Managed Behavioral Health Organization | Behavioral Health Today

EHR Systems and Behavioral Health: Advice for the Faint of Heart

The RAND Corporation recently released a report expounding the virtues of electronic health records systems’ positive impact on healthcare costs. This hotly debated topic almost always addresses the cost of medical care, hospitalizations, labs, imaging and surgery and almost never includes the cost of behavioral health. Our field’s rate of technology adoption probably has [...]

The Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act-Are you ready for Parity?

Next week’s webinar will offer payors a roadmap to readiness. Register here:

http://behavioralhealthcentral.com/index.php/Event-Registration/vmchk.ht

Parity Legislation Compliance Webinar Series Part 1: Getting Ready for Mental Health Parity Wednesday, December 9 at 2 p.m.

The Mental Health Parity [...]

Parity Receives DOL Boost: Employer Benefit Plans Cannot Evade The Law

Those of you with no legal background, brace yourselves for this opening line: The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) – which is housed within the Department of Labor and oversees ERISA – through their Office of Health Plan Standards and Compliance Assistance, states that Parity will be subject to the “anti-abuse” proposed rule – 29 [...]

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 [...]

Taking the Conservative Approach to Health Spending

This is not meant to be a political statement though it will raise political hackles. It’s purely an observation and a series of nagging questions that I want to get on the table. Last night I read that the average household of four paid $6,000 in premiums for health coverage in the year 2000. [...]

The Bigger Picture: Making Sense of Behavioral Health Beyond Reform and Post-Parity

The reform debate rages on (and on). Meanwhile, some very important questions remain unanswered and buried under the weight of “inflammation” rather than meaningful healthcare information. To say that this process has become inflamed and devisive – hijacked by pundits and strategists from both sides of the aisle – is a great understatement at [...]

“Addiction Equity” – Addressing Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Coverage with the help of ASAM

We recently presented to the State Associations of Addictions Services (SAAS) at their annual summit in Tucson where they had joined forces with NIATx (and by extension SAMHSA and NIDA) in the interest of exploring patient engagement strategies, the exchange of process improvement ideas, and understanding how healthcare reform and the Mental Health Parity [...]

Reform, Rationing & Rationality: How The Healthcare Debate Unfolds In Behavioral Health

Watching the House and Senate debate and planning process and witnessing the media and pundit reaction on television and in the blog-o-sphere everyday, I find it no wonder the average voter is losing confidence. The healthcare debate in this country revolves around some of the most complex economic, scientific, legal and ethical challenges in [...]

Taking Care of Business: Why Context and Need are at the Heart of Business Process Design

Nowhere is the answer to the business question “Why?” more striking and evident than in healthcare. When people begin to think in terms of “Why do we do this?” and “Why do it that way?”, the answers inherently gush with reasons that make you sit up and take note. And nowhere have we [...]

Challenges & Opportunities in Public Behavioral Health Systems

I am attending the SAMHSA Grantees conference this week and presenting on the topic of Parity. The theme for the entire conference is “Challenges & Opportunities”. I’ve already prepared my slides and hand-outs but did a bit more thinking on the plane. I did more reading, to be honest. My briefcase is jammed with [...]

Recent Posts