A bipartisan group of U.S. House representatives have introduced a new bill aimed at increasing access to mental health services for seniors Dubbed the Increasing Mental Health Options Act of 2022, the legislation seeks to ensure that Medicare beneficiaries have access to psychologists and can receive mental health services regardless of their care setting. Currently […]
Category: Regulation
The federal government has proposed a new rule that would allow take-home doses of methadone. It would also let authorized physicians treat patients with buprenorphine and methadone-assisted over telehealth. This comes as the Biden administration continues to prioritize substance use disorder treatment amid the growing rates of drug overdose deaths. The CDC reported a 28% […]
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced a new proposal that would require health plans offered through the federal and state-based marketplaces to cover mental health facilities and substance use disorder treatment centers. The new proposal, announced Monday, would make these two types of facilities essential community providers (ECPs). It would […]
The relaxation of federal medication-assisted treatment (MAT) regulations did not immediately result in more patients accessing care. However, the numbers of patients accessing naltrexone prescriptions and physicians cleared to prescribe buprenorphine have increased, according to an update and study released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In April 2021, HHS removed […]
Key U.S. senators put forward a tentative plan aimed at bolstering behavioral health parity in Medicare and Medicaid. On Thursday, the Senate Finance Committee released a discussion draft bill on behavioral health parity in Medicare and Medicaid, a fifth in a series of similar proposed reforms. Leading into 2022, the finance committee formed five bipartisan […]
Behavioral health reform efforts have a chance of passing during Congress’ lame-duck session. The final days of the legislative session include several must-move bills, according to experts with the law firm Polsinelli. Combined with a bipartisan interest in behavioral health reform, the environment on the Hill could be favorable to seeing key provisions clearing Congress. […]
The Biden administration has unveiled a new proposed rule that would make it easier to coordinate the care of those with a substance use disorder. On Monday, the civil rights office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Department, along with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), posted a […]
Forty-five state attorneys general have signed a letter asking the federal government to preserve COVID-era regulations for virtual addiction treatment. The letter, which was organized by the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), was sent to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The letter specifically calls on […]
The federal government is signaling big moves around deregulating medication-assisted treatment (MAT). Key federal stakeholders have indicated reforms are a top priority going forward. Already, the House of Representatives passed the Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act, potentially clearing the way for easier prescribing of methadone and buprenorphine. If realized, the changes to […]
Cerebral Inc. may be headed for a legal battle with former CEO Kyle Robertson, one of the co-founders of the mental health company. Robertson stopped being Cerebral’s CEO in May, when he was replaced by Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Mou. On Friday, a source told Behavioral Health Business that Robertson has sent a letter […]