Adolescent Wellness & Health Care Reform: What You Need To Know

Health reform had everyone in a tizzy last week at the Employer Healthcare Congress in Los Angeles. Several sessions of both the Corporate Wellness Conference and the Healthcare Reform Conference were devoted to the implications of some of the more complex provisions.

 

Confused? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Here’s what you need to know, starting with some terms and a timeline.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPAC) was one of two pieces of “healthcare reform” legislation signed into law last March. Some of the PPAC provisions went into effect immediately and then another set kicked in on June 21. The final set, including the ones for preventive care, became law on September 23.

This final set of provisions now requires health plans to cover the preventive care services outlined in Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents.

An aside, but an important one--Bright Futures was developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and Health Resources and Services Administration. This is significant, because all parties agreed on these evidence-based guidelines, making them the de facto standard for all pediatricians, primary care docs, and other physicians treating children.

 

 A key component of the Bright Futures guidelines is a series of Well-Baby and Well-Child visits. These include 31 visits between 0-21 years and cover physical exams, immunizations, hearing and vision screening, developmental and behavioral screening.

In addition to the number of visits now required, another huge change is behavioral screening for mental health as well as obesity. More screening means more identification. More identification means more treatment. It also means that more kids at risk for developing issues will be identified and with the right education and behavior modification, avoid conditions such as diabetes and depression.

 

Bright Futures has published an impressive variety of guides and tools to assist physicians and care providers with implementing the new screenings and visits. According to the guide on Mental Health, “Promoting mental health is one of two themes of special importance.”

Thrive Research offers solutions for payers, providers and employers to provide screening as well as preventive skills training. Our Stanford-developed programs have been shown to reduce the risk of depression, sleep, and eating disorders by at least 25% in adolescents.

To learn more and experience our 3-session trial, visit us at Thrive Research.