Behavioral Health

Behavioral Health

Major Changes to Medicare Advantage and Part D Proposed by CMS for 2026

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This week’s In Focus section examines a comprehensive proposed rule that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released on November 26, 2024. These highly anticipated regulations—which represent the last major Medicare regulations from the Biden Administration—include several significant and far-reaching proposals designed to strengthen plan oversight and enhance beneficiary protections for millions of Medicare beneficiaries who have coverage through Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans beginning in contract year 2026. The rule also comprises proposals with fiscal and policy implications for state Medicaid programs.

Comments on the proposed rule are due by January 27, 2025, and the incoming Trump Administration could make significant changes before finalization. New administration officials may choose to delay certain provisions, scale back, or eliminate certain proposed policy changes when they finalize the regulations next year.

This article explains several of the proposed policies, considerations for healthcare stakeholders, and developments that Health Management Associates (HMA) experts will be tracking in the coming weeks.

Coverage of Anti-Obesity Medications Under Medicare Part D and Medicaid

In the proposed regulations, CMS seeks to expand coverage of anti-obesity medications (AOMs) under the Medicare Part D and Medicaid programs. Under current Medicare Part D coverage rules, medications used exclusively for weight loss are excluded from the definition of a Part D covered drug. Through the proposed change, CMS is seeking to align Medicare and Medicaid coverage policy with the prevailing medical consensus that recognizes obesity as a chronic disease.

Under the proposed reinterpretation, CMS would expand eligibility for Part D coverage of AOMs for Medicare beneficiaries with obesity. AOMs used for weight loss or chronic weight management would continue to be excluded from Part D coverage under the proposed regulation.

As it relates to Medicaid, CMS’s proposed reinterpretation would require Medicaid coverage for anti-obesity medications when used for weight loss or chronic weight management for the treatment of obesity. State Medicaid programs would continue to have discretion to use preferred drug lists and prior authorization (PA) to establish certain limitations on the coverage of these drugs, consistent with existing statutory requirements.

CMS estimates the proposal would increase federal costs by $24.8 billion as the result of expanded Part D coverage and $14.8 billion because of expanded Medicaid coverage over a 10-year period.

Key considerations: Though expanded access to innovative medications may improve access and outcomes for obese patients, these considerations may need to be balanced against the proposal’s considerable fiscal costs. In addition, key health nominees put forth by President-Elect Donald J. Trump have different views about how best to prevent and treat chronic disease, creating additional uncertainty about whether this proposed expansion will go forward.

Strengthening Prior Authorization and Utilization Management Guardrails

The proposed rule includes a series of recommendations for reforming Medicare Advantage PA, utilization management (UM), and coverage decisions, which include:

  • Defining the meaning of internal coverage criteria to clarify when MA plans may apply UM
  • Ensuring MA plans’ internal coverage policies are transparent and readily available to the public
  • Requiring plans to inform beneficiaries of their appeal rights
  • Revising the current metrics for the annual health equity analysis on the use of PA to require more detailed and granular reporting to allow CMS to determine whether MA plans disproportionately deny certain services

Key considerations: Continued scrutiny of MA plans’ PA practices and strong bipartisan support for reforms increase the likelihood that certain changes will be made to these policies within the next year.

Enhancing Medicare Plan Finder to Include Information on Plan Provider Directories

Another notable proposal would require MA plans to make provider directory data available to CMS for inclusion in Medicare Plan Finder (MPF), the online tool that allows beneficiaries to compare coverage options, including Medicare Advantage and Part D plans. At present, provider directories must be accessible on MA plans websites.

CMS seeks to enhance MPF with searchable provider information for all MA plans while requiring plans to attest to the accuracy of the provider directory data, including updating data within 30 days of receiving notification that provider information has changed. CMS would ensure compliance with this expectation by requiring plans to meet data compliance and quality checks, which will be detailed in upcoming technical guidance.

Improving Access to Behavioral Health Care

The proposed rule furthers federal policymakers’ initiatives to address the nation’s behavioral health crisis. CMS proposes to establish the following three standards to ensure that beneficiary cost sharing in Medicare Advantage is no greater than in Traditional Medicare:

  • A 20 percent coinsurance or an actuarially equivalent copayment rate for mental health specialty services, psychiatric services, partial hospitalization, and outpatient substance abuse services
  • No cost sharing for opioid treatment programs
  • All (100 percent) of the estimated Traditional Medicare cost sharing for inpatient psychiatric services

Improve Oversight and Administration of Supplemental Benefits

MA plans may offer a variety of supplemental benefits such as vision, dental, and gym memberships, which have come under increasing scrutiny by CMS. CMS proposed several actions to reduce misuse of these benefits, including:

  • Outlining proper usage by MA organizations and enrollees
  • Adding disclosure rules for transparency
  • Ensuring enrollees can access covered services through alternative methods
  • Requiring real-time electronic links between debit cards and covered services
  • Defining acceptable over-the-counter products.

Key Considerations: CMS officials in President-Elect Trump’s first administration expanded flexibility for plans to offer supplemental benefits. Incoming policy officials may seek an opportunity to fully review the Biden Administration’s proposals. Data and experience-informed comments from MA plans and stakeholders can support such discussions.

Improve Care Experience for Dual Eligibles

CMS proposed the following two new federal requirements for Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) that are applicable integrated plans (AIPs):

  • AIP D-SNPs will need to have integrated member ID cards for their Medicare and Medicaid plans.
  • D-SNPs will be required to conduct an integrated health risk assessment for Medicare and Medicaid, rather than separate ones for each program.

Key Considerations: These proposals further CMS’s multi-year work to advance integrated care by applying Medicare-Medicaid Plan features into D-SNP requirements. States and MA and Medicaid plans should plan for operational and policy changes if the proposals are finalized.

Formulary Inclusion and Placement of Generics and Biosimilars

CMS proposes to require Part D formularies to provide beneficiaries with broad access to generic, biosimilar, and other low-cost drugs while also ensuring that tier placement and UM practices do not limit access to these drugs as compared with more expensive brand name and reference products.

Key considerations: If finalized, the proposal would require MA-PD and Part D plans to update their approach and considerations for plan formulary development. Consumer groups and other stakeholders should consider the possibility that the proposal will improve access to lower cost products.

Other Topics in the Proposed Rule

In addition, the proposed rule calls for the following:

  • Guardrails for artificial intelligence to protect access to health services, such as requiring that MA plans ensure services are provided equitably, regardless of delivery method or origin (i.e., human or automated systems)
  • Changes to MA and Part D medical loss ratio (MLR) reporting to improve the meaningfulness and comparability of MLR across plan contracts
  • Expanded Part D medication therapy management eligibility criteria
  • Adding and updating measures addressed in this proposed rule, beginning with the 2028 Star Ratings
  • Promoting community-based services and enhancing transparency of in-home service providers, including new definitions and standards for community-based organizations
  • Codifying existing guidance related to implementation of the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, which is part of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)

What to Watch

During the lame duck session, Congress could advance legislation related to some proposals in this rule. Specifically, PA has been an area of significant bipartisan interest, along with access to and cost of GLP-1 products. CMS will need to ensure the final MA and Part D policy and technical rule for contract year 2026 reflects approved statutory changes.

In addition, HMA is watching key appointments within the US Department of Health and Human Services, including individuals selected to lead CMS’ Medicare and Medicaid centers. These appointments will provide valuable insights on the emerging policy agenda of the incoming administration.

Connect with Us

HMA’s Medicare and Medicaid experts will continue to assess and analyze the policy and political landscape, which will determine the final policies in the MA and Part D policy and technical rule for contract year 2026. HMA’s experts have the depth of knowledge, experience, and subject matter expertise to assist organizations that engage in the rulemaking process and to support implementation of final policies, including policy development, tailored analysis, and modeling capabilities, as well as quality improvement initiatives and plan benefit design.

For further analysis of the MA and Part D proposed rule and potential impact on MA and Part D plans, Medicaid programs, providers, and beneficiaries, contact our featured experts below.

In behavioral health, parity is essential, but not enough

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Today’s post is by Linda Rosenberg, who has recently joined HMA as a Senior Advisor. In this blog she offers her perspective on parity rules for behavioral health from her many years of experience in the field, most recently as the President and CEO of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing until her retirement in 2019 and as part-time faculty member at the Columbia University Department of Psychiatry.

Attending the 2024 Alignment for Progress conference and experiencing the collective commitment to the 90/90/90 goals, I was once again struck by the groundbreaking nature of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. The legislation was the critical step in ensuring mental health and substance use is treated on equal footing with physical health. Patrick Kennedy, both as the driver of the Act and in his ongoing advocacy helped us to reshape national conversations and policies.

The new regulations released by the Biden administration add much-needed teeth to the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act.  The regulations take on one of the biggest ongoing challenges: the lack of adequate provider networks. Behavioral health clinicians are far harder to find in-network compared to medical providers, with many leaving networks due to low reimbursement rates. Under the new regulations, insurers must maintain adequate networks, regardless of the challenges, which will likely come with significant costs to entice clinicians back.

Implementation of the regulations won’t be simple. The insurance industry is sorting out what compliance will mean to their operations and bottom line. The federal government is struggling to fund and build a monitoring infrastructure.  State governments need to understand their roles and responsibilities. And patients and the people who love them need to learn about their expanded rights and how to exercise those rights. Everyone has a job to do.

The intent of the parity law was about ensuring that mental health and addiction services are treated with the same urgency, seriousness, and respect as any other form of medical treatment. And yet parity has remained a promise unfulfilled for too many. The new regulations are a welcome and necessary step forward, but they cannot address all that needs to be done. Parity is essential, but it’s not enough. 

Early on in my tenure and long before I retired from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, a very special member and mentor Carl Clark MD, CEO of WellPower in Denver shared a secret with me.  There are “wicked” problems, and wicked problems don’t have a single solution. A wicked problem is complex and interconnected … and has no stopping rule, rather wicked problems are opportunities for progress.

For too long I’ve listened to too many talks and read too many reports about “fixing” or “creating” a behavioral health system, but the reality is far more complex, far more “wicked”. Fragmentation is endemic to all of healthcare in the USA, we have no single healthcare system and no unified behavioral health system either. We have thousands of systems—public, private, nonprofit, hospital-based, and government-run – each serving different populations and communities with varying levels of resources and approaches and each dependent on a bottom line.

The fight for parity was never just about changing laws—it’s about changing hearts, minds, and systems, reshaping the way we understand and deliver care across all these thousands of systems we’ve created and continue to create.

Well intentioned programs with layered initiatives focused on whole health, social determinants of health, and other efforts are adding complexity to a system that’s already overwhelming for the very people these systems are supposed to serve.

What we need is a financing model that ties all the pieces together – Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers (CCBHCs) are a promising start – a financing model that pays for the continuum of services, inpatient and community, rather than the current fragmented approach that pays for pieces separately. At the same time, we need to leverage technology to alleviate pain points, establish desperately needed standards of care, and provide decision support for both clinicians and patients. With technology, we can measure and benchmark care across systems, creating transparency and accountability at every level.

By aligning financing with the full spectrum of services and using technology to drive transparency and accountability, we can finally begin to address the wicked problems that prevent effective mental health and addiction care. As I help non-profits, health technology companies, and venture firms build growth strategies that result in consumer and economic benefits, I understand that the new regulations give us a foundation to build on—the rest is up to us.

New HMA analysis explores options to improve California’s substance use disorder treatment system

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In recognition of National Recovery Month this September, our In Focus section spotlights a new report from Health Management Associates, Inc. (HMA), Substance Use Disorder in California: A Focused Landscape Analysis. Published in August 2024 with support from the California Health Care Foundation, this analysis provides valuable insights into California’s substance use disorder (SUD) treatment system and offers actionable recommendations for improvement that can be applicable for other states.

The SUD Landscape in California

SUDs continue to be a significant issue both nationally and in California. In 2022, approximately 9 percent of Californians ages 12 and older met the criteria for SUD, compared with 16.5 percent nationally in 2021. The prevalence of SUD is also on the rise: in 2015, 8.1 percent of Californians ages 12 and older met SUD criteria, rising to 8.8 percent in 2022. Of the Californians struggling with SUD, only 10 percent received treatment for their condition, compared with 6 percent nationally in 2021. Overall, 81 percent of US adults who received care for SUD reported struggling to access necessary services.

California’s public behavioral health system siloes specialty mental health (MH) services, mild-to-moderate MH services, and SUD treatment services, resulting in a fragmented and inconsistent system that struggles to effectively support people with co-occurring conditions.

County plans administer specialty behavioral health (BH) services. They all have memorandums of understanding with the state’s Department of Health Care Services that are separate from the state arrangements to provide physical healthcare services. BH programs vary significantly across the state because counties operate them differently, with key variations in access policies, quality monitoring, services, and programming. Mild-to-moderate (non-specialty) MH benefits are administered by Medicaid managed care plans. Much of the state’s SUD treatment is operated by the Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS).

Barriers to Care: Key Findings

System barriers prevent many Californians with SUD from accessing adequate care. Interviewees received a pre-interview questionnaire to determine the factors they believe have the greatest impact on access to SUD treatment. According to 11 out of 14 respondents, lack of access to housing and residential services is a “huge barrier” to SUD treatment.

Other barriers to care access, ranked in order, include limited access to food, transportation, and other social drivers of health (SDOH), SUD provider shortages, stigma against people with SUD, disparities in service availability across racial/ethnic groups and other populations, and complex referral and intake processes.

Respondents also identified factors that could negatively affect clinical outcomes for people with SUD. Insufficient access to stable housing ranked first, followed by inadequate care coordination, and limited access to residential SUD treatment. Respondents ranked 11 factors as follows:

Figure 1: Factors Leading to Reduced Outcomes, Ranked from a List of 11

Service gaps pose another significant barrier to people accessing SUD treatment, and some populations are more likely to encounter challenges than others. According to the respondents, by various population groups, Latine/Hispanic populations, African American/Black populations, and Native American/Alaska Native populations are most likely to experience SUD service gaps. By age, people who are 19−25 years old (transition-age youth) and adults ages 26−65 are most likely to face service gaps.

Opportunities to Support Improvements in SUD Care

Findings and recommendations to enhance support for individuals are informed by surveys and interviews conducted with SUD stakeholders from across the state. Recommendations highlighted in the report include:

  • Investments in the workforce. By addressing the shortage of licensed clinicians and implementing peer support workers into the care continuum, the state would increase access to care. Many stakeholders have positioned themselves to meet SUD needs, but they cannot do so without an adequate workforce. Furthermore, the workforce would benefit from strengthening culturally responsive training in evidence-based practices.
  • Expansion of residential treatment services and housing options. There is a growing need, especially among transition-age youth, for residential treatment and SUD recovery housing.
  • Increased access to and training around harm reduction. Although stigma around harm reduction has decreased, training and access remains a barrier. Respondents highlighted the need to better manage contingencies, make methadone more accessible, establish safe consumption sites, expand medication assisted treatment for SUD and AUD, and improve the availability of Narcan.
  • MH and SUD treatment integration. Offering concurrent MH and SUD treatment with the same providers can help improve access to care for people with co-occurring conditions and minimize duplication.
  • Improved care coordination. Respondents suggested funding formal care coordination positions—a recommendation that is consistent with the national movement toward the coordinated care model applied in certified community behavioral health centers.
  • Improved data literacy. Behavioral health organizations need support and technical assistance to learn how to track and use data to support continuous quality improvement.

What to Watch

The overarching challenges facing California’s recovery system are present in other states. These states can adapt the strategies discussed in this report to address their own SUD concerns. In California, as in other states, an important aspect of addressing SUD treatment involves strategic allocation of opioid settlement dollars. These funds, resulting from legal settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors, are expected to play a significant role in improving the state’s SUD treatment infrastructure, especially when considered alongside available federal funding, demonstrations, and regulatory flexibilities.

Connect With Us

The upcoming HMA event, Unlocking Solutions in Medicaid, Medicare, and Marketplace, will offer more opportunities to engage with leaders from various sectors who are advancing solutions to improve access to care and reducing access disparities. Throughout the conference, federal and state officials, community leaders, and national experts will shed light on the challenges and solutions to these issues.

Harnessing opioid abatement funds to prevent overdoses and enhance community care

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This week, our In Focus section recognizes International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD), August 31, by highlighting how states can use opioid abatement funds to mitigate the persistent overdose crisis in communities across the country.  

In honor of IOAD, the August 2024 edition of HMA’s Podcast, Vital Viewpoints, features Erin Russell, a Principal at Health Management Associates (HMA), who discusses the importance of emphasizing harm reduction as a compassionate approach to drug policy. Meanwhile, this article addresses current gaps, opportunities, and strategies for applying opioid abatement funds to make further progress in addressing overdoses and the crisis.  

Context for Opioid Abatement  

Overdoses have claimed more than one million lives since the late 1990s, with more than 100,000 deaths occurring annually. Exacerbating the overdose epidemic and the racial and ethnic disparities in fatal overdoses are persistent inequities in access to evidence-based treatment, which extend to biases based on physical and/or mental ability, sexual orientation and gender identity, geographic location, and socioeconomic and housing status. 

In 2021, nationwide settlements were awarded to resolve all opioid litigation that states and local subdivisions brought against pharmaceutical distributors and manufacturers, with subsequent agreements reached in 2022 against pharmacy chains and additional manufacturers. These historic opioid settlement agreements, which total more than $56 billion, will provide funds to state and local governments to address the crisis in their communities.  

Policy changes and investments to address this epidemic remain critical. These approaches require careful consideration of the data and evidence-based strategies that are responsive to the crisis. In 2024, the US Department of Health and Human Services issued a rule that updates the regulations regarding the governance of opioid treatment programs; for example, removing barriers to the treatment of substance use disorder (SUD) and expanding access to care. The State Opioid Response and Tribal Opioid Response grant programs are another significant tool to improve prevention, expand treatment, and deliver free, lifesaving medications. Medicaid, including Medicaid managed care plans, also can be instrumental in supporting harm reduction strategies and enhancing access to addiction treatment and recovery support.  

Opioid abatement funds offer states the opportunity to apply innovative solutions in response to the overdose epidemic. Despite their potential, however, HMA experts have identified significant opportunities across many states to effectively use available opioid abatement funds. 

Opioid Abatement Funds and planning for Community Needs  

Strategic planning processes allow state and community leaders to understand the needs of residents, examine current services offered and their existing strengths, and explore barriers to accessing care to make informed decisions about how the settlement funding can be used successfully. A strategic plan can assist in tracking progress and establishing a clear vision for an organization’s future and can yield a living document that guides the most advantageous use of the funds. HMA experts supported a strategic planning process for Carrabus County, NC, that identified strategies for designing, implementing, and evaluating tailored solutions for disbursing opioid abatement funds. The following are examples of approaches that are included in strategic plans for opioid abatement.  

Sequential intercept model (SIM). SIM, one of the models used to support communities in building a stronger system of care, helps identify intervention opportunities with the highest potential for success based on a community’s strengths and needs. SIM maps out the stages of intervention to pinpoint gaps and opportunities, ensuring funding is used to address the most critical areas for improving community care systems, including those integrated within Medicaid managed care delivery systems (see Figure 1).  

Figure 1: Sequential Intercept Model 

Low-barrier/low-threshold recovery supports and treatment. The expansion of low-barrier/low-threshold recovery supports and treatment, including access to medications for opioid use disorder, is essential to reducing overdose deaths. States, local jurisdictions, and individual providers can redesign their treatment delivery systems to incorporate person-centered, low-barrier treatment access, including flexible scheduling and walk-in visits, same-day admission and medication initiation, and revision of clinic policies and procedures to eradicate practices that produce high barriers to treatment.  

Though expanding low-barrier care in traditional treatment settings is an essential element of the response, implementation of nontraditional delivery modalities is another important target for using opioid abatement funds. Examples include:  

  • Emergency medical service (EMS)-initiated buprenorphine 
  • Medication units in unconventional locations (e.g., housing units) 
  • Mobile medication units and delivery of street/shelter medicine in which SUD treatment and services are brought to disenfranchised and marginalized communities. 

Finally, the availability of opioid abatement funds can introduce opportunities for local governments to partner with community members, including people with both past and current lived experience, to design, implement, and disseminate culturally responsive and tailored SUD treatment and recovery support services, including services to address health-related social needs to mitigate barriers to treatment entry and engagement.  

Continuous quality improvement (CQI) plans. Locales that receive opioid abatement funds have the opportunity to develop strategies to create transformational systemic change. Each entity should have an intentional CQI plan in place. Ensuring the presence of strong CQI processes can streamline and improve services, connect data to practice, and ensure interventions are progressively more effective.  

Connect with Us 

The upcoming HMA event, Unlocking Solutions in Medicaid, Medicare, and Marketplace, will offer more opportunities to engage with leaders across multiple sectors and industries advancing innovations in the design of mental health and SUD systems, value-based purchasing, and care strategies. Notably, state Medicaid and behavioral health directors, insurance commissioners, health plan executives, and community leaders, among others, will share insights into major initiatives under way in their states to manage ongoing crises in mental health and SUDs.  

HMA has a strong, diverse bench to help communities maximize opioid abatement funds and build a stronger system of care. We provide technical assistance in large-scale initiative implementation, convening stakeholder groups, designing CQI strategies, developing planning documents, and facilitating strategic discussions. For more information about HMA’s work, contact our featured behavioral health experts below.

HMA believes “together we can” end the overdose crisis on IOAD

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On International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD), August 31st, communities worldwide come together to honor, without stigma, the people who have lost their lives to overdose. It’s a day for families to recognize their loved ones and for all of us to acknowledge the grief of family and friends who have experienced this loss. It’s also an opportunity to think critically about the programs and policies our communities need to finally put an end to the overdose crisis. In honor of this year’s IOAD theme, “Together we can,” HMA recognizes the power of community when we all stand together with a united goal of ending overdose.

Overdose can affect anyone. In the last twelve months alone, there were more than 100,000 reported overdose deaths across the U.S., and 42 percent of Americans now report they know someone who has died of drug overdose. More than ever, we need strong, multifaceted coalitions to shift the narrative around overdose and ensure we are using resources effectively to reduce harm, increase chances of overdose survival, and promote quality of life for people who use drugs, people in recovery, and the communities where they live.

HMA brings together people with lived and living experience, local community members, and public health professionals to plan, evaluate, and implement meaningful programs across the continuum of care to address overdose as the health crisis that it is. Our trusted subject matter experts have their own lived experience that influences HMA’s approach, and we strive to center the voices of people who are most impacted at every opportunity.

HMA is committed to helping clients prioritize effective solutions to the overdose crisis, which includes promoting services that are evidence-based and designed with robust input from community stakeholders. HMA supports naloxone distribution by engaging in street-based outreach, developing mapping tools for organizations to see the impact of their efforts in real time, and training healthcare providers on harm reduction. In 2024, HMA also hosted the Compassionate Overdose Response Summit to address questions about naloxone dosing and the long-term effects of precipitated withdrawal. HMA continues to be a leader in helping clients revolutionize treatment, particularly for priority populations such as children’s behavioral health and the justice involved. Earlier this year HMA led a webinar series called the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Ecosystem of Care Webinar Series: Pivoting to Save Lives describing a whole person, integrated, solutions-based approach to the ongoing overdose epidemic. The series encourages leaders to reconsider standard attempts to solve this crisis and be willing to pivot away from approaches that have not yielded the level of impact that this crisis demands.

On IOAD, and every day, HMA stands united with the communities that are left behind to experience the long-lasting impacts of grief, and we celebrate the thousands of people who have experienced overdose and survived. Every overdose survival is another opportunity to uplift the strategies that work to save lives. We honor everyone impacted by overdose by using a community-led approach that encourages collective action to prevent, and ultimately end, all overdoses.

For more information on HMA overdose prevention services, visit our Harm Reduction solutions page or contact our featured experts below.

Crosswalk of 400 recommendations on behavioral health workforce

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The Center for Workforce Solutions (CWS) complied more than 400 recommendations for dealing with behavioral health workforce issues, from publicly available reports by federal and state policymakers, national associations, foundations and other partners and stakeholders. The summary of that report can be found below.

READ THE REPORT SUMMARY

The CWS is a partnership between the National Council for Mental Wellbeing (National Council), Health Management Associates (HMA) and The College for Behavioral Health Leadership (CBHL). The CWS is invested in creating a national platform that supports cross-sector partners working at multiple levels of the system to execute solutions in concert to tackle complex recommendations and achieve meaningful impact. They want to elevate workforce solutions that exist and can scale as well as build the pathways for overcoming barriers to implementation.

In an effort to understand what recommendations exist and what initiatives are suggested as solutions for the workforce crisis, the CWS reviewed recommendations and cross-walked them to the CWS levers of change as a way of building an actionable roadmap for addressing the behavioral health workforce crisis and to support cross-sector action towards creating a stronger, more equitable workforce.

Learn more about HMA’s work with the CWS and on Collective Impact at https://www.healthmanagement.com/blog/advancing-workforce-through-collective-impact/

If you want to learn more about how HMA can help your organization with behavioral health workforce issues, contact our experts below.

SAMHSA’s next chapter: priorities, programs, and possibilities

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The prospect of new leadership due to a presidential election brings with it the potential for significant shifts in priorities, policies, and programs within federal agencies. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) plays an increasingly critical role in shaping the nation’s mental health and substance use disorder services in the United States. Mental health and the opioid crisis are a salient political issue that will receive some attention on the campaign trail, but candidates are unlikely to detail the specifics on how the rhetoric becomes reality.

SAMHSA’s budget could see adjustments, channeling resources toward initiatives that align with the new administration’s vision. This could mean increased funding for specific programs deemed critical under the new leadership and decreases for other programs. Any major shifts in funding will require the support of Congress. Also possible with new leadership are changes to programmatic approaches that revolve around the introduction of novel interventions, expansion of access to treatments, and addressing emerging challenges such as the opioid crisis with renewed vigor.

The intersection of technology and mental health is likely to receive heightened attention. Telehealth expansions, digital tools for prevention and intervention, and data-driven innovations may become focal points of SAMHSA’s strategy.

As SAMHSA adapts to new leadership, the opportunity arises to forge innovative pathways toward improved mental health outcomes and enhanced support for individuals and communities affected by substance use disorders. By embracing whatever change may come, SAMHSA can continue its vital mission of promoting behavioral health and resilience across the nation. The results of the 2024 election will have a significant impact on federal mental health policy in the coming years; DC Direct subscribers get a steady stream of insight to stay on top of what’s coming next.

Succeeding in the world of value-based payments: assess your organization’s VBP readiness

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In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, the shift towards value-based care (VBC) has emerged as a transformative force, promising improved outcomes, reduced costs, and enhanced patient experiences. While the benefits of VBC are clear, the path to implementation can be complex and challenging, particularly for behavioral health (BH) providers. In this blog post, we delve into the significance of assessing readiness for VBC and value-based payment (VBP) systems, with a specific focus on BH providers, and why it serves as a crucial step towards success.

Behavioral health plays a pivotal role in holistic patient care, addressing mental health and substance use disorders that significantly impact overall well-being. However, traditional fee-for-service models often inadequately incentivize preventive and coordinated care, leading to fragmented services and suboptimal outcomes. Recognizing this gap, the transition to VBC offers a promising avenue to realign incentives, improve care coordination, and enhance patient outcomes in the realm of behavioral health.

Insights from the HMA Spring Workshop

In March 2024, HMA hosted a workshop on value-based care, (you can read more of the key takeaways here). A consensus emerged on the indispensable role of data and technology in driving informed decision-making. Dr. Katie Kaney’s keynote address on innovative approaches to holistic care metrics resonated with attendees, highlighting the need to move beyond conventional measurements towards a comprehensive understanding of patient well-being.

A pivotal aspect of VBC lies in the collaborative effort between payers and providers to align measures and incentives while ensuring these measures hold significance for all stakeholders, including payers, providers, and patients. The conversations with attendees on Empowering Care Delivery through Tangible Measures underscored the imperative of clinician involvement in outcome measurement establishment. We discussed the importance of meaningful measurement for state-level initiatives and local strategies, all aimed at achieving better outcomes for our communities.

The Importance of Readiness Assessment

Embarking on the journey towards VBC demands a comprehensive understanding of organizational strengths, challenges, and readiness to embrace change. As we navigate the transition to value-based care, understanding where your organization stands is key. This is where readiness assessment tools play a pivotal role. By systematically evaluating various aspects of organizational preparedness, such as infrastructure, data capabilities, care delivery models, and cultural readiness, organizations can identify areas for improvement and tailor strategies to navigate the transition effectively.

Tailoring Strategies for Success

Assessing readiness enables organizations to tailor strategies that align with their unique circumstances and challenges. For instance, organizations lacking robust data infrastructure may prioritize investments in health information technology and analytics capabilities to support population health management and outcome measurement. Similarly, addressing workforce training and cultural transformation can foster a patient-centric approach and promote collaboration across care teams.

Mitigating Risks and Maximizing Opportunities

VBC presents both opportunities and risks for organizations. While it offers incentives for preventive care, care coordination, and improved outcomes, it also requires operational and cultural shifts that may pose challenges. Readiness assessment enables organizations to identify potential risks, such as inadequate data systems, reimbursement uncertainties, or staff resistance, and develop mitigation strategies to address them proactively. Moreover, it empowers organizations to capitalize on opportunities, such as alternative payment models, partnerships with primary care providers, and value-based contracting, to enhance sustainability and growth.

Driving Quality and Equity in Behavioral Health

At its core, VBC embodies a commitment to delivering high-quality, equitable care that addresses the diverse needs of patients. By assessing readiness and embracing VBC principles, BH providers can enhance care delivery, improve outcomes, and reduce disparities in access and quality of care. Furthermore, by integrating behavioral health into broader care delivery models and payment structures, organizations can foster a more holistic approach to health and well-being, promoting resilience and recovery for individuals and communities alike.

Moving Forward with Confidence

As organizations navigate the complexities of VBC, assessing readiness serves as a guiding compass, illuminating the path forward and empowering organizations to embrace change with confidence. By leveraging readiness assessment tools, organizations can identify strengths, address weaknesses, and chart a course towards sustainable, value-driven care delivery. In doing so, they not only enhance their own viability and success but also contribute to a more resilient, equitable healthcare system that prioritizes the well-being of all individuals.

How HMA Can Help

There are many tools online that offer to help organizations determine their readiness for implementing VBC. By using HMA’s new VBP Readiness Assessment tool, you also can gain access to the experts on HMA’s behavioral health and VBC teams. Meticulously crafted to gauge your organization’s preparedness, HMA’s value-based payment readiness assessment surveys six domains of core functions necessary for successful payment reform models.

Taking the survey and receiving one analyzed response is free, but you may find value in contracting with HMA for a more in-depth analysis of your organization.

Assessing readiness for VBC is not merely a preparatory step but a fundamental aspect of organizational transformation. For behavioral health providers, it represents a critical opportunity to reshape care delivery, drive quality and equity, and ultimately, improve the lives of those served. As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, readiness assessment will remain an indispensable tool for navigating change, fostering innovation, and realizing the full potential of value-based care in behavioral health.

TAKE THE SURVEY AND LEARN MORE

HMA offers a new approach to grant funding for behavioral health providers

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Grants from both government and foundations can be an essential component of a community behavioral health provider’s growth strategy. Every year billions of dollars are distributed to support program growth, quality improvement, training, and other essential needs. Finding the right opportunities and applying for grants that are aligned with your organization’s strategic growth interests can be an essential catalyst for organizational development, service continuum growth, and quality improvements.

Behavioral health providers often struggle with identifying and applying for the right grant opportunities. It is time consuming and takes resources away from your mission to serve your communities. The deluge of notices of funding opportunities, requests for proposals, requests for applications, and requests for expressions of interest can overwhelm even the most sophisticated and well-resourced provider. Few organizations have the internal capacity to devote to wading through the hundreds of opportunities that are published each week.

That is why we created HMA Grant Prospector. HMA will do the work, so you don’t have to.

The HMA Grant Prospector is a tool that combines HMA’s deep subject matter expertise in community behavioral health care with understanding of the process of grant procurement. We have embedded this expertise in proprietary software that can sift through grant opportunities and pick out the gold nuggets from the mountain of information.

When your organization subscribes to Grant Prospector, we interview you to find out what services you have, the communities you serve, and what gaps in your care continuum you seek funding to fill. We collect information on grant opportunities as they are released, and the Grant Prospector matches your organization’s criteria with funding opportunities. We’ll send you only those opportunities for which your organization is eligible, that are aligned with your strategy and organizational objectives, and targeted to your population. You can rely on HMA to do the legwork so you can focus your efforts on improving lives in your community.

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“HMA has helped us quickly and easily identify the best opportunities for grants for Horizon Health Services. With their help, we have been able to find the right opportunities, apply with precision, and expand our service continuum.”

– Erin DiGirolamo, CEO and Brandy Vandermark-Murray, President, Horizon Health Services, Buffalo, NY

Announcing HMA’s new VBP readiness assessment tool for behavioral health providers

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Dollars and Sense: Is Your Organization Positioned to Thrive in the World of Value-Based Payments?

As the healthcare system in the U.S. moves away from the costly and inefficient framework of fee-for-service to patient-centered structures focused on value and quality, every Behavioral Health organization finds itself with challenges ahead. Whether your organization stands at the forefront, poised for a full dive into value-based payment implementation, or is tentatively exploring initial steps, understanding your organization’s readiness on the VBP spectrum is paramount to success. Health Management Associates (HMA) is helping provider organizations in every phase of readiness move forward. We understand the detailed steps to help you focus on value, change payment structures, adapt clinical and operation workflows, and prepare and train your workforce to improve quality. Our tool is not just a promise but a practical solution to assess your current organizational readiness, providing valuable insights to focus your attention toward the next level of value.

VBP Readiness Assessment Tool

HMA’s VBP Readiness Assessment is a free, online survey tool that can help you gauge your organization’s preparedness across six pivotal domains of core functions necessary for successful participation in payment reform models. Completing the survey will provide a snapshot about a single provider or an entire organization and determine where you stand on the value-based payment spectrum.  The six domains encompass measuring outcomes, evaluating board and leadership readiness, assessing technological capabilities for capturing and sharing data, gauging partnerships, payer engagement strategies, and financial alignment.

Readiness Assessment Results

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Example plot of a readiness assessment showing an organization’s scores on the VBP spectrum.
This organization has an overall Intermediate level of readiness with the highest levels demonstrated in
Board & Leadership Readiness and Partnership and lowest levels in Financial Readiness.

The journey toward successfully navigating the realm of value-based payments demands a strategic and informed approach. The crucial first step is a comprehensive assessment of organizational readiness, and the HMA VBP Readiness Assessment Tool stands as a valuable resource for this purpose. The ever-changing landscape of healthcare payments requires organizations to be adaptive and forward-thinking. With HMA’s team of experts offering guidance at every stage, providers, associations, health plans, and states can gain a profound understanding of the necessary organizational efforts required to engage in VBP successfully. The current landscape increasingly emphasizes value, therefore, the importance of transitioning from fee-for-service to value-based models cannot be overstated. As the demand for value continues to grow, organizations that proactively position themselves to meet these evolving expectations will not only thrive but contribute significantly to shaping the future of healthcare delivery. The HMA VBP Readiness Assessment Tool is not just a survey; it’s a compass guiding you through the dynamic terrain of value-based payments, serving as a way to identify meaningful progressive steps you can take to strengthen your organizational position within the VBP space.

Taking the survey and receiving one analyzed response is free, but you may find value in contracting with HMA for a more in-depth analysis of your organization. Click below for more details and to access the survey.

learn more about the Assessment Tool

For more information, please contact our featured experts.