WASHINGTON — 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.
Full text of the
letter is available
HERE.
Read more about
the 988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline in Grassley’s Q&A
HERE.
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