AT THIS HOUR

79: Percent of people who relapse during the first year of addiction treatment, though the relapse rate varies widely based on the type of provider you see, their incentives and model of care, and the type of addiction, be it drug, alcohol, or behavioral such as anorexia. If you think insurance plans won’t institute readmit penalties into contracts, think again. Providers offering assurances on total cost of care and success in recovery should fare better.  But there’s an underutilized solution to help elevate recovery and payment….reach out if interested in learning what it is and discussing.

Science: New research from Mass General Brigham suggests about a 35% increased risk of cardiovascular disease in people with both depression and anxiety. Interestingly, 64% of people who hear about a cardiovascular risk at the doctor’s office visit respond by changing habits pretty quickly - taking a statin, starting exercise, adjusting reliance on cheese and salt at every meal. That’s a good trend - but what motivates the other 36% to avoid change?

Sport: 400 some students out of roughly 2,400 we polled acknowledge this - what it means, why it matters.

Policy: Incoming 9th graders and new student-athletes (grades 10-12) will need an ECG/EKG for sports participation under a new Florida second chance law starting this year. A number of states also now have legislation pending that pushes for a minimum of 60 minutes of daily physical activity for all students and 150 a week for elementary, somewhat back to where we were in the 70s and 80s. To read my essay on this from 8 years ago, click here.

Perspective: An essay and song about whether or not we see other people, and I suppose if we do anything about it. Read here.

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