Thursday, December 11, 2003
Higher Drug Copayments May Halt Use by Some PatientsMedscape Medical News story - "To control the costs of employee drug benefit programs, many large employers have adopted three-tier formularies in recent years. Under this approach, enrollees typically select from a range of copayments for drugs, with the lowest fee for a generic drug (tier 1), the next highest for a brand-name drug preferred by the employer (tier 2), and the highest copayment for a brand-name drug not on the preferred list (tier 3). While these "incentive-based" formularies slow the rate of drug spending for employers, they also, depending on their design, lead some employees to discontinue purchasing drugs to manage chronic illnesses, according to a study in the Dec. 4 issue of the
New England Journal of Medicine." "med" See also the
NEJM abstract of the article.
Psychologists persevere in the statesArticle in the latest
APA Monitor - "With bleak budget situations in the states, psychologists faced uphill advocacy battles this year. But in many states--even those in economic hard times--advocates trudged on to legislative victories. 'This was a very tough year financially,' says Michael Sullivan, PhD, assistant executive director for state advocacy in APA's Practice Directorate. 'State legislatures didn't have money to spend. So it's been a mixed picture for psychology.' Psychology leaders say a great deal of credit for the legislative victories goes to state psychological associations."
Medical privacy lands in courtPhiladelphia Inquirer story on a legal challenge to HIPAA focusing on its privacy stipulations - "The privacy rule created by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson gives patients power to approve release of medical information to employers and life insurers. But patients have no say about how the information is used or shared by health plans, billing companies, and some groups doing business with medical providers, such as consultants, lawyers or drug companies. That's why patients are now asked to sign the HIPAA consent forms. While patients may refuse to sign the HIPAA form, their likely option is finding another doctor. Since the rule took effect, privacy advocates say, most doctors or medical providers refuse to assume civil and criminal liability for wrongly disclosed patient information and require patients to sign."
County continues its good government awards winning streak (Michigan)Macomb Daily story - "After 21 years as the top county in Michigan to earn national "good government" awards, Macomb County this year finished in a tie with Oakland County for the most National Association of Counties citations. ... The annual awards single out innovative program that enhance services, improve county management or promote intergovernmental coordination." Among the programs cited in the award were "a Community Mental Health Department program that purchases prescription drugs in bulk from pharmaceutical companies and distributes them to the mentally ill. In cooperation with the United Way, the program helped clients find prescription drug coverage through Medicaid and other programs or offered them low-cost medicines. Last year, 10,000 prescriptions were filled for approximately 600 clients."
Attempt made to streamline mental health services (Iowa)Story in
The Hawkeye - "State and county officials say a plan to redesign and coordinate mental health and disability programs will streamline a broken system, though local mental health officials argue it creates an unnecessary bureaucracy and could cause a loss of state funding. The plan, outlined in a 20–page report by the Iowa State Association of Counties, will allow for more uniform decisions to be made by officials in the state's 99 counties by ensuring certain "core services," officials say. It would also nix a decades–old Iowa program called "legal settlement," which allows non–county residents to collect mental health benefits from county offices. A change in the way state funding is doled out to Iowa counties could have an effect on local mental health budgets."
