A message from Dr. William Beecroft
Recent events turn nation’s attention to suicide awareness and prevention
The tragic deaths in June of TV host Anthony Bourdain and designer Kate Spade focused the national spotlight on a disturbing trend. Read more.

Blue Cross designates 1,700 practices as patient-centered medical homes this year
In the 10th year of its nationally renowned designation program, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has designated approximately 4,630 physicians in 1,700 practices across Michigan as patient-centered medical homes. Blue Cross-designated PCMH practices are in 80 of 83 Michigan counties. Read more.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan holds the line on insurance rates
As part of its efforts to rein in health care costs and make insurance more affordable, Blue Cross is filing 2019 rates that feature either modest increases or reductions from 2018 rates. Read more.

Remind your Medicare Advantage patients to get mammograms every 2 years
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society. Yet about 20 percent of female Medicare Plus Blue^SM members ages 50 to 74 haven’t had a mammogram in two years. Read more.

Eligible providers invited to free buprenorphine waiver training
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network will offer the American Society of Addiction Medicine’s Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder Course free of charge to the first 100 eligible providers. Read more.

Guest column from Dr. Michael L. Fox
Primary care physicians play important role in treating substance use disorders
When it comes to treating substance use disorders, a primary care physician is an integral part of the treatment team. As a specialist in addiction medicine, I’d like to offer some suggestions for how a primary care physician can be an even more effective member of the team. Read more.

Focus on pharmacy
Dangerous duo: Understanding risks associated with concurrent opioid and benzodiazepine use
While benzodiazepines have received less public attention than opioids over the past year, it’s estimated that nearly 30 percent of fatal opioid overdoses also involved benzodiazepines. According to the Food and Drug Administration, combined use of these two medications increased by 41 percent from 2002 through 2014. Read more.

Here’s a roundup of recent news and information about opioids
New state laws on opioids that were intended to save lives have some physicians concerned about unintended consequences, according to article in Crain’s Detroit Business on July 29. None of the doctors interviewed by Crain's objected to the laws' intent: Reducing misuse of the powerful painkillers that have contributed to rising deaths and addictions. But they say regulations have added unnecessary administrative headaches, led to a climate of fear for doctors and left some patients unable to get medications when they really need them. Read more.