The Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, provides for expanded Medicaid coverage for low-income Americans. So far, 36 states and the District of Columbia have adopted Medicaid expansion. Current State of U.S. Medicaid Expansion ACA offers financial incentives for adopting the Medicaid expansion, but courts have ruled that the decision to expand Medicaid…
A new study suggests that Medicaid expansion can give low-income individuals better access to buprenorphine for opioid addiction. One concern about expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is that it will give patients increased access to addicting opioid medications. The new study results, published in Health Affairs, could help alleviate these concerns. Addiction…
A growing number of companies in various industries now employ remote workers, reducing workplace expenses, expanding opportunities, and even increasing productivity. Behavioral health is no exception to this movement, with the rise of telehealth allowing therapists and other clinicians to see patients remotely. The growing popularity of telehealth among both patients and providers makes it…
One main goal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is increased insurance coverage for low-income Americans. The ACA aimed to achieve this goal partly through the expansion of Medicaid to most U.S. adults at 138 percent of the federal poverty level. Although there are financial incentives for adopting the Medicaid expansion, the decision is still…
The early adoption of telemedicine, a term often used interchangeably with telehealth, has surpassed the early adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), survey results show. Telehealth is even finding favor with specialists who experience significant burnout. Telehealth platform company American Well reported at the ATA19 telehealth conference that physician adoption of telehealth increased 340 percent…
While it has not seen the devastating levels of opioid addiction as other states, California still faces the challenges of opioids and other addictions. Here are the behavioral health issues and solutions making headlines in the state. California Expands Addiction Treatment Program The “Hub and Spoke” system of addiction treatment involves regional treatment centers connected…
What practice management solutions are essential for behavioral health therapists and addiction treatment professionals? Here are the options that can help streamline your organization, increase your revenue, reduce your workload, and improve your patient care. Electronic Health Record (EHR) An EHR is more than just a digital version of a patient’s chart. It also allows…
Laura Mills, Ph.D. (QM, Psych) Director, Research & Evaluation, Pine River Institute When you are about to start measuring the impact of your work, you might first ask, ‘What measurement instrument is the best?’. Asking this question first, however, might result in your measuring factors that don’t resonate with your practice, or omitting factors that…
The Joint Commission, a non-profit organization that accredits nearly 21,000 U.S. healthcare organizations and programs, requires behavioral health organizations to assess patient outcomes with “a standardized tool or instrument.” This is intended to help “inform goals and objectives identified in individual plans of care, treatment, or services…as well as to evaluate outcomes of care, treatment,…
In a previous BestNotes blog post, we provided an overview of interoperability, what it looks like, and its history. But why does it matter specifically to behavioral health providers and those working in addiction treatment? Interoperability in Practice Because it facilitates communication, interoperability can benefit patients, providers, and payers in a variety of ways: Improved…