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Raludotatug deruxtecan demonstrates antitumor activity and manageable safety in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.

Raludotatug Deruxtecan Demonstrates Promising Efficacy, Safety in Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer

The case shows how such cardiac involvement can mimic neurologic disease and demand complex, multidisciplinary management.

Rare Case of Soft Tissue Sarcoma Spreading to the Heart Highlights Diagnostic, Therapeutic Challenges

As open enrollment begins November 1, 2025, millions are signing up under enhanced subsidies that are set to expire at the end of this year.

5 Consequences If ACA Premium Subsidies End in 2026

®). She joined the AJMC team in 2021, where she produces written and video content covering multiple disease states.

She has a BA in journalism & media studies from Rutgers University. You can connect with Hayden on 

Despite social media frenzy, there is limited evidence around testosterone’s impact on muscle, mood, and other menopausal symptoms.

Jury Still Out on Testosterone Benefit to Menopause

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Compendium

, we have an insightful discussion to mark National Recovery Month and are joined by 2 leading experts in the addiction and recovery space: Matthew O. Hurford, MD, president/CEO, Community Care Behavioral Health Managed Care Organization, and vice president, Behavioral Health, UPMC Insurance Services Division, and Michael Lynch, MD, associate professor of emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and an attending emergency physician and medical toxicologist at 

Together, they are at the forefront of advancing 

 management and treatment and reducing the pervasive stigma surrounding the disease we call addiction. Among the topics we hit on are the 4 crucial dimensions of recovery—health, home, purpose, and community—and the understanding that addiction is a brain disease, not a moral failing. We also discuss the challenges and opportunities they encounter in providing behavioral health services to millions of Pennsylvanians.

Listen above or on one of these podcast services:

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, experts discuss behavioral health services, stigma reduction, and the 4 dimensions of recovery.

Transforming Addiction Care: From Stigma to Support 

A recent national analysis commissioned by the Path Forward coalition reveals promising but disparate progress in expanding access to the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM). Anna Bobb, MPH, executive director of the Path Forward coalition, which unites health care stakeholders around actionable solutions to expand equitable access to 

 care, discusses how the proven, team-based approach that integrates mental health screening, treatment, and psychiatric consultation directly into primary care can help address the current mental health crisis.

, conducted by an independent global data firm for the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, examined 5 years of claims data for 219 million Americans, representing nearly two-thirds of the US population. It found a 10-fold increase in the use of the CoCM among commercially insured individuals from 2018 to 2023. Despite this growth, access remains limited: only an estimated 100,000 people with commercial insurance received care through the CoCM last year, representing less than 1% of the nearly 60 million adults and children with mild to moderate mental health conditions who could benefit.

The CoCM is available in all 50 states and has been shown to reduce depression recovery times 7-fold and improve patient outcomes through a collaborative team led by primary care providers and supported by behavioral health care managers and psychiatric consultants. More than 90 randomized controlled trials have demonstrated its effectiveness, yet start-up costs and uneven reimbursement remain major barriers to widespread adoption.

Path Forward, in partnership with the Meadows Institute and the American Psychiatric Association, released supporting materials, including 

 of coverage, and urged lawmakers to pass the bipartisan COMPLETE Care Act. This 

 would boost Medicare reimbursement for the CoCM, helping overcome initial implementation costs.

Explore how the Collaborative Care Model enhances mental health access in this episode featuring Anna Bobb, MPH, executive director of the Path Forward coalition. 

Why Collaborative Care Is the Path Forward for Mental Health Care: Anna Bobb, MPH

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, Jim Kinville, MA, licensed clinician and senior director of Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) at the 

 (UPMC), spotlights the important role mental well-being plays in the workplace. 

 episode, he addresses how employers can approach 

 holistically, considering multiple dimensions: emotional, physical, social, spiritual, environmental, financial, and overall well-being. A culture of openness, transparency, and communication in the workplace, especially among C-suite leaders, is key. Kinville notes that health care workers, in particular, require proactive support due to the stressful nature of their jobs. He also emphasizes the importance of regular employee feedback and engagement to tailor wellness programs effectively.

Kinville brings more than 35 years of clinical experience and involvement in mental health and employee assistance to his role within the division of Workpartners

 at UPMC, where he’s been for 10 years.

“I've been around the mental health and mental well-being space for quite a few years, and it is exciting in our current day and age that there's been more attention and more positivity brought to us about what mental health is and what mental health isn't,” Kinville says. “And what's exciting is our employers are a big part of that.”

He delves into mental health in the health care space, reflecting on supportive approaches.

“If we're not 100% in our own personal lives and what we're doing for ourselves, we can't be 100% to others that we're helping,” Kinville says. “So, I think it's important that organizations that are in the helping profession have a great policy, have a great program, and are really looking ahead at what other ways we can provide that support to employees. What are the ways that we can pick up the signs and the behaviors of somebody who might be struggling, and we can reach out and offer some assistance, or maybe give them a break?”

Explore how employers enhance workplace mental health by fostering a culture of support and engagement, focusing on holistic well-being strategies in this interview with Jim Kinville, MA, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Mental Health Awareness: Transforming Workplace Support and Engagement

speaks with Larragem Raines, MS, director of research at the 

She also defines dynamic pricing and explains how it is incorporated into the MDD value model, topics she expands upon in a recent 

Looking ahead, Raines discusses the potential of 

 (AI) to improve diagnosis, treatment, and 

Larragem Raines, MS, of the Center for Innovation & Value Research, discusses the organization's major depressive disorder (MDD) open-source value model, dynamic pricing, and the future role of artificial intelligence in care.

Inside the Center's MDD Value Model and Its Use of Dynamic Pricing

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with Allison Ju-Chen Hu, PhD, a postdoctoral associate in the Department of Population Health Sciences at Weill Cornell Medicine.

, "Medicaid Managed Care Network Adequacy Standards and Mental Health Care Access," examined the association between quantitative network adequacy standards and 

 care access among adult Medicaid enrollees, including those with mental health conditions.

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with the author of a study published in the January 2025 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® to examine the association between quantitative network adequacy standards and mental health care access among adult Medicaid enrollees.

Unlocking Access: Exploring Mental Health Care Among Medicaid Managed Care Enrollees

 relaunches its Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity podcast series in 2025 with a focus on improving 

The Greater Philadelphia Business Coalition on Health

, which featured discussions on how employers can understand the mental health needs of the workforce, build a culture around health, and explore innovative treatment approaches. This episode offers a deep dive into psychedelic-assisted therapy with Jessica Tracy, who spoke at the event. Her presentation, Revolutionizing Mental Health with Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy, set the stage for employers and unions that want to support the mental health of their employees and address access barriers to evidence-based ketamine treatments.

Tracy serves as the head of Growth and Partnerships at 

, a company dedicated to improving mental health by providing innovative psychedelic-assisted treatment services that can be integrated into existing benefits plans, therefore facilitating greater access to these therapies.

Previous episodes of Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity:

Pharmacy Support for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Jessica Tracy, head of Growth and Partnerships at Enthea, shares how employers and unions can support mental health and address access barriers to evidence-based ketamine treatments.

Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity: Accessing Ketamine-Assisted Therapy

To help celebrate and recognize National Recovery Month, we are bringing you another limited-edition month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, 

. Welcome to our fourth episode and our discussion with Amy Herschell, PhD, associate vice president, Program Implementation and Evaluation, Community Care Behavioral Health Organization, part of the UPMC Insurance Services Division, and Jessica Meyers, MSEd, senior advisor for implementation, UPMC Center for High-Value Health Care.

National Recovery Month serves as a critical opportunity to address disparities in behavioral health care, especially in rural and underserved communities, areas that often face challenges like limited access to care, which highlights the need for funding to help reduce administrative burdens and support interventions tailored to these communities’ unique needs. In this conversation, we discuss why collaborative payer-provider-community relationships are essential in implementing grant-funded initiatives that integrate physical and behavioral health care, helping to ensure that programs remain sustainable beyond initial funding, and how, as we look ahead, National Recovery Month can drive future efforts by spotlighting successful initiatives and inspiring continued funding for innovative health solutions.

We hope you learn something new from this series, and we look forward to bringing you future episodes. Please tune in next Monday for our final episode in this series.

September is National Recovery Month, and we are bringing you another limited-edition month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. In our fourth episode, we speak with Amy Herschell, PhD, and Jessica Meyers, MSEd.

Uplifting Rural Communities

 podcast series Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity, Chris Barton, LCSW, the senior director of Integrated Systems of Care & Network Innovation at 

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey

, discusses the Youth Behavioral Health Strategy program at Horizon.

The program focuses on addressing the specific needs of youth with mental health and substance use issues through a comprehensive approach structured around 5 key pillars: prevention, early identification and intervention, whole child care, parent and support systems, and community engagement. Launched in response to the escalating youth mental health crisis, exacerbated by factors like social isolation, the program has been operational for 2 years, emphasizing both community-based and virtual resources tailored to meet the needs of youth and their supporting family members. 

This includes intensive outpatient treatments, cognitive behavioral therapy, and virtual platforms like MindCare to enhance accessibility, especially for underserved populations. Horizon's initiative aims to not only mitigate immediate mental health challenges but also foster long-term support and resilience among youth and their families.

Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity episodes:

Chris Barton, LCSW, of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, explores how the Youth Behavioral Health Strategy program focuses on addressing the specific needs of youth with mental health and substance use issues through a comprehensive approach.

Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity: Youth Behavioral Health Strategy Program

. Welcome to our third episode and our discussion with Kim MacDonald-Wilson, ScD, CPRP, senior program director, Recovery and Wellness Transformation, and Tracy Carney, CPS, CPRP, senior recovery and resiliency specialist, both at Community Care Behavioral Health Organization, part of the UPMC Insurance Services Division.

There are many paths to recovery, and peer support is an integral component for everyone involved in this process, for both mental health and substance use disorders. In our conversation, we delve into some of the challenges encountered during the lifelong process of recovery, address the vital importance of involving individuals in their recovery plans vs compelling their recovery to fit into a well-defined box, and share success stories that illustrate the critical importance of peer support to this community.

We hope you learn something new from this series, and we look forward to bringing you future episodes. Please tune in each Monday in September for a new episode drop.

UPMC

September is National Recovery Month, and we are bringing you another limited-edition month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. In this third episode, we speak with Kim MacDonald-Wilson, ScD, CPRP, and Tracy Carney, CPS, CPRP.

Healing Wounds Through Peer Support

Welcome to our second episode and our discussion with:

Rebekah Sedlock, DSW, LCSW, project director of substance use disorder services and recovery, Community Care Behavioral Health, part of the UPMC Insurance Services Division; and

Mandy Fauble, PhD, LCSW, director of clinical care services, UPMC Western Behavioral Health at Safe Harbor.

In our conversation, we address the complex interplay between mental health conditions and substance use disorders, the innovation behind harm-reduction vending machines, the potential roadblocks Pennsylvania’s Medicaid members may encounter when attempting to access health care treatment for their mental health conditions and substance use disorders, the importance of giving all patients a voice in their treatment to enable them to achieve and sustain recovery, and so much more.

September is National Recovery Month, and we are bringing you another limited-edition month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. In this second episode, we speak with Rebekah Sedlock, DSW, LCSW, and Mandy Fauble, PhD, LCSW.

Providing Patients a Voice in Their Recovery

New research highlights rising opioid use disorder (OUD) diagnoses among youth, emphasizing the need for improved screenings and mental health support.

With New OUD Diagnoses on the Rise, More Comprehensive Screenings Needed

National data show adults struggling to afford energy bills face over twice the odds of depression and anxiety.

Energy Insecurity Linked to Higher Depression, Anxiety in US Adults

The Hearing Loss Association of America advocates for early hearing loss detection, addressing mental health, and improving accessibility to enhance quality of life.

Empowering Lives by Addressing Hearing Loss Comorbidities: A Q&A With Barbara Kelley

Digital tools help prevent burnout, anxiety, and exhaustion among health care workers.

AI Tools Reduce Burnout in Health Care Workers

Online racial discrimination, bias, and trauma are linked to anxiety and depression in Black adolescents. 

Online Race-Related Experiences Impact Mental Health in Black Youth

Digital, Blood-Based Innovations Transform Alzheimer Disease Detection: Ken Cohen, MD, FACP

As digital and blood-based screening tools emerge, Alzheimer disease (AD) detection is becoming more accessible and accurate than ever, explains Ken Cohen, MD, FACP, executive director of translational research, Optum Health. These groundbreaking innovations can streamline early diagnosis and care, and even spark complex conversations about patient 

, privacy, and the value of knowing one’s risk.

This transcript has been lightly edited; captions were auto-generated.

With new blood-based and digital screening tools emerging, how do you see innovation shaping the future of AD detection?

That's a fascinating question. In terms of the digital tools for cognitive assessment, ideally, these would be done in the home prior to the visit. Just as a matter of efficiency, so patients can arrive with their cognitive score. I think that would be helpful, but I think the discussion around biomarkers is really the most important discussion. By and large, patients aren't familiar with these at all, and frankly, primary care physicians are just becoming familiar with them. They have a huge benefit in that they are highly accurate in making a diagnosis of Alzheimer disease. They can supplant very expensive Alzheimer PET scans with what appear to be equal diagnostic accuracy, so clearly they play a role. 

They also have the potential to engender a huge amount of anxiety for patients in terms of anxiety about future cognitive decline, what friends and families will perceive, privacy issues, and very often, patients still view the treatment options as limited and therefore question if there is value in making a diagnosis for a disease for which there is limited therapy. There's a lot of push and pull in this discussion in terms of things that are clearly of benefit but things that cause anxiety for patients as well. We have not positioned screening up front.

Where we have positioned the biomarker screening, specifically the pTau217, is once a diagnosis of cognitive decline has been made, we then stage the degree of cognitive decline, and if patients have moderate to severe disease, we put them directly into a care management program. But if they have MCI [mild cognitive impairment] or mild disease, that's where we have a conversation with them about the availability of monoclonal antibody therapy. If they are considering monoclonal antibody therapy, that's the point at which we get a pTau217 to make certain that we've established the correct diagnosis. We also do an APOE4 [apolipoprotein E4] at that point, because we know that individuals who have a homozygosity for APOE4 have a much higher incidence of hemorrhage and edema with the monoclonal antibodies. That also has to go into the informed decision-making around which patients should be treated or not treated.

Videos

Ken Cohen, MD, FACP, discusses how new cognitive assessment tools are improving Alzheimer disease diagnosis. 

Mental Health

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