Friday, January 29, 2010

MBGH Convenes Members to Improve Depression Care for Employees

Thank you to Donna Marshall, Executive Director of the Colorado Business Group on Health, for meeting with 9 Memphis employers to encourage them to improve the depression care their employees receive. Donna's visit is part of a National Institutes of Mental Health-funded research project to understand how employers make benefit decisions regarding depression care. MBGH's eValue8 project shows that there is significant improvement needed in behavioral health care in Tennessee. Attendees learned that they should encourage their plans to:

  • Provide feedback to physicians about the quality of depression care they provide their patients

  • Lower co-pays, co-insurance for depression medication

  • Lower co-pays, co-insurance for behavioral health physician visits.
These 3 actions lead to improved adherence to therapy which results in better outcomes,  health, and productivity. In other words, cuts total costs.

Attendees have access to Donna for technical assistance and will provide study investigators information at 12 and 24 months on any changes made in benefits or benefit design.  Thanks again Donna for bringing this valuable information to our members!!

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