Psychedelics have long brought to mind magic mushrooms, Woodstock and LSD-induced hallucinations. But some corners of the health care industry have started exploring psychedelics for the treatment of certain behavioral health conditions. As proponents seek to change the negative perception long tied to psychedelic substances, a cottage industry of startups has emerged in the young […]
If the pandemic has a silver lining, it’s the spotlight COVID-19 has put on the behavioral health industry. A growing number of Americans are struggling with substance use disorders (SUD) and mental health conditions, prompting lawmakers and payers to take notice, and in many cases invest more attention and funding into fixing the problem. But […]
Months after nixing a last-minute waiver issued by the outgoing Trump Administration to relax rules around treating opioid use disorder (OUD), the Biden Administration has announced new medication-assisted treatment (MAT) flexibilities of its own. The guidelines, which were issued Tuesday by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), automatically allow various clinicians to administer […]
The American Psychological Association (APA) is calling on Congress to enforce and improve the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA), arguing that the legislation’s long-time shortcomings have become even more clear amid the pandemic. MHPAEA has been the law of the land since 2008. It mandates that employers offer mental health coverage that’s […]
A Hartford, Connecticut-based behavioral health care practice and its owners have agreed to a civil settlement with federal and state governments to settle allegations they improperly billed Medicaid. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Tuesday that Maurice Stuckey and Joyce Anderson, as well as their company Today’s Youth LLC, will pay $273,000 to resolve […]
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has introduced legislation to increase the amount of federal funding aimed at combating the nation’s opioid epidemic, which has worsened since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. On top of that, the new bill aims to make some COVID-19-era telehealth flexibilities permanent, among other changes. The legislation — the […]
As government enforcement action in behavioral health heats up, providers who work with commercial insurers may think they’re in the clear. But that’s not the case. Private payers can pose just as big of a threat and financial burden for behavioral health providers. And in fact, that risk is growing, according to lawyers who work […]
Whistleblower lawsuits filed under the False Claims Act (FCA) were up last fiscal year, with the increase hitting the behavioral health industry especially hard. Those are just a couple takeaways from Bass, Berry & Sims’ recent 2020 Healthcare Fraud & Abuse Review. The law firm publishes the report annually to document health care fraud and […]
Behavioral health is in higher demand than ever before, with the pandemic, an economic downturn and social unrest causing nationwide spikes in anxiety and depression. Amid the chaos, one bright spot has emerged: Regulatory flexibilities have made telehealth services commonplace, giving behavioral health providers another tool to treat patients who might otherwise be unable to […]
In spite of massive bipartisan legislation passed by Congress in 2018 to address the nation’s opioid use disorder (OUD) epidemic and cut down on illegitimate practices, the Department of Justice (DOJ) hasn’t prosecuted a single “body-brokering” case. In the addiction treatment industry, body-brokering occurs when people — body brokers — seek out individuals with substance […]
By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information
The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.
