of adults receiving treatment for mental health has increased from 19.2% in 2019 to 21.6% in 2021. Adults aged 18 to 44 years were more likely to receive treatment, especially women in that age group. Adults who had received treatment were on medication for their mental health, had therapy from a mental health profession, or had both in the past 12 months.
Oncology Onward: A Conversation With Thyme Care CEO and Cofounder Robin Shah
October 2nd 2023Robin Shah, CEO of Thyme Care, which he founded in 2020 with Bobby Green, MD, president and chief medical officer, joins hosts Emeline Aviki, MD, MBA, and Stephen Schleicher, MD, MBA, to discuss his evolution as an entrepreneur in oncology care innovation and his goal of positively changing how patients experience the cancer system.
Listen
Contributor: More Informed Management of Preeclampsia Is Necessary
November 29th 2023At present, it is difficult for clinicians to identify patients at greatest risk for developing preeclampsia with severe features and tailor treatment plans for them; this difficulty increases costs significantly.
Read More
Insufficient Data, Disparities Plague Lung Cancer Risk Factor Documentation
September 24th 2023On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with the senior author of a study published in the September 2023 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® on the importance of adequate and effective lung cancer risk factor documentation to determine a patient's eligibility for screening.
Listen
Study Validates Smartphone Analysis for Predicting Obstructive Sleep Apnea
November 29th 2023Findings show breathing sounds recorded by smartphones during sleep at home can reliably identify obstructive sleep apnea, presenting an innovative and accessible alternative to traditional in-laboratory polysomnography.
Read More