M.D. tagged posts

Use Shared Decision Making to Maximize Health Insurance Benefits

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance for Care for Your Mind

It’s no secret that out-of-pocket healthcare costs—the amount you pay—have risen significantly. These expenses have been trending upward for over a decade and there is no indication that this trend will end anytime soon. In 2013, according to the HealthAffairs Blog, nearly one-third of participants in an employer-sponsored plan had a high deductible. Plans purchased through the federal marketplace have similar out-of-pocket costs, especially at the Bronze level.

The rationale behind Health Savings Accounts (tax-free accounts where money is set aside for medical expenses) is that, when people have a financial investment in their healthcare, they are more likely to make better decisions about how they consume or use this commodity. It’s fair to say that this idea can also support the trend towards higher copays or co-insurance.

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How’s Work Going for You? Your Mental Health Provider Should Be Asking.

Depression is the number one cause of disability in the United States. In this week’s post Dr. Jorge Petit provides guidance on how clinicians can support individuals in attaining success at work and assist them in staying employed.

How’s Work Going for You? Your Mental Health Provider Should Be Asking.
Jorge R. Petit, M.D.

In last week’s post Ken Dolan-Delvecchio shared that mental health professionals underestimate the impact of work on a person’s mental health and explored how work can aid a person’s recovery.

As a psychiatrist, I can—unfortunately—confirm that employment and empl...

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What Role Do Patients Play in Improving Quality of Care? A Big One.

David Katzelnick, M.D.
Chair, Division of Integrated Behavioral Health, Mayo Clinic
We acknowledge the collaboration of National Network of Depression Centers in developing this series.

With a world of health information literally at our fingertips, patients are more informed and engaged than ever. Research indicates that patients who are actively involved in their own healthcare receive higher quality care and achieve better health outcomes.

Yet when it comes to mental health care, there is a lag in patient involvement, often because of the stigma attached to mental illness...

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