Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA)
On October 3, 2008, the President signed the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA). Key changes made by MHPAEA, which is generally effective for plan years beginning after October 3, 2009, include the following:
Proposed psych facility payment update released
Medicare payments to 1,706 inpatient psychiatric facilities will increase by $87 million over the next year, under a proposed rule issued by the CMS.
Rise in need for behavioral care reported by NAPHS
As lawmakers continue to mull over mental-health parity legislation on Capitol Hill, a new report indicates greater demand for behavioral health services in the U.S. The annual report from the National Association of Psychiatric Health
IPF PPS Regulations and Notices
This list includes proposed and final regulations and notices about CMS Inpatient Psychiatric Facility (IPF) Prospective Payment System (PPS).
H.R.1424 Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007
To amend section 712 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, section 2705 of the Public Health Service Act, and section 9812 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require equity in the provision of mental health and substance-related disorder benefits under group health plans.
Mental healthcare feeling strain of state budget cuts, study says
By Jessica Zigmond
Mental healthcare services continue to feel the pinch of strained state budgets, as a new study shows states cut more than $1.6 billion in general funds from their state mental health agency budgets from fiscal years 2009 through 2012.
National report finds one-in-five Americans experienced mental illness in the past year
A new national report reveals that 45.9 million American adults aged 18 or older, or 20 percent of this age group, experienced mental illness in the past year. The rate of mental illness was more than twice as high among those aged
Reintroduced bill aims to expand Medicare’s mental health coverage
Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) reintroduced a bill that would expand Medicare’s mental healthcare coverage by eliminating a cap on Medicare services for mentally ill patients.
Two in 5 Nursing Home Residents Depressed: Study
Almost half of Canadian seniors living in nursing homes and retirement homes are trying to cope with depression, new research finds. And many are suffering without the help they need.
Oklahoma’s mental services suffer cuts
State financial troubles leave care for some patients in limbo
By Sonya Colberg
A huge question looms for Susan Boehrer. And she figures she has particular insight, because mental illness plunged her daughter into more than 400 days of hospitalization