Behavioral Health Today

IOM Report on Living Well with Chronic Conditions Highlights Importance of Behavioral Health

Patrick Gauthier — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:22:11 +0000

The IOM released a new report that focuses with lazer precision on the bulk of the costs in our so-called cost curve: chronic conditions. The report exposes the importance of tackling multiple or comorbid chronic conditions and illustrates with tremendous clarity the crucial role of social/cultural factors, behavior and behavioral health, family and physical [...]

Behavioral Health Providers’ Red Flag: AMA asks (again) that HHS Pull the Plug on ICD-10 Implementation in 2013

Patrick Gauthier — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:02:04 +0000

Citing significant financial and administrative burdens, the AMA has asked Secretary Sebelius to postpone and streamline the 2013 mandated conversion to ICD-10. The AMA is clear that there are a wide range of health information technology initiatives and regulations they have to adopt and comply with right now and contends that converting from the [...]

SAMHSA announces a working definition of “recovery” from mental disorders and substance use disorders

Patrick Gauthier — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:39:49 +0000

Date: 12/22/2011 10:00 AM Media Contact: SAMHSA Press Office Telephone: 240-276-2130

A new working definition of recovery from mental disorders and substance use disorders is being announced by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The definition is the product of a year-long effort by SAMHSA and a wide range of partners in [...]

32 Leading health care providers announced as Pioneer Accountable Care Organizations

Patrick Gauthier — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:26:10 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 19, 2011 Contact: HHS Press Office (202) 690-6343 Affordable Care Act helps 32 health systems improve care for patients, saving up to $1.1 billion

Leading health care providers will be Pioneer Accountable Care Organizations

Thirty-two leading health care organizations from across the country will participate in a new Pioneer [...]

HHS to Give States More Flexibility to Implement Health Reform – Impact Felt Among Essential Health Benefits

Patrick Gauthier — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 19:31:11 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 16, 2011

Contact: HHS Press Office (202) 690-6343 Approach will help ensure consumers have quality, affordable coverage starting in 2014

The Department of Health and Human Services today released a bulletin outlining proposed policies that will give states more flexibility and freedom to implement the Affordable Care Act.

The Affordable [...]

Release of FAQs on 42 CFR Part 2

Patrick Gauthier — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 17:18:20 +0000

Release from SAMHSA – December 9, 2011

Protecting the confidentiality of people receiving substance abuse treatment services is of paramount importance. While assuring proper safeguards for privacy, it is also critical that information can be properly shared to help physical health and substance abuse practitioners provide the best care possible for individuals receiving treatment [...]

GAO Finds Employers’ Insurance Coverage Enhanced by MHPAEA

Patrick Gauthier — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 02:49:01 +0000

GAO-12-63 November 30, 2011 Full Report PDF

The Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) requires that employers who offer health insurance coverage for mental health conditions and substance use disorders (MH/SU) provide coverage that is no more restrictive than that offered for medical and surgical [...]

The Center for Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) Issues Parity FAQs

Patrick Gauthier — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 22:01:21 +0000

The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) supplemented the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996 (MHPA). Generally, MHPAEA specifies that the financial requirements and treatment limitations imposed on mental health and substance use disorder benefits cannot be more restrictive than the predominant financial requirements and treatment limitations that apply to [...]

CMS Eases ICD-10 Deadline by 90 Days…many believe that may not be enough

Patrick Gauthier — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:43:04 +0000

CMS STATEMENT

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Office of E-Health Standards and Services Announces 90-Day Period of Enforcement Discretion for Compliance with New HIPAA Transaction Standards

Today the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Office of E-Health Standards and Services (OESS) announced that it would not initiate enforcement [...]

AMA Adopts New Policies: Support for Health Insurance Exchanges and a Call to Stop ICD-10 in its Tracks

Patrick Gauthier — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 18:35:00 +0000

NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 15, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The American Medical Association (AMA), the nation’s largest physician organization, voted today during the closing session of its semi-annual policy-making meeting to adopt the following new policies:

Guidelines for Health Insurance Exchanges

The AMA today adopted new policies on the health insurance exchanges created by the [...]