CDC Releases New Report: Mental Health Surveillance among Children in the United States, 2005-2011

The National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) is pleased to announce the release of CDC’s first-ever comprehensive report on children’s mental health in the United States.  The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) supplement, Mental Health Surveillance among Children in the United States, 2005-2011, describes federal efforts to monitor childhood mental disorders, [...]

Administration announces $1 billion initiative to launch Health Care Innovation Awards to provide better health care and lower costs

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

News Division - 202-690-6343  media@hhs.gov  www.hhs.gov/news

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced a nearly $1 billion initiative that will fund awards and evaluation to build on the Obama administration’s work to transform the health care system by delivering better care [...]

Public Sector Enrollment Up by Almost 10% from 2011

Washington, DC (PRWEB) May 14, 2013

Atlantic Information Services, Inc. (AIS) has released findings from a detailed analysis of health insurance enrollment data. As of year-end 2012, findings illustrate the growth in the number of health insurance plan enrollees along with enrollment shifts due to preparations for impending health reform-related deadlines.

The research and data [...]

Care Coordination Becoming a Sweet-Spot for Behavioral Health

Patrick Gauthier

Lately, AHP advisors have been working in tandem with clients on projects that are illuminating a very natural sweet-spot for mental health and substance use disorders treatment professionals: Care Coordination. This function is emerging rapidly out of a need among Patient Centered Medical Homes, Medicaid Health Homes and Medicare Accountable Care Organizations [...]

National Association of Medicaid Directors’ Letter to Congress Sends Strong Signals about Eliminating IMD Exclusion and Squelching Talk of FQBHCs

Release from Ron Manderscheid

On April 18, the National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD) sent a letter to the Chair and Ranking Members of the Senate Finance and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) committees addressing several aspects of mental health services in the context of the Medicaid program. The purpose of the letter was [...]

New Report: Cost Effectiveness of Using Peers as Providers

The following report was prepared by Sue Bergeson, VP, Consumer Affairs, OptumHealth. It describes and summarizes the research that suggests peers are a vital asset in the behavioral health care delivery system. One caution for readers and advocates for this trend is thinking through how payers in the commercial insurance sector will view and interpret these [...]

FIRST MHPAEA LAWSUIT A WIN FOR THOSE WITH MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDERS.

The United States District Court for the District of Vermont Tuesday became the first court in the country to interpret the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) – and the decision is favorable to mental health patients. In C. M. v. Fletcher Allen Health Care, Inc., plaintiff C. M. challenges her health [...]

2013 National Drug Control Strategy Released!

On April 24, 2013, National Drug Control Policy Director Gil Kerlikowske released the President’s national blueprint for drug policy, the 2013 National Drug Control Strategy. This document builds on drug policy reform achieved during the past three years, beginning with the Administration’s inaugural Strategy, released in 2010. This Strategy calls for drug policy reform rooted [...]

Essential Community Providers: Tips to Connect with Health Insurance Marketplace Plans

Starting in 2014, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will result in over 20 million people enrolling in private insurance coverage through health insurance marketplaces (or exchanges). These private plans, called “Qualified Health Plans” (QHP) must meet standards for inclusion of “Essential Community Providers” (ECPs) in their provider networks. ECPs serve predominantly low-income, medically underserved [...]

New: Report to Congress on the Nation’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Workforce Issues

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) was asked this past year to develop a workforce report, specifically addressing the addictions workforce and SAMHSA’s collaboration with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The request language is as follows:

Addiction Services Workforce. – The Committee notes the growing workforce crisis in the addictions [...]