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CMS Proposes 2.1% Payment Increase to Per-Diem Base Rate for IPFs in FY 2022
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on April 7 proposed a 2.1-percent, Medicare payment increase to the per-diem base rate for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPF) for fiscal year (FY) 2022. This adjustment would increase the per-diem base rate to $833.50 from $815.22 and the electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) rate to $358.84 from $350.97. CMS proposed several changes for inpatient psychiatric care in 2022, such as aligning an IPF policy regarding displaced residents from IPF closures and closures of IPF teaching programs with the policy changes that the agency made…
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U.S. Labor Department Issues Guidance on Parity Compliance
The U.S. Labor Department (DOL) has issued guidance on new implementation requirements for the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) that the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act requires. Enacted on Dec. 27, 2020, the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act requires group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance to perform and document analyses of how they comply with MHPAEA in their application of non-quantitative treatment limits (NQTLs) to mental health/substance use disorder (MH/SUD) benefits, compared with their application of NQTLs to medical/surgical benefits. As of Feb. 10, 2021,…
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Biden Administration Releases Drug-Policy Priorities for Year One
The Biden administration on Thursday released a statement outlining its first-year, drug-policy priorities to address America’s overdose and addiction crises. White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Acting Director Regina LaBelle noted in an announcement that these priorities will complement President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, which includes an investment of nearly $4 billion in behavioral health services. In the next year, the ONDCP will work across government to implement seven priorities: Expanding access to evidence-based treatment Advancing racial equity in our approach to drug policy Enhancing evidence-based harm…
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Changes to Medicare Coverage for Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Treatment Services
This NABH Issue Brief highlights changes to coverage for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment services that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) included in its 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and other final rules. The PFS rule also contains many changes related to telehealth for substance use disorder (SUD) services. For a review of these modifications, please see NABH Issue Brief CMS Expands Medicare Telehealth Coverage for Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Services. SECTION I: PFS and Other Rules CMS adopted the proposal to expand the PFS…
