A group of Senate Committee on Finance members recently released a legislative discussion draft to bolster mental health care services integration while also expanding crisis care access.
Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-ID) joined U.S. Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and John Cornyn (R-TX) in detailing the discussion draft. It also addresses follow-up services to aid those in need of long-term care.
“For too long, mental health and physical health have been deeply separated in this country,” Wyden said. “These policies will begin to allow health care providers to work together more than ever before to connect their patients with the mental health care they need. I am very pleased that the draft contains robust improvements for crisis response and stabilization, which is critical to safeguarding Americans struggling with their mental health.”
Policy provisions include increasing payment rates to aid providers in integrating behavioral health and primary care; creating a standardized Medicare payment for mobile crisis response team services; creating a bundled Medicare payment for crisis stabilization services involving observation care, screening for suicide risk, screening for violence risk and other services; and ensuring peer support specialists participate in furnishing behavioral health integration services to Medicare beneficiaries.
“Especially for rural Americans and communities facing health care provider shortages, integrating behavioral health into the primary care setting can expand access while strengthening the doctor-patient relationship,” Crapo said. “The reforms included in this discussion draft would take important steps toward improving care quality and generating cost savings for patients and taxpayers alike. I look forward to hearing feedback from stakeholders on how we can further enhance these policies.”