Executive Summary

Representatives in Washington, DC, have been busy advocating on Capitol Hill to continue partial hospitalization program (PHP) payment rates at the 2007 level for 2008. The National Council encourages you to contact representatives of the National Association for Behavioral Health (NABH) at the law firm Patton Boggs, LLP led by former Senator John Breaux to assist in these efforts.  The Senate Finance Committee has jurisdiction over Medicare, and is working on a legislative package of Medicare provisions.  As we understand, NABH and their representatives at Patton Boggs are emphasizing to federal policymakers our commitment to working together in 2008 as an industry, and with federal policymakers, on a long-term fair solution for the PHP payment system.  In the meantime, PHP providers cannot sustain another cut in reimbursement after 5 consecutive years of payment reductions. 

Action Needed

Advocacy Coordination Contacts

Contact the NABH team at Patton Boggs LLP by phone at 202-457-6000 or by e-mail at:

Karen Thiel kthiel@pattonboggs.com

Sara van Geertruyden svangeertruyden@pattonboggs.com

Eugenia Edwards eedwards@pattonboggs.com

Request to Senators

Please contact your Member of Congress, and especially Senate Finance Committee Member offices, to articulate your support for a provision in the Senate Medicare package that would continue our reimbursement in 2008 at the 2007 payment rate. 

To find your Senators’ contact information, go to: www.senate.gov or call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.

Please let the National Council know if you participate in NABH’s outreach efforts or if you contact your Senators. Contact Allison Fort at AllisonF@thenationalcouncil.org to let us know you participated and share the response you received from the offices you contacted.