National Council for Mental Wellbeing

This week, the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) issued a request for comments from stakeholders on requirements, standards, and payments for institutions for mental disease (IMDs) under Medicaid. This announcement builds on recent moves by Congress and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) to provide opportunities for states to waive the IMD Medicaid payment exclusion for mental health and addiction services delivered in IMD settings. Specifically, the request comes in response to a provision from the SUPPORT Act that requires MACPAC to issue a report on IMDs and the services furnished by such providers. Providers interested in commenting have until May 31st at 5:30pm ET to submit comments.

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Congress hosted an assortment of hearings this week related to mental health and addiction. The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee heard from SAMHSA Assistant Secretary Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz on the ongoing implementation of the 21st Century Cures Act as it pertains to mental health programs, and two separate House subcommittees examined aspects of the opioid epidemic, specifically the rise of patient brokering and opioid addiction in Appalachia.

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On Thursday, the federal Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee (ISMICC) released its first report to Congress detailing major barriers to treatment for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI). The ISMICC, created by the 21st Century Cures Act, recommended ways to improve government-wide coordination to address unmet needs of people with serious mental illness. Their recommendations highlighted expanding the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) program, improved payment rates for psychiatry, and more criminal justice system diversion and early identification and intervention services for children and young adults.

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