From October 03, 2022 post.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) in urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to clarify whether federal funds can be used to pay for crisis stabilization programs in facilities with more than 16 beds. These programs play a critical role in helping to keep patients in mental health crises out of inappropriate settings, such as homeless shelters and county jails.
“As the federal government implements the new three-digit dialing code (9-8-8) for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, it is critical that crisis stabilization facilities have the regulatory certainty they need to ensure access for the expected increase in demand for crisis services. Therefore, we ask that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) clarify whether or not crisis stabilization facilities fall under the Institutions of Mental Disease exclusion,” the senators wrote.
“Such programs rely on the availability of federal Medicaid funds to offer sustainable access to patients of limited means,” the senators continued.
Current statute prohibits inpatient hospitals with more than 16 beds, also referred to as Institutions for Mental Diseases in U.S. law, from receiving Medicaid reimbursement. The 16-bed limit makes the delivery of behavioral health services very difficult to administer in high demand geographic areas and places an undue financial burden on mental health providers, who are already in short supply.
“Without additional steps taken to ensure access to crisis stabilization programs is part of the full continuum of crisis supports across states, we are concerned the implementation of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline will not reach its full potential. Therefore, it is critical that CMS proactively clarify whether or not crisis stabilization facilities fall under the IMD exclusion and work with State Medicaid Directors to ensure these programs have stable Medicaid funding pathways,” the senators concluded.
Original source can be found here
