Tag: Consumer / Employer

Talkspace Launches New Mental Health Portal for Employers

Talkspace Launches New Mental Health Portal for Employers

MedCity News

Virtual behavioral health provider Talkspace unveiled a new product Thursday that provides employers with access to a library of mental health resources that they can share with employees.
New York City-based Talkspace serves employers, payers and consumers, and provides self-guided mental health programs, therapy and psychiatry. Its new product, Talkspace Engage, aims to help employers promote their mental health benefits to their employees, a challenge that many companies struggle with, said Erin Boyd, chief growth officer of enterprise at Talkspace. “One resounding common theme that we heard among [employers] was that, ‘I don’t know how to get people to use these benefits…

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Health Transformation Alliance Teams up With Cognoa for Autism Diagnostic Device

Health Transformation Alliance Teams up With Cognoa for Autism Diagnostic Device

MedCity News

The Health Transformation Alliance (HTA), a group of nearly 60 large employers, announced Thursday it is partnering with pediatric behavioral health company Cognoa for its diagnostic device for autism.
HTA is a cooperative of self-insured employers, including Walgreens, CocaCola, Verizon and American Express. Palo Alto, California-based Cognoa, meanwhile, is a developer of AI-based technologies for early diagnosis of children with developmental and behavioral health conditions. Its Canvas Dx product is authorized by the Food and Drug Administration and assists healthcare providers in diagnosing autism spectrum disorder for children ages 18 months through 72 months. The product is the first of its sort…

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BCBS Tennessee Unveils Health Disparities in First Health Equity Report

BCBS Tennessee Unveils Health Disparities in First Health Equity Report

MedCity News

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee unveiled its first Health Equity Report Tuesday, which analyzed six topics of health disparities: behavioral health, cancer, child and adolescent care, chronic condition management, Covid-19 and maternal health.
The report serves as a way to understand the inequities that exist among its members to determine ways the payer can address the disparities, said Dr. Andrea Willis, chief medical officer of BCBS Tennessee. “We wanted to get a better picture of the health issues and barriers to care faced by our members and Tennesseans as a whole, so that we could more effectively partner with health care providers to…

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HHS Aims To Reduce Prescription Drug Costs Through 3 New Models

HHS Aims To Reduce Prescription Drug Costs Through 3 New Models

MedCity News

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) unveiled three new models Tuesday that will be tested by the CMS Innovation Center and aim to lower prescription drug costs. The models include access to $2 generic drugs.
The news is in response to President Joe Biden’s executive order issued in October, which directed HHS to find ways to lower prescription drug costs and improve access to drug therapies for those enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid health plans. The models are meant to build on the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which includes allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices for…

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Healthcare and Gen X: 4 Things Marketers Need to Get Right

Healthcare and Gen X: 4 Things Marketers Need to Get Right

MedCity News

When it comes to healthcare marketing, Generation X once again gets the short end of the attention stick.
Overshadowed by boomers—a prime target for healthcare advertising dollars as they age and require more care—and Millennials—the holy grail audience for the emerging health-tech industry—Gen X’s unique healthcare needs and position often leave its members underserved and mostly ignored. This oversight is a massive missed opportunity for healthcare marketers. First off, Gen X is at the height of its spending potential. Its U.S. population of 65 million has saved a collective $13 trillion and owns 29% of the nation’s household wealth (versus just 6.4%…

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Few Managed Care Plans Have Current Contact Info for Medicaid Members as Redeterminations Loom

Few Managed Care Plans Have Current Contact Info for Medicaid Members as Redeterminations Loom

MedCity News

Just about one-third of managed care plans have verified or current contact information for between 76% and 100% of their Medicaid members, a recent survey found. 
The news comes as the Medicaid continuous enrollment provision is set to expire March 31 due to the Consolidated Appropriations Act. The requirement was part of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and banned states from disenrolling people from Medicaid during the public health emergency (although the Consolidated Appropriations Act separated the requirement from the PHE, which will end in May). Starting April 1, states can resume disenrollments and Medicaid enrollees will have to undergo the…

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Where Are All the Patients?

Where Are All the Patients?

MedCity News

It’s no secret that patient enrollment is one of clinical research’s biggest hurdles. According to an analysis of trials listed, 55% of terminated trials were ended because of low patient enrollment. The analysis also reported that Phase III and Phase IV trials have an enrollment efficiency of less than 40%. Yet another analysis found more than 80% of studies do not enroll on time, often leading to a study extension or additional research sites.
The problem isn’t just enrollment, it’s also the enrollment of diverse patients. Racial and ethnic minorities, specifically Black or African American, Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous and Native American, Asian, Native…

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Caraway, Ash Wellness Launch Partnership to Combat Rise in STIs on College Campuses

Caraway, Ash Wellness Launch Partnership to Combat Rise in STIs on College Campuses

MedCity News

In order to catch the attention of reporters, companies often look for creative news hooks to tie their announcements to. Two companies have decided to use Valentine’s Day to forward their message of sexually transmitted infection prevention. How romantic!
Digital health startup Caraway Health is teaming up with at-home testing company Ash Wellness to provide STI kits for those aged 18 to 27, the companies announced Tuesday. New York City-based Caraway provides mental, physical and reproductive health services for Gen-Z populations, with a particular focus on women and people assigned female at birth. It offers an app that enables users to access its…

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