Resources

Client Alerts, News Articles, Blog Posts, & Multimedia

Everything you need to know about BMD and the industry.

Governor Mike DeWine and The Ohio State University Introduce the SOAR Study on Ohio Mental Illness

Client Alert
January 22, 2024

On January 19, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and The Ohio State University announced a new research initiative, the State of Ohio Adversity and Resilience (“SOAR”) study, which will investigate all factors influencing Ohio’s mental illness and addiction epidemic. SOAR will focus on Ohio families across generations to:

  • Identify factors or risks that lead to persistent distress, mental illness, substance abuse, use disorders, or overdose,
  • Understand how exposure to such risks impacts one’s behavior, biology, and brain function,
  • Identify patterns of intergenerational transferal of illnesses, and
  • Discover methods to promote resilience allowing one to face adversity.

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine will collaborate with a number of Ohio universities to lead the study. Bowling Green State University, Case Western/ University Hospital-Cleveland, Central State University, and Nationwide Children’s Hospital, among others, will join Ohio State in the study.

Beginning its initiative, the SOAR study will start with two paralleled projects. First, under the SOAR Wellness Survey, as many as 15,000 Ohioans will be surveyed to collect information on social and psychological makeup, life experiences, and the participants’ mental health. Second, the SOAR Brain Health Study will examine about 3,000 Ohio families to study biological, psychological, and social factors to determine who does well facing adversity, and who does not.

Over the past decade, Ohio has witnessed a rise in mental illness and drug overdose, which has been heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidencing the state’s attempt to improve these issues, the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services has funded the SOAR study with an initial $20 million grant.

In performing extensive analysis on Ohio individuals, families, and multiple generations, SOAR study researchers hope these findings lead to “new strategies” that support resilience and enable families to “break the chain” of mental illness and substance abuse.

If you have questions about the content of this Client Alert, please contact BMD Healthcare Member Daphne Kackloudis at dlkackloudis@bmdllc.com.

SOARGovernor Mike DeWineDaphne KackloudisOpioid CrisisHealth Law
Client Alert

CLIENT ALERT: The European Union's New Data Privacy Law Goes Into Effect

June 5, 2018On May 25, 2018, the European Union’s (“the EU”) new data privacy law went into effect. The General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) concerns the processing of personal data that can be searched according to specified criteria such as geographical scope.Client Alert

CLIENT ALERT: Class Action Waivers in Employment Contracts Upheld by Supreme Court

May 24, 2018On May 21, 2018, in a 5-4 decision and a major win for employers, the United States Supreme Court upheld the legality of waivers in employment contracts that prohibit employees from grouping claims together in collective or class actions in favor of individual arbitration proceedings. See Epic Sys. Corp. v. Lewis, ___U.S.___ (2018).Client Alert

CLIENT ALERT: Prohibition on Recoupment Prior to Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies

May 18, 2018In April, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, in Family Rehabilitation, Inc. v. Azar No. 17-11337 (5th Cir. 2018), held that district courts are authorized to enjoin the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) and its contractors from recouping alleged overpayments prior to the completion of the administrative appeal process.Client Alert

CLIENT ALERT: Low Volume Appeals Settlement for RAC Appeals

May 4, 2018In April, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) issued a new settlement proposal to providers with outstanding appeals at the Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals (“OMHA”) and the Medicare Appeals Council (“MAC”). Essentially, CMS is offering to pay up to 62% of the claim to the provider for qualifying claims that are currently in the appeal process. Interested providers may submit an Expression of Interest (“EOI”) to CMS by June 8, 2018. Providers should explore this settlement opportunity and submit an EOI to receive an offer of settlement. Providers may decline the offer after the EOI is submitted. Brennan, Manna & Diamond, LLC’s Provider Relations, Audit, and Appeals Unit, a division of its Healthcare Department, is able to assist providers with filing the EOI, analyzing the outstanding claims subject to the settlement, and reviewing the Administrative Agreement that is offered by CMS.Client Alert

CLIENT ALERT: Ohio Managed Care Organization (MCO) Open Enrollment

May 1, 2018Open Enrollment started April 30, and will continue through May 25, 2018, for your MCO (Managed Care Organization). Every State Fund Ohio employer can select their MCO for the coming policy year. The MCO is responsible for helping to manage Ohio Workers’ Compensation claim costs. All State Fund employers will begin to receive correspondence urging them to select that particular MCO, or urging them not to make a switch.
Older posts
Newer posts