Unfortunately, Ohio was not one of the 15 states selected to receive up to $1 million each from the federal government to develop new ways to meet the often complex and costly medical needs of Americans who are eligible for both the Medicare and Medicaid programs to coordinate primary, acute, behavioral and long-term supports and services, and to improve quality while lowering costs. Ohio’s Office of Health Transformation has stated they intend to move forward to develop strategies for dual eligibles even in the absence of the planning grant.
Planning Grants Announced by HHSApril 21st, 2011SAMHSA Block Grant Changes ProposedApril 13th, 2011The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced a new approach for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SABG) and the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (MHBG). Under the new approach, states and territories will have the opportunity to use block grant dollars for prevention, treatment, recovery supports and other services that supplement services covered by Medicaid, Medicare and private insurance. SAMHSA will be working with states and territories to consider new factors in their redesigned plans, such as taking a broader approach in reaching beyond the populations they have historically served through block grants and forming strategic partnerships to improve access and to modernize behavioral health services. Additionally, SAMHSA intends to promote consistent applications and reporting dates across the two block grant programs which have traditionally been administered somewhat differently. For detailed information about proposed changes to the block grant programs, go tohttp://samhsa.gov/grants/blockgrant/. SFY 12 & 13 ODADAS & ODMH BIENNIAL BUDGETS AS PROPOSEDApril 4th, 2011As we continue to learn more about the administration’s budget proposal, the more concerned we become. While overall ODMH and ODADAS were allowed to increase their GRF a little, the funds available after the agencies hold money off the top to cover Medicaid, results in yet another devastating decrease in community behavioral health funding.
In addition to the losses in the ODADAS and ODMH budgets, in the budget as proposed Boards face additional cuts in financial assistance with the loss of the Tangible Personal Property Tax reimbursement, which impact local levies. While the details necessary to understand the exact losses the behavioral health system will incur are unknown at this time, the Administration proposed significant changes and reductions to the reimbursements Boards receive due to the loss of TPP. Statewide, boards now provide 1/3 of all funds spent on behavioral health in Ohio. Since the budget is presently in the House contact your State Representative and let them know that this level of funding is unacceptable, and we need their help. Last biennium, local communities took cuts of 35% from ODMH and 30% from ODADAS; these additional cuts will further decimate the community behavioral system leaving thousands of Ohioans in need of treatment services in a world of hurt. You can find your state Representative by clicking here. Have a great week!
Cheri L. Walter Budget Language ReleasedMarch 29th, 2011The House Finance & Appropriations Committee today adopted the language provisions for Gov. John Kasich’s proposed budget bill (HB 153), and details on the provisions of the measure are now available online. The bill text can be found here. The pdf version allows you to search by key word or section of the Ohio Revised Code. Additionally, we have divided up some sections of particular interest to behavioral health into their own separate pdfs:
OACBHA will provide an analysis of the changes for members and affiliates as soon as possible.
Senate Bill Would Fund Incentives for E-Health Records in Behavioral HealthMarch 23rd, 2011Under a bill recently presented to the U.S. Senate (S 539), behavioral health providers would be able to receive incentive funding from government programs like Medicare and Medicaid for using electronic health records. Sponsored by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, the Behavioral Health Technology Act is designed to expand funding to licensed clinical psychologists and social workers. It would also allow psychiatric hospitals, community mental health centers, and substance abuse treatment facilities to become eligible for Medicare and Medicaid electronic health record based incentive funding. To read the bill, click here. Budget Overviews & FactsMarch 16th, 2011Ohio Medicaid Costs in the HeadlinesFebruary 3rd, 2011The new Director of Governor’s Office of Health Transformation, Greg Moody, shared information this week about how, left unchanged, Medicaid will cost Ohio taxpayers an additional $1.6 billion next year. That’s a 49 percent jump in the state’s share of costs for the health-care program covering more than 2 million poor and disabled Ohioans, pushing to $4.9 billion the cost to the state for the next fiscal year. Most of the increase to Ohioans is due to the loss of federal stimulus money. The federal government has been covering a higher share of Medicaid costs to help states during the recession, but that help ends June 30. In addition, state officials are projecting an increase in enrollment and utilization of services, both of which also will drive up costs. Kasich was among 33 Republican governors who earlier this month asked the Obama administration to let states cut Medicaid enrollment without losing federal aid. Under the new health-care law, states that restrict eligibility in their programs lose federal support, which generally covers about 60 percent of costs. Governor Announces Additional $32.6 Million for Mental HealthSeptember 2nd, 2010Wednesday, September 1, 2010, a Governor’s press release announced that “Ohio’s mental health system will receive $32.6 million to help provide critical treatment for adults and children with mental illness and preserve jobs in the mental health system.” The funds are being designated from Ohio’s portion of Enhanced Federal Medicaid dollars that will flow to the state as part of a projected $518.6 million in total new funds to offset Medicaid payments. Of the new funding, $30.6 million will be distributed to County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Boards on a per capita basis for community mental health services, and $2 million will be set aside for children’s mental health services. Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities (OACBHA) President Joseph L. Szoke, Executive Director of the ADAMHS Board for Montgomery County, commented, “We are grateful for this funding that will go directly to Ohio communities to provide desperately needed mental health treatment services and recovery supports like consumer-directed services, employment, and housing that enable so many adults to live productive lives in the community. This means that vital services like crisis care will be maintained to help people avoid costly alternatives such as state hospitals, emergency room visits, and even jail.” According to Cheri L. Walter, OACBHA CEO, “The additional funding will help to replace the loss of state funds for community-based services. Ohio’s behavioral health system of care has hung on by a thread, and this new funding will allow access to treatment for non-Medicaid individuals and the recovery supports that keep people alive. We are very thankful for these additional dollars; people with a mental illness and their families will truly benefit from the services provided. We know that Treatment Works, and People Recover when they have access to the community-based services and recovery supports they need.” HPIO Releases 2010 Medicaid AtlasAugust 25th, 2010The Health Policy Institute of Ohio (HPIO), in conjunction with Ohio Medicaid’s Bureau of Health Services Research, has released the 2010 Medicaid Atlas. The Atlas consists of a number of descriptive maps built upon county level data regarding certain categories within Ohio’s Medicaid program. The goal of the document is to inform awareness and policy discussions relating to Ohio’s Medicaid program. To see the Atlas, please click here. There are lots of interesting maps, but here is some shortcut information: Mental Health – Page 44; AOD – Pages 46-48; FQHC – Page 41; Rx Utilization – Page 49. HEALTH CARE REFORM LEGISLATION COMPLETEMarch 29th, 2010On Tuesday President Obama signed the health care reform bill into law, then on Thursday the budget reconciliation measure making final changes to the bill passed both in the Senate and House. The final House vote was 220 to 207 and the Senate vote was 56 to 43, with the Republicans unanimously opposed in both chambers. The reconciliation bill makes numerous revisions, including: changes to the subsidies that will help moderate-income Americans afford private insurance; changes to the Medicare payroll tax that will take effect in 2013 to help pay for the legislation; delays the start of a new tax on high-cost employer-sponsored insurance policies to 2018 and raises the thresholds at which policies are hit by the tax; makes changes to close the gap in Medicare prescription drug coverage known as the doughnut hole; clarifies a provision requiring insurers to allow adult children to remain on their parents’ insurance policies. Many of the changes were intended to address the concerns of House Democrats, as well as to bridge differences between the original House and Senate bills and to incorporate additional provisions sought by President Obama. For a more complete overview of health care reform, please go to www.oacbha.org and click on Health Care Reform. Have a great week!
Cheri L. Walter |
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