Optum-Refresh Blockbuster Blazes a Consolidation Trail for the Next Mental Health Platform

Historic levels of investment in the behavioral health space in the previous two years suggest that the outpatient mental health segment could continue to see swiftly growing companies at the center of big-time exits. Optum’s high-profile acquisition of Refresh Mental Health, in particular, demonstrates the massive interest in the mental health space, especially in scaled […]

Why 2022 Will be the Year of M&A for Digital Mental Health

Following a blockbuster year for digital mental health care investment in 2021, the pressure is on to go big and bold. There have already been a few game-changing acquisitions in the space — the earliest and most defining is the merger of Ginger and Headspace, which created a $3 billion company called Headspace Health during […]

The Retailization of Mental Health in Urgent Care Has Begun

The creation of urgent mental health care in retail locations isn’t coming, it’s already underway. Huge players in the retail and health care space have already built a foundation for themselves to make mental health care more accessible. Over the last 20 years or so, urgent care blazed a new retail-like trail for physical health […]

Avalere: Providing Behavioral Healthcare to Medicare Population Lowers Total Cost of Care

Providing behavioral health care to Medicare enrollees lowers the cost of care compared to individuals who were left untreated, according to results of a recently published analysis. The study was done by health care management consulting company Avalere Health, which looked at the medical, hospital and emergency department (ED) costs incurred when treating geriatic patients […]

Pandemic Presents Opportunity for Payers to Renew Focus on Behavioral Health

A new report from the Washington, D.C.-based health care consulting firm Avalere Health is highlighting payers’ shortcomings in behavioral health. Specifically, researchers found that payers still have work to do when it comes to ensuring parity compliance, improving network adequacy, adopting value-based models and focusing on other factors that could boost behavioral health access. The […]