Name: Why Collaborative Care Is the Path Forward for Mental Health Care: Anna Bob by Managed Care Cast
Duration: 11 min 50 s
Description: Explore how the Collaborative Care Model enhances mental health access in this episode featuring Anna Bob, executive director of the Path Forward coalition.

A quick roundup episode of major health policy developments, from shifting COVID-19 vaccine guidance and scientific publishing controversies to rising cancer care costs and the impact of oncology biosimilars.

Managed Care Cast News Roundup: June 3, 2025

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, The American Journal of Managed Care® speaks with Julia Lucaci, PharmD, MS, the senior director of global health economics and outcomes research at Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD), an international medical technology company.

Her commentary, "Should Payers Incentivize Pharmacies to Blister-Package Chronic Medications?" argues that payers should consider offering higher reimbursement rates and/or preferred network status to pharmacies that dispense chronic medications in blister packs to enhance medication adherence and patient outcomes.

During the conversation, Lucaci explores the widespread impact of medication nonadherence, the benefits and underutilization of blister packaging in the US, and strategies that could support broader adoption to improve chronic disease management and lower overall health care costs.

Blister Packs May Help Solve Medication Adherence Challenges and Lower Health Care Costs

A quick roundup episode of major news and health policy developments from The American Journal of Managed Care. 

Managed Care Cast News Roundup: June 17, 2025

Delays, denials, and endless paperwork—prior authorization isn’t just a headache for providers; it’s a barrier for patients who need timely care. From shocking patient delays to the surprising role of fax machines in 2025, in this episode, we explore why prior auths are driving burnout, potentially harming outcomes, and what’s being done to streamline the process.

Stuck in Prior Auth Purgatory: The Hidden Costs of Health Care Delays

Gastropsychiatrist Eva Szigethy, MD, PhD, and Benjamin Cohen, MD, Cleveland Clinic, discuss quality of life improvement in terms of behavioral health and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Addressing the Physical, Psychological Complexity of IBD Through Coordinated Care

Explore how the Collaborative Care Model enhances mental health access in this episode featuring Anna Bob, executive director of the Path Forward coalition.

Why Collaborative Care Is the Path Forward for Mental Health Care: Anna Bob

Precision medicine has long guided cancer treatment by matching therapies to tumor mutations, but the emerging field of predictive genomics aims to take this further by factoring in a patient’s genetics, health history, and environment to better predict drug response.

Navigating Risk, Treatment, and Reimbursement in Precision Oncology: Sadie Dobrozsi, MD

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, The American Journal of Managed Care® speaks with Jonathan Gabison, MD, DABOM, and Stephen Lott, PharmD, MS. At the University of Michigan, Gabison is an obesity medicine specialist and family physician, while Lott serves as director of the postgraduate year one managed care residency program and manager of the university's prescription drug plan.

Their qualitative study, "Understanding Insurance Coverage Policies for Incretin Mimetics for Weight Management," determined that the high costs associated with these therapies limit insurance coverage and contribute to variation in utilization management strategies aimed at controlling short-term spending.

During the conversation, the investigators discuss how high costs, misconceptions about obesity, and inconsistent coverage policies continue to hinder equitable, patient-centered care.

High Costs, Coverage Variability Limit Access to Incretin Mimetics for Weight Management

Heart failure remains one of the most urgent challenges in health care, affecting millions of individuals and imposing a significant burden on families and the broader health system. Although guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) has been shown to improve clinical outcomes and reduce hospitalizations, adoption of these therapies remains suboptimal nationwide. Addressing this treatment gap is essential not only for enhancing survival and quality of life but also for mitigating the rising economic impact of heart failure as its prevalence continues to increase. Gluckman also led the session “Addressing Underuse of Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy in Heart Failure” at the July 9 Institute for Value-Based Medicine® (IVBM) event in Garden Grove, CA, where he addressed the need for integrated approaches to drive sustainable, system-level change in cardiovascular care.

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, Ty Gluckman, MD, MHA, FACC, FAHA, FASPC—a practicing cardiologist at Providence Heart Institute in Portland, Oregon, and medical director of Providence's Center for Cardiovascular Analytics, Research, and Data Science—discusses strategies to improve GDMT implementation. The conversation explores opportunities for payers and providers, the potential of remote patient monitoring and digital health tools, and the role of value-based care models in supporting optimal therapy. Emphasis is placed on the importance of aligning clinical guidelines with managed care policies to drive meaningful improvements in patient outcomes.

What It Takes to Improve Guideline-Based Heart Failure Care With Ty J. Gluckman, MD

On this episode, Mary Caffrey, Executive Editor of AJMC and Evidence-Based Oncology (EBO), is joined by Joseph Mikhael, MD, MEd, FRCPC, FACP, FASCO Chief Medical Officer of the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF), was the primary interviewee and source for a recent EBO article. His insights in that piece highlight how the IMF’s M-Power initiative builds trust and awareness through its 3-pillar approach: community engagement, primary care education, and improving care for patients. During the discussion, Mikael talks about how IMF's M-Power initiative is expanding with the organization's medical student scholars program, using patient narratives to encourage trial participation among Black patients, and navigating today’s political climate around diversity, equity, and inclusion—all while pushing toward a future where lifesaving treatments and cures reach every patient who needs them. Stay tuned for this enlightening discussion on bridging the clinical trial gap.

Why Collaborative Care Is the Path Forward for Mental Health Care: Anna Bob

Managed Care Cast

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