The state of California has committed up to $500 million over four years on mental health apps to benefit teens. Many mental health advocates worry that taxpayers will not get their money’s worth nor young Californias get the care taxpayers are funding. Early signs are not encouraging. Advocates say the rollout has been slow and utilization low. So far, only about 0.1% of eligible young people have signed up.
Author: Devon Herrick
Why Is My Dog’s Vet Bill So High? (Because Private Equity Bought the Veterinary Clinic)
Veterinary medicine is big business and private equity investors are taking notice. Medical spending on companion animals is up sharply and stands at nearly $40 billion annually. Private equity has poured more than $60 billion into veterinary investments since 2017. Investors are snapping up practices and raising prices. You may think you’re going to the same vet you’ve gone to for years. Then one day the prices are much higher, and you’re pressured to get more services than usual.
FTC to Ban Noncompete Agreements. Will Your Doctor be Freed Too?
Nowadays nearly three-quarters of physicians are hospital employees or employed by investor-owned group practices. Many are bound by employment agreements that limit their ability to easily leave a job for a new one.
Communities Eagerly Await Opioid Settlement Funds but Unsure How to Use Them
The Wall Street Journal reported on communities hard hit by the opioid epidemic, hoping settlement funds would mitigate the damage done by drug addiction. The Opioid Master Settlement Agreement was patterned after the tobacco settlements, except federal officials tried to structure the funds in such a way to avoid the money from being siphoned off for purposes unrelated to drug treatment.