3 Under-the-Radar Payer Trends in Behavioral Heath Care

This is an exclusive BHB+ story When it comes to payer trends in behavioral health, value-based care is generally top of mind for most. And value-based care is certainly a critical movement set to impact the behavioral health industry in 2025 and beyond. But several under-the-radar trends in behavioral health reimbursement could also significantly reshape […]

Recent Optum Behavioral Health Rate Cuts Bring to Life Harsh Reality of the Payer-Provider Complex

Over the last few months, we’ve watched Optum pull back on behavioral health funding on multiple fronts. While substantive to the specific sectors impacted, it signals that previous worries about payers cutting back on behavioral health reimbursements are warranted. In short, that’s bad news. But it’s not unexpected. Why is that? Because payers are largely […]

Optum Reportedly Whittling Away at Medicaid Coverage for Autism Therapy

Optum is reportedly executing a multi-pronged plan to curb spending on applied behavior analysis (ABA) provided to patients covered by Medicaid. The insurer targets its Medicaid-contracted autism therapy networks in Arizona, Nebraska, Tennessee, Virginia, New Jersey, Indiana and Louisiana, according to a report by the nonprofit investigative journalism outfit ProPublica. The plan is a response […]

Medicaid, Elevated Behavioral Health Utilization Had Payers Talking in Q3

The ongoing need for behavioral health services will be no surprise to anyone involved in the industry. Patients continue to have high rates of need and often present with greater acuity. This demand for behavioral health services was reflected across payers’ Q3 earnings calls. The result? Sky-high utilization levels. For example, David Cordani, the CEO […]

Why the Behavioral Health Industry Shouldn’t Get Too Worked Up About Recent Layoffs

The trend-that-must-not-be-named is back: Layoffs.  Behavioral health so often has to paste on a smile while muddling through its many challenges. So often, that leads to worries about being too cheery. The last several weeks have seen seriously positive developments. But another development hauls the industry off cloud nine and back to earth with a […]

The 6 Most Interesting Behavioral Health Deals of 2024 — So Far

Dealmaking in the behavioral health space is slow these days — there’s no arguing that. But there are still plenty of lessons to be learned from the deals that have been completed thus far in 2024. With less to look at, there’s more to see. With fewer deals, we can spend more time taking in […]

UnitedHealth Group’s Optum Cuts 100+ Jobs, Including Behavioral Health Roles

Optum, UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH)’s services arm, has reportedly laid off behavioral health managers and other roles in a restructuring effort that impacted at least 100 employees. A significant number of layoffs will impact employees at Optum-owned Landmark, an in-home medical group, according to Fierce Healthcare. Social workers and social work managers were also laid […]

Optum Acquired Refresh Mental Health, CARE Counseling To Attack Wait Times

Optum acquired outpatient mental health providers Refresh Mental Health and CARE Counseling in a bid to cut wait times. Top brass at Optum’s parent organization, the health care behemoth UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH), explained that Optum is prioritizing providing health plans with comprehensive, timely services that can be offered under value-based care contracts. Optum is the […]

‘There’s No Question’ Buyers Want In On the Outpatient Mental Health Space Post-CARE Counseling-Optum Deal

Optum owned Refresh Mental Health’s acquisition of outpatient mental health provider CARE Counseling was a bright spot in a slow dealmaking environment. Still, the transaction may provide insights into the near future of outpatient mental health M&A. The tie-up illustrates that interest in outpatient mental health dealmaking is still strong. It also shows that Refresh […]