Katie O'Neill’s Post

That’s a wrap on another week in #healthcare! This week brings movement during Georgia’s legislative session on certificate of need (CON) reform measures.  Georgia is one of many states to evaluate whether certificate of need laws should be reformed or completely abolished (North Carolina and South Carolina recently passed laws sunsetting CON laws in those states).  Highlights from the week include:   + Georgia House of Representatives introduced CON modernization bill HB 1339 that govern how and where new hospitals and medical facilities can be built. https://lnkd.in/ePa8EXXA   + UnitedHealth Group’s Change Healthcare experiences crippling cyberattack https://lnkd.in/gf8NagMw and https://lnkd.in/e5tSdwWP + First Lady Jill Biden announces landmark $100 million in funding for women’s health and research https://lnkd.in/epNvgH-8 + Six senators release draft bill intended to preserve 340B program https://lnkd.in/e4b-Dh_T + Community Health Systems, after suggesting selloff by end of 2024, reveals in filing that it is being investigated by DOJ https://lnkd.in/eGDRxdXq + Walgreens-owned VillageMD to exit Florida market https://lnkd.in/eBpFZujU + The Cigna Group to repurchase $3.2 billion in common stock https://lnkd.in/eGbTPwWY + Maryland drops Optum, contracts with Elevance Health in $340M behavioral health deal https://lnkd.in/eHGny-Ds #health #healthcare #340b #womenshealth #CONReform

Public health organizations and Medicare agencies face significant challenges in matching and managing identity data across fragmented systems — in other words, in knowing who is who across their many programs and applications. Read our recent blog to learn how the ODGA has improved its record-matching accuracy significantly as well as built a more comprehensive view of each person’s socioeconomic factors. https://buff.ly/3BxqC78 #publichealth #healthcare #equity #identitydata

Dive into a transformative session at the Advancing Behavioral Health and Policy Summit! Session: Strengthening Network Adequacy and Provider Directory Accuracy: Innovations and Policy Developments This session will explore how inaccurate provider directories affect access to behavioral healthcare, highlighting challenges in maintaining provider networks and the impact on patients and policymakers. We'll discuss how centralized directories could enhance accuracy and reduce administrative burdens, with insights from state-level implementations and recent policy advancements aimed at improving directory accuracy and network adequacy. Speakers include: Rhonda Robinson Beale, MD Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Mental Health Services UnitedHealth Group John Giles Director, Managed Care Group, Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services John Snook, JD Chief Policy Officer Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute Melicia Seay Assistant Inspector General, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Moderator: Leah Newkirk, JD Senior Counsel, Government Relations Kaiser Permanente #thINcvalue #thINcBehavioralHealth

Here's a health policy riddle for you: What do a men's health specialist, a pediatrician, and a gerontologist have in common? The answer is that these are the PCP options available to me through my Cascade Complete Care marketplace plan! After all the years I've worked on patient-centered and coordinated care it's beyond frustrating. #narrownetworks

Hi there! We’re back with another #eVolve360 where we discuss at least 3 points in 60-ish seconds about health literacy, health equity, patient advocacy, etc. to benefit patients, caregivers, healthcare providers and healthcare organizations. March 10-16 is #PatientSafetyAwarenessWeek so we’re discussing boxed warnings also/formerly known as black box warnings for medications. There is the saying that what you don’t know won’t hurt you, but sometimes it can. A study found that 4 out 10 people received a least 1 medication with a boxed warning when looking over a 30-month period of time. This is just the starting point...getting your feet wet, if you will. If you are a patient (or caregiver) and need support preparing for healthcare appointments, speaking with providers, reviewing and understanding health information and ensuring you know all of your options, lets connect. If you are affiliated with a healthcare org and would like to unpack more about communicating with patients using our exclusive framework, then lets connect to discuss opportunities for consulting, training and speaking engagements. At eVolve, we navigate the peaks and valleys of health and wellness journeys together and seek to make a difference, one patient encounter at a time. #BoxedWarnings #BlackBoxWarnings #eVolve360Series #360View #PersonalHealthLiteracy #PatientsAndCaregivers #OrganizationalHealthLiteracy #HealthcareOrgs #HealthcareProviders #PrimaryCareProviders #eVolveTaughtMe #HealthLiteracy #HealthEquity #ShiftNarratives #TransformCulture #LetseVolve

https://lnkd.in/gefqc3aB - Brief overview of access health in Greenville and how the connect low-income individuals with healthcare services

Creating a more equitable healthcare or public health organization starts with revising outdated policies that unintentionally reinforce bias or create ambiguity for staff serving TGNB patients and clients. By Intentionally taking time to review and revise your policies and procedures, we can help ensure that every door is the right door for the TGNB people you serve and services are consistent and equitable across your organization. I'd love to connect with you and learn how we can close the gaps in healthcare disparities and create a more inclusive environment. Schedule a call with me to start putting an action plan together! https://lnkd.in/gdP4D-Vr  #BiasReduction #InclusiveHealthcare #PolicyReform #HealthcareEquity #PatientCare #HealthcareAccountability #ContinuousLearning #HealthcareAdvocate #TransCommunity

On the healthcare regulatory front, the Biden administration is issuing benefits-related guidance at an astonishing pace, including final rules dealing with fixed indemnity plans, enhanced HIPAA privacy protections for reproductive healthcare and more. https://bit.ly/4eDz8jX Register for our webinar TODAY at 1PM ET to learn how these and other legal updates will impact employers sponsored health plans. #healthcare #health #benefits

A recent study has highlighted a concerning issue within our healthcare system. Nearly half of health workers surveyed witnessed a preferential attitude towards white patients compared to Black patients when advocating for their care. This is not just alarming; it's a call for immediate action. Education, training, and systemic changes are needed now more than ever. #Healthcare #Discrimination https://lnkd.in/gQipgH73 

Here is the perfect way to support your employees with their healthcare when they need it most- avoiding costly and unnecessary UC or ER visits. Let us show you how!