Press Release Archive 2020-2021

WASHINGTON – November 10, 2021 – The National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions (National Alliance) recognized the efforts of employer/purchasers, coalitions, physicians and health plans at its 25^th Annual Forum. Turner Industries and Phifer Incorporated received the 2021 Employer/Purchaser Excellence Award; The Economic Alliance for Michigan was honored with the 2021 Membership Leadership Award; Mohannad Kusti, MD, was acknowledged with the inaugural Medical Director Leadership Award; and Cigna and Kaiser Permanente Washington were selected for the 2021 eValue8™ Innovations Award. Click title above for complete release.

Employees Challenged by a Traumatized Workforce Unable to Concentrate; Experts Offer Advice

SAN FRANCISCO and WASHINGTON – October 14, 2021 – Chronic pandemic-induced stress and anxiety have unleashed a nine-month surge in PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). As return to the workplace for many looms large, U.S. employers are faced with a fearful and overwhelmed workforce unable to concentrate. According to the Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition, as risk of PTSD continues to increase month over month, the capacity for sustained attention continues to decline. When compared to before COVID-19, risk of PTSD is up +53%, while the capacity for sustained attention is down 53%.

WASHINGTON – October 4, 2021 – The U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury, and the Office of Personnel Management, issued an interim final rule of the No Surprises Act, a consumer protection law that helps curb the practice known as “surprise billing” for medical care.

 

SAN FRANCISCO and WASHINGTON – September 16, 2021 – According to the latest Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition, employer-backed mental health initiatives may be starting to pay off for older workers. When it comes to employees ages 40+, many measures of mental health are now at pre-pandemic levels or better. Employees aged 40-59 are bouncing back after several months of declining mental health. Since June, depressive disorder is down (59%), stress is down (18%), and negativity is down (12%). Data also shows that for employees age 60+, anxiety levels are down (47%) and are now lower than before COVID-19. Further, depression is down (89%) in just the last two months.

WASHINGTON – September 13, 2021 – While most employers anticipated a stabilized business environment by the end of the year, the Delta variant surge has caused this confidence to decrease from 65% to 57% over the past six months. Many organizations have also had to rethink their return-to-work timing with 55% indicating a change in plans. These are among the findings of a survey of employer views on COVID-19, health strategy and policy conducted by the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions (National Alliance) and its members.

WASHINGTON — September 10, 2021 — Today 18 organizations announced their support for the Collaborate in an Orderly and Cohesive Manner (COCM) Act which will improve access to evidence-based mental health and substance use care by supporting and investing in the implementation of the Collaborative Care Model in primary care offices.

WASHINGTON – Sept. 8, 2021 – With the emergence of specialty therapeutics, the cost of prescription drugs covered under a medical plan instead of pharmacy benefit has increased substantially. To improve value of these high-cost medications for employers and other healthcare purchasers, the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions released an analysis of drug management in the health plan setting with strategies to help purchasers better manage the medical side of drug benefits.

SAN FRANCISCO and WASHINGTON, August 19, 2021 – Americans are not coping well according to the Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition. Against the backdrop of the rising delta variant and a race by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to bring back mask mandates, risk of PTSD continues to surge. Incidence of PTSD risk is up 83% when compared to pre-pandemic and has skyrocketed an alarming 61% over the past six months. Further, employees ages 40-59, many of whom are management-level workers, are riddled with anxiety, stress and negativity amid political divisiveness and renewed concerns over return-to-work and back-to-school plans. 

SAN FRANCISCO and WASHINGTON, July 15, 2021 – As pandemic life gives way to a new normal, employees are searching for more flexibility, less stress and more happiness. Experts warn that leading with empathy will be more critical than ever when it comes to employee recruitment and retention efforts. According to the Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition, elevated risk of pandemic-fueled PTSD (up 56% when compared to pre-COVID-19) continues; driving stress levels up and adversely impacting employee resilience and cognition. Click title above for complete release.

WASHINGTON – July 14, 2021 – The National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions announced its slate of new officers for the Board of Governors. Officers are elected by their board peers based on proven leadership and commitment to the National Alliance, as well as their efforts to advance and strengthen value-based purchasing strategies. Click title above for complete release.

SAN FRANCISCO and WASHINGTON – June 17, 2021 – Employers beware – pandemic-fueled trauma is driving a dramatic decline in employee focus, especially among the nation’s youngest and oldest workers. According to the latest Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition, risk of PTSD is up 36% between February and May 2021 and is now 55% higher than pre-pandemic.  Click title above for complete release.

WASHINGTON – May 26, 2021 – Employers and other private healthcare purchasers who provide coverage for more than 180 million Americans are seeking more evidence that supports improved patient-centered outcomes. The National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions (National Alliance) released a whitepaper, “Making Comparative Effectiveness Research a Stronger, More Relevant Tool for Employers,” highlighting the need for research around the structures, processes and outcomes required to build healthy organizations and workforces.  Click title above for complete release.

SAN FRANCISCO and WASHINGTON – May 20, 2021 – According to the latest Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition, everyone’s mental health is worsening as the return to the workplace looms large. Stress, depressed mood, feelings of anxiety and risk of PTSD are on the rise once again. Most notable – the data signals an impending trend reversal among female employees, who had seen remarkable mental health improvements since January. Compared to March 2021, women are showing a 33% increase in feelings of anxiety, a 25% increase in stress, and a 23% increase in depressed mood.   Click title above for complete release.

SAN FRANCISCO AND WASHINGTON – April 22, 2021 – The Employers’ Prescription for Affordable Drugs (EmployersRx), a coalition of employers formed in 2019 to advocate for policies that address the high cost of prescription drugs, will pursue a wide range of policy initiatives in 2021 aimed at making medications more affordable and accessible. Click title above for complete release.

WASHINGTON — April 20, 2021 — While the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is far reaching, young adults have been significantly impacted with school closures, loss of income and isolation. To close gaps in access, quality, and affordability of care for mental health and substance use disorders among teens and young adults, The Jed Foundation (JED), a nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults, has joined The Path Forward for Mental Health and Substance Use (The Path Forward).  Click title above for complete release.

SAN FRANCISCO and WASHINGTON, April 15, 2021 – As Americans flock to vaccine sites nationwide, a collective sigh of relief is almost palpable. Yet, for some, despite the promise of protection from a deadly and unpredictable virus, the trauma of the past year is just now taking its toll. According to the Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition, employees ages 40-59 are experiencing worrisome declines in mental health over the last few months. Risk of PTSD has increased 51% since January; and planning, which impacts decisiveness, is down 10% in March 2021. Further, risk of general anxiety is 86% higher than before the pandemic. Findings also reveal that these employees have increased feelings of panic (9%) and fear (12%) when compared to before COVID-19.  Click title above for complete release.

WASHINGTON – March 31, 2021 – Over the next few months employers are looking at better delivery reform strategies such as mental health access with a growing number focused on advanced primary care and centers of excellence. These are among the findings of a survey of employers and other private purchasers of healthcare conducted by the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions (National Alliance) and its members. Click title above for complete release.

SAN FRANCISCO and WASHINGTON, March 19, 2021 – Last year took U.S. workers on a pandemic-fueled emotional roller coaster marked by alarmingly high mental health risk levels and worrisome declines in cognitive capacities. As we mark the somber one-year anniversary of COVID-19, Americans are demonstrating their mental resilience. According to the latest Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition, employees are showing mental health improvements – a continuation of the positive trend set in January 2021. By end of last month, stress, memory, resilience, conscious negativity, risk of PTSD, social anxiety and depression returned to levels recorded prior to the pandemic.  Click title above for complete release.

WASHINGTON, DC - February 23, 2021—In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading national groups representing business, government, nonprofits, and health care providers and plans have come together to accelerate actionable solutions to close persistent gaps in access, quality, and affordability of care for mental health and substance use disorders. The Mental Health & Suicide Prevention National Response to COVID-19 (National Response), an initiative of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (Action Alliance), and The Path Forward for Mental Health and Substance Use (The Path Forward), today announced a collaboration to increase access to evidence-based treatments for mental health and substance use disorders in both specialty and primary care settings. Click title above for complete release.

SAN FRANCISCO and WASHINGTON – February 19, 2021 – The new year brings promising news for employers increasingly challenged to support their workers’ mental health amid COVID-19. According to the latest Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition, by the end of January, employees’ stress and risk of general anxiety dropped down to pre-pandemic levels. Resilience and social connectivity climbed back to positive levels not seen since before February 2020. Click title above for complete release.

WASHINGTON – February 2, 2021 – To engage employers and other healthcare purchasers and providers in strategic discussions to improve care delivery, outcomes and value, the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions (National Alliance) and the Council of Accountable Physician Practices (CAPP) collaborated on a series of roundtables across the country during the last several months. The purpose of the discussions was to help purchasers and physicians share their key priorities in improving behavioral health integration, high value care, and better evaluating care delivery system and physician networks. Click title above for complete release.

SAN FRANCISCO and WASHINGTON, January 28, 2021 – The state of mind of the U.S. workforce does not reflect the optimism and mental health relief hoped for with the availability of the COVID-19 vaccines. Quite the opposite. According to the Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition, between November and December there was a 48% increase in the risk of depression – a perilous risk level not seen since the height of the pandemic this past spring. Further, employees’ focus dropped 62% – a record low since the inception of the research in February 2020.   Click title above for complete release.

SAN FRANCISCO and WASHINGTON – December 18, 2020 – According to the Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition, women’s risk of drug and alcohol addiction is up 65% since September. This alarming news is set against a backdrop of insufficient sleep. Female employees’ risk of sleep apnea has climbed 126% over the past 10 months. Click title above for complete release.

WASHINGTON – December 16, 2020 – To arm employers and other purchasers with critical data on the performance of their pharmacy benefit management (PBM) vendors, the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions released its annual assessment. This year’s evaluation reviews five PBMs, representing over 70 million covered lives: Cigna, CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, MaxorPlus and Navitus Health Solutions.  Click title above for complete release.

WASHINGTON – December 7, 2020 – As the COVID-19 crisis will only end when people have access to effective vaccines and therapeutic drugs, the Employers’ Prescription for Affordable Drugs (EmployersRx) urges legislators, manufacturers and providers to ensure fair and reasonable pricing of these shortly anticipated treatments.  Click title above for complete release.

WASHINGTON/SAN FRANCISCO -- December 1, 2020 -- Primary Care Collaborative (PCC), the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions (National Alliance) and the Pacific Business Group on Health (PBGH) announced today ways the Shared Principles of Primary Care can be applied and realized in practice. These organizations jointly released a new set of attributes to characterize advanced primary care (APC), a practice that shifts the focus of primary care toward quality. Click title above for complete release.

SAN FRANCISCO and WASHINGTON, November 19, 2020 – Until now, the Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition has shown women bearing the emotional brunt of COVID-19. However, brain assessments taken in August through October reveal a troubling new trend. Men’s mental health is declining, and is, in some cases, on par with or worse than that of women. Men’s risk of depression is up 69% (154% greater risk than in February); and risk of general anxiety is up 55% (66% greater risk than in February). Between September and October, risk of PTSD went up 68% (74% greater risk than in February). The data show men’s mental health risks are nearing levels not seen since the onset of the pandemic. Click title above for complete release.

WASHINGTON – November 9, 2020 – Qualcomm and Merrill Steel were awarded the 2020 Employer/Purchaser Excellence Award by the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions at its Annual Forum. The Pittsburgh Business Group on Health was recognized with the 2020 Membership Leadership Award and Cigna received the 2020 eValue8™ Innovations Award.  Click title above for complete release.

SAN FRANCISCO and WASHINGTON, October 22, 2020 – Since March 2020, the Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition has tracked the downward spiral of Americans’ mental health catalyzed by the COVID-19 global pandemic. Until now, data presented only troubling news. According to the latest Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition, employees’ risk of depression (up 64%) and general anxiety (up 43%) remain significantly elevated when compared to pre-pandemic. Yet, the risk of general anxiety disorder is stable from August to September and risk of depression saw a low single-digit 6% increase. Stress and anxiety levels are stabilizing. And risk of PTSD declined 22% from August to September and is approaching February levels – a sign of continued adaptation to the current state of our world.  Click title above for complete release.

WASHINGTON – September 29, 2020 – Faced with record disruption in healthcare services and the economic downturn, employers are staying the course or accelerating (71% for 2021 and 63% for 2022) their health benefit strategies. These are among the findings of a survey of employers and other private purchasers of healthcare conducted by the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions (National Alliance) and its members. Click title above for complete release.

SAN FRANCISCO and WASHINGTON, September 17, 2020 – Americans have been living in a highly-prolonged state of unpredictability amid COVID-19. The consequence of this chronic stress, anxiety and depressive mood is the declining cognitive performance of the nation’s workers. According to the Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition, sustained attention, the driver of task completion, is down 31% in August when compared to February pre-pandemic. Planning, the capacity to make decisions and drive strategy, is down 15% since February.  Click title above for complete release.

SAN FRANCISCO and WASHINGTON – August 20, 2020 – The risk for depression among U.S. workers has risen an alarming 102% since February, according to findings from the Mental Health Index. The escalating threat of developing depressive mood disorder shows little sign of abating.  Between June and July, the risk of depression climbed a staggering 31%. Click title above for complete release.

BURLINGAME, CA and WASHINGTON – July 23, 2020 – Lyra Health, a leading provider of innovative mental health benefits for employers, and the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions (National Alliance), today announced findings from a study of more than 1,200 US-based employees who receive health insurance through their employer. Click title above for complete release.

OAKLAND, CA and WASHINGTON – July 22, 2020 – Employers and other healthcare purchasers and America’s leading medical groups are collaborating to find solutions to fix the fragmented U.S. healthcare delivery system. Click title above for complete release.

ALEXANDRIA, VA – July 20, 2020 – The Innovation and Value Initiative (IVI), a non-profit research organization dedicated to improving the science and practice of value assessment, announced today it is awarding a grant to the National Health Council (NHC) and the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions (National Alliance) to help improve value assessment approaches that better reflect the needs of patients and employers. Click title above for complete release.

SAN FRANCISCO and WASHINGTON – July 17, 2020 – According to the Mental Health Index by Total Brain, the number of employed adults at risk for mental health conditions remained alarmingly elevated when comparing February, pre-pandemic, with June. Click title above for complete release.

WASHINGTON – July 15, 2020 – The primary care system in the United States is collapsing due to decades of underinvestment, a poorly designed financing structure and a crushing set of administrative functions. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions (National Alliance) believe that collectively we can do better. These two national organizations representing family physicians and employers are collaborating to change how care is paid for and delivered to ensure comprehensive, continuous and coordinated advanced primary care for the more than 150 million Americans with employer-sponsored insurance.

WASHINGTON – July 2, 2020 – The National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions announced its slate of new officers for the Board of Governors. Officers are elected by their board peers based on proven leadership and commitment to the National Alliance, as well as their efforts to advance and strengthen value-based purchasing strategies.

National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions joins Total Brain and One Mind at Work to bring national mental health benchmark to business leaders nationwide

 

SAN FRANCISCO and WASHINGTON – June 16, 2020 – As COVID-19 continues to sweep the globe, the emotional and cognitive toll on Americans remains ever present; but for working women, the impacts are greater. According to the May Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition, anxiety levels for working women have increased 52% since February versus 29% for their male counterparts. Further, women’s level of depressed mood has increased 83% versus 36% for men. Women are also at a greater risk than men for general anxiety disorder (98% vs. 67%) and depression (177% vs.134%).

Collaboration sets new standard for private-public partnership to help employers impact the communities where their employees live, work and play

 

WASHINGTON and ATLANTA – May 20, 2020 – The National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, a non-profit dedicated to driving innovation, health and value across the country, and Sharecare, the digital health company that helps people manage all their health in one place, announced a partnership designed to help employers develop data-driven strategies to positively impact the well-being of their employees and families and the broader communities in which they live, work and play.

National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions survey of 200+ employers across country found 88% have COVID-19 return to work task force in place

 

WASHINGTON – May 18, 2020 – US employers are making plans to ensure their employees can safely return to work with 90% considering a phased re-entry and 88% having a multi-disciplinary task force in place. These are among the findings of a survey from the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions (National Alliance) conducted to support regional coalitions and employers and benchmark re-opening strategies in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Specific recommendations raise bar for behavioral care provided by telehealth, primary care and specialists

 

WASHINGTON – May 4, 2020 – Rates of suicide and drug-related deaths were at record levels before the global tsunami of COVID-19, and this crisis has only exacerbated the problem. In fact, experts warn of a “second wave” that will manifest with a shock to our mental health and wellbeing that will be just as serious as the coronavirus pandemic itself. To help reduce the impending impact on all Americans, The Path Forward for Mental Health and Substance Use has released new guidance for employers, providers, health plans and other stakeholders. 

 Comprehensive assessment offers employers strategies to optimize the delivery of care to their workforces

WASHINGTON – April 27, 2020 – Over the last few decades primary care has suffered due to misalignment in how primary care practices are paid, lack of care coordination and access issues. Essential to helping people stay healthy and manage chronic conditions, this has compromised the ability of the provider to treat the whole person rather than just the presenting condition. To better understand which practices and strategies drive superior value to improve outcomes and mitigate costs within a primary care practice, the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions (National Alliance) released a comprehensive assessment for employers and other plan sponsors. 

 

WASHINGTON – March 30, 2020 – As the coronavirus disrupts lives and businesses around the world, employers are mobilizing to support their employees and community efforts related to COVID-19 testing, treatment and social distancing. Their approaches are not universal, with significant variations among organizations and across industries. This is among the findings of a survey from the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions (National Alliance) conducted to help employers understand and benchmark the handling of COVID-19 from a benefits and policy perspective.

 

WASHINGTON and OAKLAND, CA – March 10, 2020 – US employers can have significant impact in shaping the care, health and wellbeing of their workers and family members given that almost 60% of working-age Americans are covered by employer-based health insurance. According to a recent survey of 200 benefits managers conducted by the Integrated Benefits Institute (IBI) in partnership with the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions (National Alliance), some employers are already playing that role in the design of their medical, pharmacy, disability, wellbeing, absence and other health benefits.

 

 

Two out of three respondents were open to a Medicare public option

WASHINGTON – Feb. 20, 2020 – Employers who sponsor health benefits for millions of Americans face rising healthcare costs and the uncertainty of pending surprise medical billing and drug pricing legislation and the presidential election. As a result, almost 34% of purchasers indicated that a Medicare public option could be a helpful reform for their employer health and wellbeing strategies, while another 29% were neutral. These are among the findings of an employer survey conducted by the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions (National Alliance).

 

WASHINGTON – Feb. 11, 2020 – This is a critical week for the millions of Americans still receiving bankrupting surprise medical bills and the employers who sponsor health benefits for their workers and families. The National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, a non-profit whose members represent more than 12,000 employers and 45 million Americans, urges legislators to advance a fair, reasonable, local market-based approach to resolve billing disputes.

60% of employers indicated that drug and medical spending is costly and unsustainable

 

WASHINGTON – Jan. 8, 2020 – Faced with increasing prescription drug costs over the last several years, employers have been challenged with finding the best approach to this complex issue. The most common strategy used to manage these expenses has been group purchasing (currently 40%). Leading strategies that will be considered in the future are fully transparent pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) (55%), outcomes-based contracting (48%), reference-based pricing (44%) and custom exclusions from drug formulary (38%).