Employers

A value-based care team approach can be utilized to adequately treat patients’ medical problems, particularly by addressing the social, economic, and environmental challenges they’re facing in their everyday lives.

With a marked increase in virtual care use amid the COVID-19 pandemic, several strategies can continue to evolve its effectiveness and adoption. This includes addressing disparities in usage among older populations and underserved communities, as well as improving home monitoring and interoperability.

To adapt to a new requirement this year for all US hospitals to publicly post the costs for treatment services under every insurance plan, health systems should be prepared to field the range of questions that consumers may ask on issues such as outcomes data and cost for prospective services.

Citing 2021 as the year of the pharmacist, this year's CVS Health’s Health Trends Report discusses pressing issues for pharmacists to monitor, including availability of COVID-19 vaccines to communities nationwide, as well as integration of telehealth and behavioral health services.

In preparing for the upcoming implementation of the Interoperability and Patient Access final rule by CMS, best practices for health plans include prioritizing data mapping, sensitivity codes for privacy, and consumer-friendly language in accessible data for patients.

A survey found that 42% of US working adults were more stressed or anxious in the past year about taking a sick day to care for themselves or someone else compared with years past, with 1 sick day currently associated with a $227 earnings loss.

The Midwest Business Group on Health's program this week on behavioral health will explore strategies that employers have implemented to address rising anxiety and financial stressors in the workforce amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

An article by Willis Towers Watson discusses how employers are supporting their respective workforce amid the pandemic, with education of approved vaccines and effective communication channels with state and local health departments referenced as key actions to be taken at this time.

In addition to coronavirus disease 2019, several other factors will play a major role in health care policy reform for federal and state-level health officials this year, including the transition to value-based care and containment of high health care costs.

Humana and IBM Watson Health collaboration to streamline access to accurate information on benefits and health care costs for Humana employer group members, agents, and employers.

Several initiatives help to provide free clinical research and education to promote diversity and inclusion in clinical trials, as well as to spotlight and destigmatize mental health issues, noted Angela Colon-Mahoney, MS, Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Inc.

A survey by Willis Towers Watson found that nearly half of employer onsite and near-site health centers expanded virtual care services during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, including in chronic condition management and behavioral health.

Through an organizational commitment to diversity and inclusion initiatives, the biopharmaceutical industry can better serve historically underserved populations and cultivate a more diverse workforce and inclusive culture.

A 9% year-over-year increase was observed in the number of US Medicare beneficiaries who enrolled in a Medicare Advantage health plan in 2020, with the increase in enrollment influenced by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and its related effects.

Several factors will have a significant impact in the health care industry in 2021, such as management of disparities in vaccine administration and greater investment in telehealth, said Gurpreet Singh, MBA, US Health Services Leader at PwC.

Based on US health insurance consumer behavior reported in the eHealth Insights: 2020 Retrospective report, notable trends of the past year to watch for in 2021 include the popularity of $0 premium Medicare Advantage plans, the rise of telemedicine, and potential hesitancy against taking a vaccine for coronavirus disease 2019.

As coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to drive significant change in health care delivery, physician leaders affiliated with the Council for Accountable Physician Practices have worked to increase investment in strategies to address disparities in care exacerbated by the pandemic, such as value-based care and telemedicine.

Despite limited resources to combat the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, collaborative efforts among the government, health plans, and providers in Puerto Rico exemplify how care can be better optimized in communities in the United States impacted by disparities in health care services.

The top 5 most-read employer stories of 2020 on AJMC.com focused primarily on the role of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on several issues affecting the workplace, including adverse mental health outcomes, leave-related concerns, and the rise of virtual care.

In an interview with Evidence-Based Oncology™, City of Hope's Harlan Levine discussed the rising interest of employers in cancer care and how AccessHope can help them deliver better care where their employees live.

Although a vaccine against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is now in the fold, Americans should expect to remain in their current work environment in the short term, with potential long-term implications spanning the next 5 years.

The Migraine Impact Model is an interactive calculator that estimates migraine prevalence within a workforce and the associated economic burden of migraine on the employer.

At the National Alliance’s 2020 Annual Forum, a chief focus was spotlighting issues within the workplace exacerbated by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic such as mental health and disparities in availability of health care services.

Bill Kramer, MBA, is the executive director for National Health Policy at Pacific Business Group on Health.

Through a collaborative effort by Catalyst for Payment Reform, the American Benefits Council, and Mercer, 4 key telemedicine considerations were issued for policymakers seeking to capitalize on the substantial growth in telemedicine and virtual care.

A survey by Willis Towers Watson finds significantly increased use and noted satisfaction in virtual care among the US workforce amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

As some private health insurance companies move to end waivers of cost sharing for virtual care, there will be several aspects to monitor for employers, particularly its impact on accessibility and potential deferral of health care services.

A report by PwC discusses the health care agenda of President-elect Joe Biden, particularly how his term will shape the future of the Affordable Care Act, value-based care, and drug prices.