News Brief: Anxiety Tops List of Mental Health-related Workplace Issues
Mental health provider ComPsych revealed that anxiety is the top mental health issue impacting workers. Nearly one-quarter(24%) of the individuals who contacted ComPsych for mental help assistance in 2023 were looking for help with anxiety.
“From the pandemic to ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine,civil unrest, an unpredictable economy and increasingly polarized political rhetoric surrounding elections, there is a persistent underlying feeling of apprehension and worry.”
– Richard Chaifetz, founder, CEO and chairman of ComPsych
News Brief: Over 70 Million AT&T Customers’ Data Exposed in Data Breach
On Saturday, March 30, 2024, telecommunications giant AT&T released a statement saying current and former customer data was exposed on the dark web.
“Based on our preliminary analysis, the data set appears to be from 2019 or earlier, impacting approximately 7.6 million current AT&T account holders and approximately 65.4 million former account holders,”
– AT&T Press Release
News Brief: Change Healthcare Cyberattack Causes Unprecedented Disruptions
On Feb. 21, 2024, Change Healthcare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group (UHG) and one of the largest platforms for managing health insurance billing and payments in the United States, experienced a large-scale cyberattack. This attack forced the company to shut down over 100 services across its system for multiple weeks, affecting millions of health care providers and patients across the country.
“We continue to make significant progress in restoring the services impacted by this cyberattack. We know this has been an enormous challenge for health care providers and we encourage any in need to contact us.”
– Andrew Witty, CEO of UHG
Employers See Increasing Numbers of Lawsuits Over Deficient COBRA Notices
Employers are seeing an increase in lawsuits from former employees alleging deficient Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) election notices, with statutory penalties of up $110 per person per day. These lawsuits are generally class actions and can result in significant attorneys’ fee awards for successful ex-employees. The fact employers are struggling to comply with COBRA notice requirements means employers should brace for increased election notice litigation.
“The DOL is ‘keeping an eye’ on the need for additional COBRA guidance, but other issues have taken priority.”
– Elizabeth Schumacher, deputy director of the DOL’s Division of Regulations and Standards
Study Finds a 7,000% Increase in Telehealth Utilization During Pandemic
According to a new report, telehealth usage grew more than 7,000% during the first year of the pandemic. FAIR Health’s annual report studies health care indicators, prices and utilization trends. With the latest data, researchers tracked changes from 2015 to 2020 and noticed significant health care shifts.
“This year’s edition … opens a window on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the nation’s health care system. We hope that this new edition … continues to inform decisionmaking throughout the health care sector by payors, providers, government officials, policymakers, academic researchers and others.”
– FAIR Health President Robin Gelburd
FDA Limits Emergency Use Authorization for Johnson & Johnson Vaccine
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently limited the authorized use of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J)/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine to people age 18 and older for whom other vaccines aren’t appropriate or accessible and those who opt for J&J because they wouldn’t otherwise get vaccinated. This updated authorization also applies to booster doses.
“We recognize that the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine still has a role in the current pandemic response in the United States and across the global community. … [This] action demonstrates the robustness of our safety surveillance systems and our commitment to ensuring that science and data guide our decisions.”
– J&J, in a statement
U.S. Drug Overdose Deaths Hit Record High in 2021
According to new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, an estimated 107,622 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2021, a 15% increase from the previous year. Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, was involved in the most deaths.
“You won’t see a reversal in the same way you saw the acceleration because these drug distribution networks and addiction become embedded in the community. And it’s not like they turn off overnight.”
Katherine Keyes, associate professor at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS
Mental health—your mental and emotional well-being—can change over time due to factors like workload, stress and work-life balance. Observed every May, Mental Health Awareness Month is a time to join together to fight stigma and provide support for people with mental illness and their families.
Mental illnesses are some of the most common health conditions in the United States.
MORE THAN 50% OF THE POPULATION WILL BE DIAGNOSED WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS AT SOME POINT.
Remember that you’re not alone. If you have concerns about your mental health, reach out to a doctor or use the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) National Helpline by calling 800-662-HELP (4357).
CMS Outlines Strategy to Advance Health Equity
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently outlined an action plan to provide Americans with high-quality and affordable health care. This plan will further drive health equity across the Department of Health and Human Services. Health equity refers to everyone having a fair and just opportunity to attain optimal health.
“We can’t achieve our health system goals until everyone can attain the highest level of health. That’s why I am inviting the health care industry to work alongside CMS as we transform the way patients are cared for in our country. Health equity will be embedded within the DNA of CMS and serve as the lens through which we view all of our work.”
– CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure
What’s Next? For more information:
U.S. Panel Issues Final Recommendation, Says Most Adults Shouldn’t Take Daily Aspirin to Prevent Heart Attack
On Tuesday, April 26, Recently, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) issued its final recommendation on aspirin as a preventive medication to avoid heart disease, stating that most adults do not need to take aspirin to prevent a first heart attack or stroke. This change to a long-standing recommendation is based on new evidence that the potential harms of lowdose aspirin use for most adults cancel out or outweigh the benefits.
“Daily aspirin use may help prevent heart attacks and strokes in some people, but it can also cause potentially serious harms, such as internal bleeding.”
– Dr. John Wong, Task Force member
What’s Next? For more information:
Client and Employee Resources
The more your employees understand your benefit plans the more they become educated, empowered consumers. The programs you provide will also gain an enhanced value.
As your strategic partners in employee benefits, we can provide multiple avenues of ongoing support, including:
- Employee Meetings (English and Spanish)
- Webcasts
- Payroll Stuffers
- Poster Campaigns
- Newsletters
Carrier Directories
E-Verify is a web-based system that allows enrolled employers to confirm the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States. Click the image below to begin.
