Members of the American Hospital Association sent a letter to Congress on Dec. 1 that outlined its eight priorities to improve behavioral healthcare in the U.S. for patients and providers.
The letter from the organization — composed of more than 270,000 physicians, 2 million healthcare professionals, 43,000 industry leaders and 5,000 hospitals and health systems — advised on how federal officials can continue to support the expansion and improvement of mental healthcare in America.
Here is a summary of the AMA's proposed changes:
- While working to address long-term provider shortages, legislators should invest in graduate medical education and create more opportunities for rising behavioral health providers in underserved areas.
- Simplify licensure application and processing methods for clinicians.
- Allow more types of licensed providers to provide telehealth services.
- Revise CMS' regulations for psychiatric facilities to allow providers to spend more time treating patients.
- Eliminate additional requirements for psychiatric facilities that hinder treatment of patients experiencing a mental health crisis at the emergency department regardless of ability to pay.
- Allow Medicaid to cover mental health and substance use disorder residential treatment facilities without restrictions on facility size, age and other requirements.
- Remove Medicare's policy that allows beneficiaries a lifetime maximum of 190 days of inpatient care.
- Increase reimbursement rates for behavioral health services in rural and underserved areas.