More soldiers seek treatment for behavioral health issues Posted On: Saturday, Aug. 4 2012 11:02 PM By Rose L. Thayer Killeen Daily Herald

Demand for outpatient behavioral health care has more than doubled at Fort Hood in the past five years, according to information from Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center.

Data comparing fiscal year 2007 to 2011 show that across the board, demand has risen and Darnall is looking into a variety of programs and expansions to meet the need, said Lt. Col. Sharette Gray, chief of behavioral health for the hospital.

"We're continuing to expand," she said. "We are definitely expanding more because of the need and because of soldiers being back."

Between the many different programs, the department of behavioral health, which includes social work, is averaging 3,000 patient encounters a week, she said, with the department of social work seeing the biggest rise. In-patient beds show the slowest increase numbers, rising 46 percent.

This increase is reflective of the entire military. The Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center reported the number of visits for outpatient mental health treatment almost doubled, from just under 1 million in 2007 to about

1.89 million in 2011.

Gray said most of the soldiers at Fort Hood seeking help have been deployed between three to five times and have a wide range of behavioral issues for which they are seeking help.

Easier access

To meet the growing demand, Darnall is hiring providers, as well as integrating new care models across post, such as the Embedded Behavioral Health Model, which attaches providers to units at the brigade level.

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By Rose L. Thayer Killeen Daily Herald

The debate over the health care law passed in 2010 remains as contentious as ever, producing a deep split between liberals and conservatives and emerging as a major issue in Ohios U.S. Senate race between Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Republican challenger state Treasurer Josh Mandel.

It comes down to this simple fact: Brown likes the law and Mandel wants to repeal it.

Brown, who voted to move the bill through the Senate, argues that the new law would dramatically shrink the pool of uninsured people in Ohio while simultaneously allowing millions of women and seniors to have access to mammograms or prostate screenings without co-pays or deductibles.

They want to take all these benefits away, Brown said of the Republicans. And thats what they would do if this is repealed. Ill have that debate any day.

Mandel contends the law imposes high costs on state government and small businesses and says that it features new taxes that can damage the Ohio economy.

I agree with the majority of Ohioans that we need to repeal it and work together to replace it with something better, Mandel said.

Rarely in American history has a law remained so divisive after being signed. But unlike the Social Security Act of 1935 and the Clean Air Act of 1970, which both swept through Congress with strong bipartisan majorities, the 2010 health law squeaked by as Democrats barely overcame adamant Republican opposition.

The health care issue is very important among some voters, particularly among voters who are going to vote Republican anyway, said Paul Beck, a professor of political science at Ohio State University. Is it going to make a difference for voters who are genuinely on the fence? Maybe not as much as it would have six months ago.

Brown, in an interview in his Senate office, said there a number of people who hate anything associated with Obama. Dont be dismissive of that, but thats a part of it. But Brown asserted that opponents have absolutely lied about what is in the law, citing false claims that the Internal Revenue Service can come in and remove money from private bank accounts.

Barry Bennett, a Republican consultant in Washington and a supporter of Mandel, said Sherrod has got some explaining to do. There is no doubt that there are people in Ohio who like it, but there are a lot more who dont.

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Health care key issue in Ohio’s U.S. Senate race

John Paul is putting the band back together.

As Highmark Inc. goes about building a billion-dollar hospital and health care network to take on UPMC, Mr. Paul -- the leader of Highmark's new health care provider wing and UPMC's chief operating officer before departing the system in 2003 -- is relying on several former UPMC executives to build and run the new Highmark network.

That he has turned to former UPMC personnel reflects not only his own three decades of familiarity with the system, but also UPMC's dominance -- if you want to hire a health care executive with knowledge of the Pittsburgh-area business landscape, there's a good chance that he or she is with the UPMC network, or has at least passed through it.

And if you want talent with experience in a vertically integrated health system -- that is, a health system with both an insurance arm and a hospital arm -- there are only a few such major systems in the country, UPMC being one of them.

"It used to be a joke in town that every third person in business was a U.S. Steel refugee," said Jim McTiernan, a principal with Triad USA, a Pittsburgh benefits firm that was bought last month by Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. of Illinois.

Now, the same joke applies to UPMC -- which, as it happens, now has its name on the top of the U.S. Steel Tower and is now the largest employer in the Pittsburgh region.

"Because of the size of UPMC and the success of UPMC," he said, "it's an obvious place to find talent."

Today, the talent in Highmark's provider wing -- which will supervise physician and outpatient clinics, medical supply firms and other subsidiary entities, as well as West Penn Allegheny Health System and Jefferson Regional Medical Center, once all of the hospital affiliations are formally approved -- numbers about four dozen employees.

The executive and management team now includes:

Patricia Liebman, an executive vice president of Highmark's "Integrated Delivery System" -- Among her many health industry jobs over the last three decades, she was CEO of the fledgling UPMC Health Plan. She also has experience in the Blue Cross Blue Shield network, working with Highmark predecessor Blue Cross of Western Pennsylvania.

See the article here:

Highmark chief builds staff with former UPMC colleagues

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Massachusetts Takes on Health Costs

August 04, 2012 08:43 am

Tracey Petersen,MML News Reporter

Sacramento, CA - A California Field Poll study found a majority or 53% of California voters report difficulties paying for their health care costs. This includes 27% who say their health costs are very difficult and 26% who say they are somewhat difficult to afford. There are big differences across voter subgroups, with uninsured, lower income and Latino voters more likely than others to report difficulties.

Among voters who reported difficulty paying for their health care costs, 39% say the cost of insurance premiums is the most difficult part of their health care expenses to pay.

Another 31% mention out-of-pocket expenses for deductibles, co-pays, and limits to their insurance coverage as being the hardest to afford.

Nearly half or 46% say they have delayed seeking one or more health services in the past year due to its cost. 34% cite delaying dental care most often.

In addition, majorities of California voters say they are very concerned about the personal risks associated with the health care system. For example, 54% express great concern about the possibility of facing financial hardships due to the cost of health treatments and 52% are very concerned about going without health coverage or going without care or medicines because of its cost.

Another 51% report a high degree of concern about the possibility of being denied payment or coverage for a needed treatment.

Written by Tracey Petersen

For the complete coverage of California State News on myMotherLode.com visit our State News Page

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Voters Health Care Costs Concern

TO THE POINT

Pregnancy among young women highlights the complexities of the new Affordable Care Act.

AT A GLANCE

The health care law was recently upheld by the Supreme Court. Most of its provisions will take effect by 2014. Here are examples of what the ruling means for the middle class, according to the White House:

Insurance companies no longer have unchecked power to cancel your health insurance policy, or deny you coverage.

Soon, no consumer will ever again be denied care or charged more due to a pre-existing condition, such as cancer, or even asthma.

Preventive care still will be covered free of charge by insurance companies -- including mammograms for women and wellness visits for seniors.

6.6 million young adults still will be able to stay on their family's plan until they're 26.

Other provisions in the Affordable Care Act that will affect millions of people across the

5.3 million seniors will continue to save $600 a year on their prescription drugs.

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Some young pregnant women denied coverage