Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) and UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) will roll out a value-based care model at 15 Walmart Health locations in January 2023. The two titans of their respective industries announced Wednesday that the new, 10-year-long partnership will serve “hundreds of thousands” of seniors on Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. Behavioral health will be a […]
Telehealth use in OUD among Medicare beneficiaries was associated with better patient retention and lower medically treated overdose risks, according to a new study published in JAMA Psychiatry on Wednesday. Federal health care research and policymaking bodies touted the study as validation of telehealth in treating opioid use disorder (OUD). The National Center for Injury […]
The road to value-based care (VBC) contracting in the behavioral health sector is slow moving. In order for VBC to evolve in the behavioral health sector, both payers and providers need a seat at the table. Operators provide clinical expertise and troves of data about the patient experience. And these assets could put providers in […]
Magnified by visitation restrictions and other challenges, seniors had some of the highest rates of behavioral health conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. And while the public health emergency has become more manageable, many of those difficulties continue. Yet seniors often don’t have access to behavioral health care, particularly those in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). This […]
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Wednesday issued the final rule for the Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Prospective Payment System (IPF PPS) for fiscal 2023, raising rates by 2.5%. The overall rate increase equates to a $90 million reimbursement boost for inpatient psychiatric providers that treat Medicare patients. The rule dictates an […]
The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has made behavioral health equity a strategic priority. In particular, the agency is focused on integrating behavioral health services into a community model. Earlier this month, it proposed a new ruling aimed at addressing workforce shortages and enhancing care coordination. The changes, if finalized, would also […]
The U.S. still has a long road ahead of it before reaching behavioral health equity. However, public and private entities are looking to change this paradigm through innovative legislation and technological advances. These innovations focus on expanding access to care and further integrating behavioral health into the health care continuum. “You cannot achieve equity if […]
Hospital outpatient departments may soon be able to bill Medicare for tele-behavioral health services offered to patients in their homes on a permanent basis. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Friday included this provision in the 2023 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System proposed rule. The move is meant to ensure rural […]
Sixty-four percent of dual-eligible beneficiaries have a mental health diagnosis. In fact, dual-eligible beneficiaries are more likely to have a behavioral health diagnosis than Medicare-only beneficiaries. That’s according to a new ATI Advisory report, which zeros in on dual-eligible patients, or individuals who have both Medicare and Medicaid coverage. The report notes that dual-eligible beneficiaries […]
Medicare’s recently proposed Physician Fee Schedule for 2023 could change how the health insurance industry deals with the behavioral health clinician shortage. Introduced on July 7, the proposed rule seeks to allow more practitioners to address Medicare members’ behavioral health needs. In turn, Medicare’s influence may inspire other health plans to take similar action. “Medicare […]
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.
