What We’re Reading: Sleep Experts Favor Standard Time; Medicare Expands Mental Health Offerings; New Hospital Financial Assistance Law

Sleep Experts Favor Standard Time

As the clocks “fall back” to standard time on Sunday, many sleep experts want to stay there permanently, according to Axios. Despite lawmakers pushing to make it daylight saving all the time, sleep experts noted that standard time is more aligned with our body clocks. They explained that switching to daylight saving time permanently would have negative health consequences as being on misaligned time can lead to higher rates of cancer, fatal car accidents, mood disorders, and worse academic and running performance. Also, research shows that changing the clock and losing an hour of sleep in March contributes to an increased amount of heart attacks, car crashes, and strokes.

Medicare Expands Mental Health Professional Network

Beginning in January, Medicare will cover mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists as a series of legislative and regulatory changes expanded the pool of behavioral health providers available, according to KFF Health News. Previously, Medicare only covered services provided by psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, and psychiatric nurses. These new changes also added up to 19 hours a week of intensive outpatient care to help improve navigation and peer-support services for those with severe mental illness; this added benefit also expands mobile crisis services to help treat people in their homes or on the streets. KFF Health News noted that 1 in 4 Medicare recipients have some type of mental health condition, but up to half do not receive treatment, so the new initiative should make it easier for patients to do so.

New Law Requires Hospitals to Check Patient Eligibility for Financial Assistance

A new Minnesota law took effect Wednesday, requiring hospitals to check if patients are eligible for financial assistance before referring medical debt for collections, according to CBS News. Supporters of the change explained that this law will ensure people know what help is available, potentially relieving them of steep health care costs. Because of the new law, hospitals must screen patients to check what financial assistance they may qualify for; this includes “charity care,” or free or discounted services, depending on income. Consequently, hospitals cannot send any outstanding debt to collections, make payment plan changes, or offer patients a loan to pay the debt until they check their eligibility and help those eligible to apply.