Our diverse, interdisciplinary behavioral health team has extensive clinical, policy, operations and funding expertise in mental health and substance use disorder prevention and treatment. Recently members of our behavioral health team shared their expertise at two notable conferences.
Month: September 2016
TeleHealth Services – Spotlight on Econsults
HMA principals Greg Vachon, MD, MPH, and Jean Glossa MD, MBA, provide an overview of econsultations. Greg and Jean define econsults and provide an overview of the spectrum of econsult services in place today, evaluate the benefits and challenges of econsults, and look at recent developments in the econsult market.
HMA Conference on Integrated Delivery Is Just a Month Away, More than 200 Already Registered to Attend
This week, we are providing an update on HMA’s inaugural conference on The Future of Publicly Sponsored Healthcare: Building Integrated Delivery Systems for Vulnerable Populations, October 10-12, 2016, at The Palmer House in Chicago. More than 200 industry leaders have already registered to attend, including top executives from hospitals, health systems, clinics, provider practices, community-based organizations, and Medicaid managed care plans. Featuring 37 high-level industry speakers, conference panels and breakout sessions are designed to inspire discussion about real-world approaches to helping provider organizations improve the health status of patient populations, lower costs, and ensure a more satisfactory patient experience. Visit the conference website at https://fpsh.healthmanagement.com/ for complete details.
Texas Submits Uncompensated Care Evaluation to CMS
This week, we reviewed the independent evaluation of Texas’ Uncompensated Care Pool submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). The evaluation, which was required under the Special Terms and Conditions (STCs) of the State’s Section 1115 waiver, was completed by Health Management Associates (HMA).
Illinois Releases Draft 1115 Waiver for Behavioral Health Redesign
This week, we reviewed the draft Section 1115 Research and Demonstration waiver, released on August 26, 2016, by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (DHFS). The 1115 waiver is proposed as part of the state’s broader initiatives around the State Innovation Model (SIM) design grant awards, the State Health Assessment (SHA), and the State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP), with goals of strengthening the state’s behavioral health care system, reducing silos in behavioral health care, and promoting greater integration of physical and behavioral health. The waiver specifically proposes the inclusion of a package of new benefits for individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) and substance use disorders (SUD), as well individuals nearing release from the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) and Cook County Jail systems. DHFS estimates $1.2 billion in federal savings over the five-year waiver term, equaling a 2 percent spending reduction across all Medicaid spending compared to without-waiver spending estimates. DHFS is accepting comments on the draft 1115 waiver through September 26, 2016.