A California lawmaker has introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that they describe as “comprehensive legislation to help tackle our nation’s mental health crisis.” Democratic Rep. Mark DeSaulnier has reintroduced the “Mental Health Matters Act,” a bill he ran in 2022 and cleared the House on a 220-to-205 vote two years ago, […]
A new bill in Congress would chip away at the Medicaid institution for mental diseases (IMD) exclusion for those with substance use disorder (SUD). Since its inception in 1965, the federal government has refused to cover services provided in IMDs and has not allowed such services to be covered by Medicaid. In later years, Medicaid […]
Prominent Democratic lawmakers released the Health Over Wealth Act Thursday — legislation meant to beef up the regulation of private equity investment in health care. The bill text specifically names “mental health or behavioral health” providers and opioid treatment programs (OTPs). Among several other requirements, it would require that private equity firms obtain licenses from […]
Federal lawmakers are taking another stab at increasing funding for behavioral health expenditures in the Medicaid program. A version of the Medicaid Bump Act was introduced in the U.S. Senate and Congress on March 12. The bill would create financial incentives for states to elevate spending on behavioral health beyond levels in 2019. Specifically, it […]
Federal lawmakers introduced a new bill that would loosen regulations on methadone prescribing. Legislators released the Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. A bipartisan group announced the bill, saying it would be vital in expanding care for opioid use disorder (OUD). “This legislation lowers barriers to care […]
The $1.66 trillion omnibus funding bill touches nearly every aspect of the behavioral health industry. Advocates in the space weren’t shy about praising the bill even though it didn’t include some long-sought reforms. A quick tally of funding for the most germane items finds that the federal government is putting at least $10 billion into […]
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. […]
Members of Congress are pressuring two federal agencies to keep some pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities for medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in place. Reps. Ann McLane Kuster (D-N.H.) and Lori Trahan (D-MA) wrote and released a letter sent to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) asking the agencies to […]
Inpatient psychiatric and other behavioral health facilities could be easier to finance should a newly requested congressional probe and new legislation become reality. A group of lawmakers on the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services has asked the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), a congressional research agency, to study the impact of allowing facilities that […]
Editor’s note, June 24, 2022: On Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 234-193, with 14 Republicans joining all House Democrats, to approve the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Biden is expected to sign the bill into law. The new U.S. gun reform framework proposes to allocate $2.16 billion to mental health initiatives and expand certified […]
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