What’s in a word? Much more than many of us realize. In the context of behavioral health, substance use and even physical health challenges, using terms and phrases that group people by diagnosis, disability, disease and other characteristics perpetuates stigma, discrimination and exclusion. Yet this type of language has been part of the healthcare lexicon…
Magellan Health marked October as Substance Abuse Prevention Month, with its chief medical officer, Dr. Karen Amstutz, releasing the following statement: “Substance abuse does not discriminate. It pays no mind to gender, race, age or income level. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the abuse of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs costs the United…
Painkillers, Heroin and Addiction: The Opiate Crisis Laid Bare From East to West, North to South, the Opiate addiction continues, almost unchecked, to claim lives, destroy families and ruin communities. Opiate Addiction: The Overdose Emergency Fueled by both prescription painkillers and illegal substances, opiate addiction kills thousands every year. In 2014, for example: There were…
1 in 68*. It’s not the number – it’s the impact. Increasing prevalence and high treatment costs make providing quality care and supportive services for children with autism and their families more important than ever. Many families struggle to obtain access to appropriate autism services. Providing care for a child with autism can be challenging…
Magellan Health marked September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, with Barry M. Smith, chairman and chief executive officer of Magellan Health, and Sam Srivastava, chief executive officer of Magellan Healthcare, releasing the following statement: “Suicide produces a ripple effect through communities of friends, family, loved ones and co-workers, and its effects are devastating. There are people in…
Mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus have been identified in Florida, so it’s critical that individuals living in the affected region and across the country know where to go to access information about prevention, detection and treatment. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has put together a website with resources about Zika, including…
Specialty drug costs are skyrocketing and are projected to represent half of total drug costs within the next two years, approximately 50 percent of which will occur on the medical benefit. Without an understanding of the unique dynamics around specialty drug management, payers run the risk of overlooking or misunderstanding this critical area of pharmacy…