After a relatively quiet 2024, executives expect to see some changes in the behavioral health industry next year. For starters, M&A, which was relatively slow in 2024, is set to pick up as a new administration that many have dubbed more “business friendly” takes the reins. While this consolidation will likely look different from the […]
Category: BHB+
Once a rarity, digital behavioral health companies are now an established part of the industry’s ecosystem. However, as this subsector of behavioral health begins to mature, many startups face a number of growing pains, whether it is garnering enough investor dollars to stay afloat or developing contracting strategies with employers. I don’t see these hardships […]
Last year, Ozempic took the weight loss industry by storm; could the substance use disorder industry be next? It’s possible, according to some industry insiders. But that’s not the only trend likely to shape 2025. New drugs, technologies, payer trends and care models set the stage for 2025 to be a transformative year for the […]
More than 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. Behavioral health conditions, including mental health and substance use disorders (SUD), are highly prevalent among those with chronic pain. In fact, 56% of U.S. adults with chronic pain have clinically significant anxiety or depression symptoms. And yet, a “staggering” share of this group does not receive […]
A behavioral health enterprise with $425 million in revenue is on the market and potentially at a discount to typical market rates. Wellpath, one of the nation’s largest providers of prison-based and outsourced behavioral health care, is seeking the sale of its behavioral health division, according to bankruptcy documents. The Nashville, Tennessee-based provider hopes its […]
I’ve softened on my no-holiday-music-before-Thanksgiving rule. The nostalgia has become too powerful to resist. Plus, I’m coming to appreciate much more the latent hope for a better world that imbues the spirit of these tunes — even if that spirit is cheaply laced into pop music industry-driven schlocky original songs or uninspired rehashes of classics. […]
Autism therapy providers are under pressure to demonstrate outcomes. Payers, whether commercial insurers or Medicaid, demand data-driven results. And the parents or caregivers of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) also want information on how their child is progressing, and what services are provided, in addition to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), might be needed. […]
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has once again bought itself more time to figure out virtual telehealth prescribing. Earlier this month, the agency announced that it would extend the flexibilities, which allowed providers to virtually prescribe controlled substances, including medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for substance use disorders (SUDs), as well as Adderall for ADHD. The flexibilities […]
Behavioral health’s odd-duck status requires a unique approach to the payer-provider dynamic. Historic challenges have demonstrated that payer-provider negotiations and partnerships require an approach fundamentally different from other types of business, even other health care segments. Often, involved parties need to alter their expectations to reflect reality instead of a vision of the future. For […]
With a second Donald Trump presidency on the horizon, behavioral health providers are beginning to examine what that could mean for the industry. The good news is that while the political landscape in the United States is sharply divided, measures to advance behavioral health forward remain a unifying issue. However, I think it’s safe to […]