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Addressing the Demand for Mental Health Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic
On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Gregory Harris, MD, MPH, DFAPA, senior medical director for behavioral health at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, about the challenges of meeting the demand for mental health service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented boom in telehealth use, especially when it comes to services provided for mental health. With the combined toll of a global pandemic, economic hardships, and protracted grief, Americans’ mental health has jumped to the forefront of the national conversation.
A recent analysis, published by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, illustrates this seismic shift in care delivery and demand for mental health services. Researchers compiled claims data from March through December of 2019 and compared it with the same time frame in 2020.
To learn more about the report’s findings and to understand the challenges of providing these services to patients during a pandemic, we spoke with Gregory Harris, MD, MPH, DFAPA, the senior medical director for behavioral health at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.
On this episode of Managed Care Cast, Harris describes his experience as a psychiatrist and offers some solutions to meet the growing demand for this field in the months and years following COVID-19.
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Despite Record ACA Enrollment, Report Reveals Underinsured Americans are in Crisis
November 21st 2024Despite significant progress in expanding health insurance coverage since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted, millions of Americans still face critical gaps in access and affordability to health care.
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Exploring Racial, Ethnic Disparities in Cancer Care Prior Authorization Decisions
October 24th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the author of a study published in the October 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® that explored prior authorization decisions in cancer care by race and ethnicity for commercially insured patients.
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Racial Inequities in Guideline-Adherent Breast Cancer Care and Timely Treatment
November 19th 2024Older non-Hispanic Black adults with early-stage breast cancer are less likely to receive timely treatment and guideline-concordant care, increasing their risk of death compared with non-Hispanic White women.
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Community Investment, Engagement Are Essential to Fully Address Cardiovascular Health Disparities
November 19th 2024Community-based researchers can teach clinicians a lot about how to best approach underserved populations disproportionately impacted by cardiovascular health complications.
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