HealthDay (9/10, Mundell ) reports, “An analysis of where suicides are occurring in the United States shows that, tragically, location matters.” The research found that “people living in poorer areas with fewer resources are significantly more likely to fall victim to suicide versus those living in more affluent areas.” The findings were published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Related Links:

— “U.S. Suicide Rates Rise in Less Affluent Areas,”Ernie Mundell, HealthDay , September 10, 2024

CNN (9/10, Seher ) reports “a bipartisan group of” 42 “attorneys general on Tuesday demanded that Congress require Surgeon General warning labels on social media apps to help curtail addiction and a mental health crisis among young adults.” The AGs’ letter to Congress said, “As state Attorneys General, we sometimes disagree about important issues, but all of us share an abiding concern for the safety of the kids in our jurisdictions – and algorithm-driven social media platforms threaten that safety.” The AGs said, “In addition to the states’ historic efforts, this ubiquitous problem requires federal action – and a surgeon general’s warning on social media platforms, though not sufficient to address the full scope of the problem, would be one consequential step toward mitigating the risk of harm to youth.”

The Washington Post (9/10, Lima ) reports, “In their letter to Congress, the state attorneys general said a social media warning label ‘would not only highlight the inherent risks that social media platforms presently pose for young people, but also complement other efforts to spur attention, research, and investment into the oversight of social media platforms.’”

Related Links:

— “42 state attorneys general demand a Surgeon General warning label for social media apps,”Jason Seher, CNN, September 10, 2024

Fierce Healthcare (9/9, Minemyer ) reports, “The four largest pharmacy benefit managers in the U.S. control 70% of the national market, and most regional PBM markets are highly concentrated, according to new data from the American Medical Association (AMA).” The research “dived into 2022 data on commercial and Medicare Part D plans and found that CVS Health’s Caremark is the largest PBM, owning 21.3% market share.” It is “followed closely by UnitedHealth Group’s Optum Rx, which has a 20.8% market share, according to the report.” Meanwhile, Express Scripts “has a 17.1% market share,” while Prime Therapeutics “controls 10.3% of the market.” AMA President Bruce Scott, MD, said the findings “warrant attention as Congress and the administration continue their work to protect patients and ensure prescription drugs remain affordable and accessible.”

Related Links:

— “AMA study: The 4 largest PBMs control 70% of the market nationally,” Paige Minemyer, Fierce Healthcare , September 9, 2024

MedPage Today (9/9, DePeau-Wilson ) reports, “Young people with chronic pain also have higher rates of depression and anxiety, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis.” In the “analysis of 79 studies totaling almost 23,000 youth, the prevalence of anxiety was 34.6% in those with chronic pain, and the prevalence of depression was 12.2%.” Those rates are over “three times greater than observed in the community setting, the authors noted.” The findings were published in JAMA Pediatrics.

Related Links:

— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

Reuters (9/9, Niasse) reports, “The Biden Administration said on Monday it had finalized a regulation to help ensure that the 175 million Americans with private health insurance have access to affordable mental health services.” The 2008 Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act “requires insurers and corporate-backed health plans to provide access and payment structures for mental health care services on par with other medical services.” But, “in practice, that is often not the case.” The final rule “is aimed at closing the gaps by requiring health insurers to evaluate which mental health [professionals’]services are covered by their plans, how much those [professionals] are paid, as well as…how often they require or deny prior authorizations for coverage.”

CNN (9/9, Hassan , Gumbrecht ) reports, “Most provisions in the rule will apply to group health plans and health insurance issuers for plan years starting January 1 or after.” Under the “rule, mental health and substance use disorder care on private insurance plans should be covered at the same level as physical health benefits.” That could mean “adding more mental health and substance use professionals to their networks or reducing red tape for [professionals] to deliver care,” a White House fact sheet said.

The Hill (9/9, Weixel ) reports, “The health insurance industry is likely to challenge the rule, saying the administration did not have the authority to issue it to begin with.” The industry “argued the proposed requirements were unworkable and an unfunded government mandate that would cause employers to stop covering behavioral health services.”

Modern Healthcare (9/9, Early , Subscription Publication) reports, “The regulation also extends mental health parity requirements to state and municipal employee benefits programs, which had been exempt under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 1996, and to individual market health insurance policies.” American Psychiatric Association CEO and Medical Director Marketa Wills, MD, said, “This is a big step forward to hold insurance plans accountable by ensuring the law’s intent is fulfilled and that more individuals will be able to access the mental health and substance use treatment they need.”

Psychiatric News (9/9) reports Wills also said, “APA has always been a strong advocate for mental health parity, and since its enactment, APA has worked tirelessly to advocate for compliance with and enforcement of the federal parity law.”

Related Links:

— “Biden administration finalizes rule to strengthen mental health parity law,”Amina Niasse , Reuters, September 9, 2024