Healthcare workers everywhere are struggling with burn out, a problem that has only intensified since the COVID-19 pandemic. To combat burn out and improve employee mental health, institutions like Penn Medicine have adopted a mental health platform that sends regular, automated text messages connecting employees to resources specifically designed for healthcare workers. A recent study by JAMA Network Open showed that employees receiving text message reminders saw a dramatic improvement in their depression symptoms. Read more about the mental health platform and the study here.

While there are many traditional ways of measuring your recruitment’s impact on your organization, candidate feedback is a tool that is often overlooked as an indicator of success. The information collected from candidates could provide crucial information for maximizing your recruitment strategy and improving processes. Check out this article to find out more.

Employers offering an Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA) can reimburse employees with pretax dollars to cover the cost of individual health insurance premiums and qualified medical expenses. ICHRAs first became available in 2020, preceded by qualified small employer health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) in 2017. Until then, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) prohibited employers from reimbursing employees for individual market premiums. Employers determine how much they will reimburse employees via an ICHRA health insurance plan. The same terms must apply to all workers within a given class, though reimbursements may be increased for older employees and those with more dependents. Some ICHRAs may be more affordable options because employers set how much they’re willing to spend and because they provide flexibility for employers who don’t or can’t offer healthcare insurance due to the cost. Unfortunately, not all employees can purchase individual coverage through marketplaces or receive premium tax credits. The coverage employers offer must not meet the Affordable Care Act Affordability standards and ensure enough employees participate or it may become cost prohibitive. Depending on the marketplace offerings, employers will have to determine if the risk or change is worth it.

Accenture Federal Services has completed its acquisition of Cognosante, a Falls Church, Virginia-based provider of digital transformation and cloud modernization solutions for federal health, defense, intelligence, and civilian agencies. Accenture Federal Services announced its intent to acquire Cognosante on April 15, 2024. Cognosante is the prime contractor under the current enrollment assistance contract for the Pennsylvania Health Insurance Exchange (Pennie). Founded in 2008 by Michele Kang, Cognosante has grown rapidly and is providing technology solutions to federal government clients, including healthcare programs supporting veterans, active-duty military, patients, beneficiaries, providers, and payors. Through CMS’s Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO), Cognosante assisted with an Enrollment Assistance Program to ensure continuity of coverage for individuals and families impacted by the Medicaid Unwinding.

The House Insurance Committee unanimously passed a telemedicine bill that passed the state Senate last month. Senate Bill 739 would require that health insurance policies cover medically necessary and otherwise covered healthcare services delivered through telemedicine. The bill was approved by the Senate by a 47-1 vote. The bill does allow telemedicine services to be provided by FQHCs. The bill now goes to the House for a vote. Since the bill was amended in the House Insurance Committee, it would need to go to the Senate for final approval.

A recording of a May 2024 webinar describing how CAMC Greenbrier Valley Medical Center utilized telemedicine hubs to ensure access to care in rural West Virginia communities. The presentation discusses lessons learned, development of the program, and future plans. There’s also a panel discussion with telehealth, geriatric care, and rural health experts on improving healthcare delivery in rural areas. The Center for Excellence in Telehealth and Aging is a collaboration that includes the HRSA-supported Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center.