Healthcare | Behavioral Health Today

CMS Offers States, CHIP and Medicaid MCOs Limited Direction with Respect to Parity

On November 4th Cindy Mann of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) offered a rare glimpse into the guidance and direction plans and providers around the country are anticipating in January. Specifically, her letter was directed to “State Health Officials” responsible for Medicaid and CHIP. Her purpose was to provide some “general [...]

The Behavioral Health Field Must Address Quality – Part 1

Last week, the President of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), Margaret O’Kane, reported that quality of care in the United States did not improve in 2008. She went on to say that she believes health reform must address quality. A review of the report makes it abundantly clear to this author that [...]

Health Plans Face Daunting Tasks. Parity Not High On List of To-Dos

I am attending the California Association of Health Plans annual conference this week and thought I would share some of what I am observing. For starters, Howard Khan, CEO of LA Care Health Plan and Chairman of CAHP Board provided a keynote that immediately established the context where health plans are concerned. He pointed [...]

The Commonwealth Fund Reports on Suicide -Access and Equity in Coverage Make A Difference

The Commonwealth Fund has released it 2009 report titled: “Aiming Higher – Results from A State Scorecard on Health System Performance” and the evidence is irrefutable where suicide prevention is concerned. States that demonstrate improved access to mental health care, especially among the most vulnerable populations, show a dramatic decrease in the rate of [...]

Are Health Reform and Health Plans Mutually Exclusive?

Tuesday, the Senate Finance Committee will take up the fate of at least one reform proposal. On the eve of that vote, the American Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) released a report prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) demonstrating the bill will wind up costing more than its authors are admitting. Talking heads are exploding in an [...]

Parity Regulations & Technical Guidance Delayed until after January 1, 2010. Can Pamela Hyde Get Approved and Help?

Surprised about the delay? No, but employers and plans will need to move forward carefully, doing everything they can to comply reasonably and in “good faith” until we receive clarification.

On October 2nd, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius wrote to House and Senate lawmakers saying that the administration “aims” to issue regulations for the one-year [...]

Reform Package Gains Steam – Stigma Dealt Another in a Series of Crushing Blows

The Senate Finance Committee has wrapped up its debate over the most significant changes in the U.S. health-care system in decades. In the process, they have made the bill more attractive to Republicans and moderate Blue Dog Democrats by making some crucial concessions. Namely, they have agreed to eliminate the legislation’s most punitive taxes [...]

Mental Health Providers Lining Up Behind Reforms – Good News For Individuals Suffering From Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders?

The American Psychological Association (APA) announced today that it supports H.R. 3200, America’s Affordable Health Choices Act, as the basis for health reform. This action follows the American Medical Association’s (AMA) decision to do the same. The benefits of the bill cited by the APA include:

Requiring a “basic benefit package” for all plans [...]

Reform: Parity’s Friend or Foe?

There are two astronomical events happening at the same time: Parity regulations are being crafted to impact more than 100 million Americans while health and insurance Reform packages are being considered -the impact of which will be felt by all of us. Oddly, both are still vague and we lack the foresight to prepare [...]

In Support of a Public-Private Option

Throughout the campaign, we heard a chorus that went something like this: “I want those of you who are uninsured to benefit from coverage similar to mine. Federal employees enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program (FEHBP) have tremendous health insurance. We could leverage these plans, model a solution accordingly, and vastly expand [...]

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