Giving Teeth To Parity: New York Paves the Way for More Medicaid Managed Care Oversight

The state of New York fined five Medicaid managed care plans a total of $2.6 million for denying claims or failing to pay for specialty behavioral health services. Other states may start to follow New York’s example. The enforcements were filed after New York’s office of mental health conducted a comprehensive examination of behavioral health […]

Acadia to Expand Partial Hospitalization, Intensive Outpatient Programs

Acadia Healthcare Co. Inc. (Nasdaq: ACHC) has plans to grow its partial hospitalization programs (PHP) and intensive outpatient programs (IOPs). Acadia’s preparations to weather the Medicaid redetermination storm have paid off and is now seeking to expand its continuum of care to meet increased needs and drive growth, according to its Q3 earnings call. The […]

Centene Expects ‘Really Nice Tailwinds’ For Medicaid Behavioral Health Division

State governors have named behavioral health as a top priority. This could give a boost to Centene Corp.’s (NYSE: CNC) behavioral health business and improve its business with state Medicaid programs. Behavioral health challenges for Medicaid enrollees have been a “top 3” issue conveyed by the “over 30 governors” with whom Ken Fasola, Centene’s president, […]

Medicaid Value-Based Payment Reform Linked to Reduced Mental Health ER Visits

State Medicaid programs are increasingly overhauling payment structures in favor of value-based payment systems. A new report suggests that value-based payment reform may decrease mental health emergency room visits. Value-based payment strategies reward providers and health plans with incentive payments for the quality, rather than quantity, of care provided to patients. A new study published […]

Inside Headspace’s Partnership with Intermountain Value-Based Care Subsidiary Castell

Digital behavioral health provider Headspace has inked a new deal with Intermountain Health’s value-based care subsidiary Castell to offer virtual coaching and therapy to select health plans in Utah. Castell can refer members with behavioral health conditions or concerns to Headspace Health. This value-based care collaboration aims to reduce the cost of care and improve […]

CMS Clears Kentucky, California for Medicaid Mobile Crisis Intervention Program

Kentucky and California are the latest states to join the federal government’s Medicaid mobile crisis intervention initiative. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the addition of Kentucky and California to the federal program on Thursday. The participants bring the number of states partnering with the federal government to provide community-based mobile crisis […]

Population Health Provider Cityblock Lays Off 155 Employees, Reveals Restructuring Plans

Cityblock, a population health startup that offers physical and behavioral health services, has announced plans to reduce its workforce by 155 employees – about 12% of the company’s total workforce. The company’s CEO, Dr. Toyin Ajayi, said the layoffs are part of Cityblock’s maturation as it becomes more “agile” and “nimble” in delivering care. “Some […]

Roughly 75% of States Are Missing Core Behavioral Health Crisis Response Services in Medicaid

Most state Medicaid programs don’t cover all of the three core behavioral health crisis response services recommended by federal guidelines. Crisis response services play a vital role in alleviating constituencies that have heretofore struggled to address increasing rates of behavioral health crises, notably busy emergency departments and law enforcement. And the evolution of these services […]

Why Pennsylvania’s Behavioral Health Medicaid Carve-Out Could Be a Model for Integrated Care Nationwide

Pennsylvania’s localized approach to Medicaid could be a model for behavioral health and physical health integration nationwide. That’s according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Health Plan and Community Care Behavioral Health Organization, which recently published a policy report in the Journal of Psychiatric Services. Unlike other states, Medicaid behavioral health in Pennsylvania […]

How Acadia Healthcare, UHS Are Prepping for Medicaid Redeterminations

The nation’s largest behavioral health providers are bracing for states to resume Medicaid redeterminations. While the true impact is unknown, analysts questioned behavioral health providers Acadia Healthcare Co. (Nasdaq: ACHC) and Universal Health Services (NYSE: UHS) about what the companies expect and will do in the face of potentially millions of Americans losing their health […]