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Employer Perspectives Related to the Expense of Behavioral Health, and Substance Abuse. Behavioral Screening and Intervention August 25, 2010. Jeff Kluever jkluever@journalcommunications.com. About Journal Communications.
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Employer Perspectives Related to the Expense of Behavioral Health, and Substance Abuse Behavioral Screening and Intervention August 25, 2010 Jeff Kluever jkluever@journalcommunications.com
About Journal Communications • 2800 employees, 1,000 pre-Medicare and Medicare-eligible participants nationally. • Our strategic plan focuses on providing quality benefits while maintaining shareholder value. • Like other employers, we struggle with managing: • Affordable coverage (employer and retiree) • The impact of medical inflation on our budget • The health status of medical plan participants
Impacting Medical Plan Trends • Medical Per Member Per Month (PMPM) increased 8.4% from 2008 – 2009 • Medical PMPM decreased 5.8% including high cost claimants from 2009-2010 • Medical PMPM decreased 20.6% excluding high cost claimants from 2009-2010
Prevalence of Behavioral Risk Factors BRFSS, 2008 SAMHSA NSDUH 2006-2007
Our Experience 2006-2009 Behavioral Health Based on Plan Year April 1– March 31
Our Experience 2006-2009 Substance Abuse Based on Plan Year April 1– March 31
Strategy for all • Offer medical plans requiring engagement; • PCP – coaching opportunity • Living Well – pharmacist coaching • Reduce barriers; • Give participants with chronic diseases tools and support to manage their condition. Increase compliance for disease-specific medications; and • Provide wellness program that gives feedback
Coordination and Support for the Patient Tools: Employee Assistance Plan – evaluation and referral Medical Benefits– asses, medication and treatment Living Well Program- face-to-face coaching and medication management Wellness Program – telephonic or online support for lifestyle changes
Remove Barrier #1 – Benefit Limitations • Implement behavioral health Parity • Removed day/visit limits • Remove lifetime limits • Waive the HSA deductible for “preventive prescriptions” as defined by the IRS
Remove Barrier #2 – Lack of Primary Self-Care • Provide preventive examinations at 100% • Encourage relationship with PCP • Screening and early diagnosis of behavioral health concerns, tobacco cessation, excessive drinking, and drug use • Tobacco Cessation medications and coaching covered at 100% • Increase reward for members who participate in HumanaBeginnings for early diagnosis of post-partum depression
Remove Barrier #3 – Complexity • Integrated EAP (5 visits) • Same network as Medical Plan • Available to all employees, spouses and dependents • PHQ9 administered by health coaches • Connect STD and FMLA administration to Medical • Refer patients to Personal Nurse and Disease Management • Manage co-morbid health conditions
Behavioral health, tobacco use, excessive drinking and drug abuse is costly to the workplace • Lost Productivity • Absenteeism • Presenteeism • Turnover and Training Costs • Co- morbidity with other Diseases • Overall Healthcare Costs • Disability • Worker’s Compensation Expense
Studies Show Treatment Improves Work Performance • Nearly 86% of employees treated with depression with antidepressant medications reported improved work performance. • 80% of those treated for mental illness report “high levels of work efficacy and satisfaction.” • Studies prove that treatment of depression results about a 40-60% reduction in absenteeism/presenteeism. Source: Finkelstein SN et al: Improvement in Subjective Work Performance after Treatment of Chronic Depression: Psychopharmacology Bulletin, Vol 32,1996, pp 33-40. Therapy in America 2004: Poll shows Mental Health Treatment Goes Mainstream. Dunlop, DD Am J Pub Health 2005. Wag, PS am J Psych 2004. Simon, GE Gen Hosp Psych 2000, Claxton, AJ JOEM, 1999. Courtesy of Clare I Miller, Partnership for Workplace Mental Health.
Understanding Co-Morbidity ImplementedLiving Well(Base on Asheville Project) • Provide members with a personal health coach (from a network of specially-trained pharmacists); • Coordinate with the patient’s physician or other healthcare providers to help effectively manage their condition: • Diabetes • High Blood Pressure • Cholesterol • Asthma • Depression • Provide medication and supplies without deductible and reduced copays.
Address Co-morbidity with other diseases • Individuals with depression consume two to four times the healthcare resources of other enrollees. • Chronic medical illnesses increase prevalence of major depression. • 45% of people with asthma and 27% of people with diabetes have co-occurring depression • Individuals with depression are twice as likely to develop CAD, twice as likely to have a stroke and more than four times as likely to die within six months from a myocardial infarction. • Many chronic medical conditions are adversely affected by behavioral health conditions. Co-morbidity increases impairment in functioning and decreases adherence to prescribed regimens. An employer’s Guide to Behavioral Health Services, National Business Group on Health December 2005. Pincus HA. J Clin Psychiatry. 2001;62 Suppl 6:5-9; Schatzberg AF. J Clin Psychiatry. 2004;65 Suppl 12;3-4. Sederer Li et al: Integrating Care for Medical and Mental Illnesses. Preventing Chronic Disease, April 2006.
Patient Incentives – Living Well Program • Face-to-face coaching • Improved reliability via direct observation • Interpersonal connection • Strengthens the patient-physician relationship • HSA Medical plan deductible waived for preventive RX • 100% coverage diabetes medication, test strips and supplies • Reduce copays by 50% for medication Cholesterol Asthma Blood Pressure Depression • Free Glucometers & Insulin Pumps
Traditional Interventions are Limited • Employees ride below the radar • EAP – most employees with behavioral health, alcohol and drug disorders do not receive services • Health Risk Assessments (HRA) – provide promotions only to those that self-report an issue or concern. • Supervisors are not trained to recognize the symptoms or do not know how to approach.
The Bottom Line • Behavioral health, excessive drinking, tobacco and drug use is • prevalent in working populations and • frequently co-morbid with other health conditions. • Treatment works. • Face-to-face coaching is cost effective. • Primary Care Physicians have the opportunity to improve effectiveness of care.
Resources - Connections • Center for Health Value Innovation • Cyndy Nayer 314-422-4385, cyndyn@vbhealth.org • LifeSync • Grant Lee 469-759-4312, glee3@lifesynch.com • Piedmont Pharmaceutical Care Network • Larry S. Long RPh, 336-202-7146, Larry.Long@emailMM.com • Quality Health Solutions • Brian J. Thomas, 888-747-0708 ext 102, BThomas@qualityhealthsolutions.com
Questions? Jeff Kluever jkluever@journalcommunications.com 414-224-2702