Federal lawmakers have reintroduced legislation to permanently remove requirements for Medicare beneficiaries receiving mental healthcare to visit their provider in-person every six months. Reps. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., and Troy Balderson, R-Ohio, and Sens. Tina Smith, D.-Minn., and Bill Cassidy, MD,…
Government & Regulation
Evoke Wellness, a Miramar, Fla.-based substance use disorder clinic, will pay $1.9 million to settle allegations it used misleading advertising to bring in patients, according to the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC alleged Evoke ran deceptive Google search ads impersonating…
Groups representing hospitals and nurses have split on how minimum staffing ratios for psychiatric hospitals in California should be implemented, the San Francisco Chronicle reported June 11. In April, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he planned to use emergency regulations…
San Francisco plans to convert the Behavioral Health Center at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital into a locked psychiatric facility for homeless individuals, the San Francisco Standard reported June 4. The conversion is part of Mayor Daniel Lurie’s broader plan…
Oregon has established the Behavioral Health Talent Council to offer new strategies to address the state’s behavioral health workforce crisis. The new council will develop a recommended workforce action plan by January 31, 2026, to expand on the recommendations of…
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Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee has proposed a budget amendment that would allocate $4.3 million in state funds to enhance behavioral health services at Our Lady of Fatima Hospital in North Providence. The funding would come alongside asking CMS for…
Proposed federal Medicaid work requirements will include some exceptions for individuals with mental health and substance use disorders. The House passed President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act on May 22. The package includes significant cuts to Medicaid. The…
HHS, the Department of Labor and the Treasury will not enforce new mental health parity rules for 18 months after litigation challenging them is settled, according to a May 15 statement. In a May 9 court filing, HHS said it…
Franklin, Tenn.-based Acadia Healthcare CEO Chris Hunter is optimistic efforts to scale back Medicaid spending will not affect the majority of its patient population. On a May 13 earnings call, Mr. Hunter told investors the company is “far from having…
The Trump administration’s decision to not enforce certain mental health parity regulations could hurt access to care, a group of mental health organizations has argued. In a May 13 statement, six mental health and substance use advocacy organizations said they…