California has passed a law to improve residents’ access to behavioral health care coverage. It’s a move that could set the stage for nationwide change. The law in question defines “medical necessity” for mental health and substance use disorder treatment, no longer leaving it up to insurance companies to create their own definitions. California Gov. […]
Category: Regulation
The national suicide prevention hotline number is one step closer to being shortened to three digits. To make it happen, all that’s needed now is a signature from President Donald Trump. The House of Representatives unanimously passed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act on Monday. The legislation aims to shorten the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline […]
The coronavirus has changed the face of medication-assisted treatment (MAT), in many ways, for the better. Virus-related flexibilities have made it easier for patients to get medication, attend therapy sessions and avoid the stigma often associated with substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. While it’s unclear what the SUD landscape will look like in the future, […]
Despite the stringent federal requirements clinicians must meet to become waivered providers of buprenorphine, only about half of those eligible to prescribe the medication-assisted treatment (MAT) drug actually do so. That’s according to a new study conducted by Pew Charitable Trusts in collaboration with Deerfield Management Co. and Rand Corp. The findings were published on […]
Behavioral health providers now have a few extra weeks to apply for provider relief funding — federal aid that could play an important role in helping them navigate COVID-19. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has extended the application deadline from Friday, August 28, to Sunday, September 13. Created by the CARES […]
The former CEO of a Pennsylvania addiction treatment center has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for his role in a fraud scheme. Jason Gerner — who founded Yardley, Pennsylvania-based Liberation Way in 2015 after recovering from opioid addiction himself — was sentenced Monday. The punishment comes after he pleaded guilty to charges […]
The American Psychological Association (APA) is asking states and insurers to temporarily remove roadblocks that make it harder for mental health providers to offer telehealth services. Doing so is especially important in light of COVID-19, the APA says. “This is an extraordinary public health crisis with vast and unpredictable implications for the nation’s mental health,” […]
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 […]
During this critical time, Behavioral Health Business remains committed to bringing providers essential news related to the operation of behavioral health facilities. Additionally, we recognize the seriousness of COVID-19. We’ll continue to highlight key developments related to the pandemic here. What you need to know from Wednesday (March 25) — Congress and the Trump administration struck […]
The Trump administration continues to loosen health care regulations in an attempt to better equip providers to deal with COVID-19. For the behavioral health industry, the newfound flexibilities make it much easier for providers to deliver comprehensive telehealth services. Due to the crisis, the government is looking past certain HIPAA rules, allowing providers to deliver […]
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