Brittany Ferri

Just a few weeks ago, new legislation was finalized that stands to impact subscriber benefits in the behavioral health arena. This set of regulations is closely aligned with federal legislation, namely, the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA), as well as state-specific laws, such as the Mental Health Parity Act in California, which was expanded in 2021.
Many patients report encountering a range of barriers in accessing mental health care since the MHPAEA was enacted in 2008...

The discussion of caseload versus workload hones in on the job duties of school-based therapists, including OTs, SLPs, PTs, audiologists, assistive technology providers (ATPs), psychologists, and other related service providers. More specifically, caseload and workload have become distinct approaches to treatment in a school-based setting. There is a growing basis of evidence that the workload approach is more effective than the caseload approach for a variety of reasons.

A new study led by the American Cancer Society has pointed out an alarming trend in the incidence of cancer among men. This research found that new, worldwide cancer cases in men are projected to rise by 84% between now and 2050. This evidence also states that the amount of cancer deaths in men is expected to skyrocket by 93% in the same time frame.

How much of an increase?

When compared to existing cancer cases, this amounts to 8.7 million new cancer diagnoses in men alone. There is an even ...

As an essential performance skill, motor coordination is a trending topic in occupational therapy. Individuals of any age may experience motor incoordination, either as a developmental delay or a health condition. When this presents as a deficit, motor coordination must be addressed in the occupational therapy plan of care. Motor incoordination stands to impact anyone’s occupational engagement and can impact an individual’s quality of life. In order to effectively address motor deficits of all varieties, occupational therapists should be aware of the smaller skills that fall under this heading

Since its rise in 2020, it’s safe to say telehealth is now a fixture of many people’s medical care.
However, there is a lot of variation in telehealth visits – often more than patients get (or expect) from in-office visits. From using different platforms and messaging in patient portals to adopting specific pre-visit protocols and scheduling entirely online, many patients have come to learn what they like and dislike in virtual visits.
One telehealth feature that is often highly variable is t...

The health care industry has been grappling with staffing shortages in recent years, but the field of oncology is facing a particularly critical challenge. The number of oncologists, especially in rural areas, has been dwindling, creating a ripple effect on patient care and network adequacy challenges. What are the driving forces behind the shortage?
Several factors converged to make the oncologist shortage particularly pressing:
Medical Advancements: Improved early detection and treatment op...

In the realm of evidence-based cognitive interventions, there is a lot of information that is revolutionizing cognitive rehabilitation for a range of professionals. Occupational therapists, in particular, have a vast amount of knowledge to draw from. Evolving technology continued advances in the fields of rehabilitation and neuroscience, and changing intervention practices all allow OTs to treat patients with cognitive disorders effectively.

Recent data shows that Medicare Advantage (MA) spending surged in 2023. This comes along with a number of enrollment and other member-related trends that payers should also be aware of.
Rising Enrollment
January 2024 reports indicate that the number of MA enrollees is steadily rising, with subscriber numbers presently sitting at 32 million. Researchers anticipate this number will increase to 34 million before January 2025. Over 50% of individuals eligible for both Medicaid and MA (also known ...

Health care is often recognized as a quickly changing industry, and the technology sector is quite similar. For this reason, health technology is something payers should especially keep up-to-date on.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the biggest technology niches that comes along with digital challenges. So much so that researchers are trying to gauge health care leaders’ views on implementing AI and other digital solutions to assist with implementation.
McKinsey & Company conducted a s...

Individuals who currently participate in Medicaid waiver programs are getting an additional year of benefits. CMS made this decision in an effort to boost retention for eligible Medicaid recipients. As a result, the waiver program will now end in June 2025 instead of December 2024.
Last spring, many states started the eligibility redetermination process for their Medicaid members. Since this hadn’t occurred in over three years–the last time being mid-pandemic–it was a lengthy undertaking. How...

With a growing aging population, geriatric care as a whole is becoming more essential to the fabric of our society. This means the United States will see an even greater number of geriatric care centers, such as assisted living facilities (ALFs), skilled nursing facilities, and long-term care facilities (LTC) established in coming years. Each of these practice settings needs qualified healthcare professionals to treat both short-term patients and long-term residents. As a result, occupational therapists (OTs) and certified occupational therapy assistants (COTAs) are in high demand in SNFs.

Member satisfaction has always been a strong barometer for health plan success. When looking at commercial payers, the most recent J.D. Power U.S. Commercial Member Health Plan Study found that convenience/accessibility, price, and trustworthiness were the biggest differentiators between low and high-rated health plans.
To obtain a comprehensive picture, J.D. Power reported surveying 35,000 members from 147 health plans located in 22 regions across the United States.
Where are the Gaps?
While...

Among those 65 and older, the Centers for Disease Control reports falls are the leading cause of injury deaths and responsible for nearly 3 million emergency department visits each year. The Stopping Addiction and Falls for the Elderly (SAFE) Act was introduced in March to study and reduce the impact of this combined public health threat.
If passed, the SAFE Act would allow Medicare beneficiaries to undergo fall risk assessments performed by occupational and physical therapists through their ...

There is a range of unique considerations that come along with limb loss, and each of these impacts the occupational therapy plan of care. In cases of acquired limb loss, individuals may experience both physical and psychosocial concerns that impact their occupational performance and ability to engage in therapy. However, individuals with congenital limb loss may also struggle with psychological adjustment when it comes to self-esteem and connecting with others. For this reason, OTs must be informed about both types of limb loss.

This year is bringing even more changes for Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. One of the predominant adjustments is that MA plans will now follow the two-midnight rule. This means members’ hospital stays will be covered if their physician expects they will require inpatient care for two or more midnights. This rule has been in place for traditional Medicare plans since 2014, but it has just become effective for MA plans starting this year.
The two-midnight rule has never been used to determine w...