Posted on November 2, 2009 16:19
Topics: Medicaid | Substance Use
Post Type: briefing
On September 30, 2009 Ann Clemency Kohler, the Director of the NATIONAL Association of State Medicaid Directors, appeared before the SENATE Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security to speak about reducing fraud, waste and abuse of controlled substances in Medicaid.
From the Briefing:
It is also important to remember that abuse of controlled substances is not solely a Medicaid issue. According to a 2007 report by the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, abuse and fraud related to drug-diversion scams costs private insurers nearly $25 billion annually. This represents over 1/3 of all costs related to drug-diversion scams. The Medicare prescription drug benefit is not immune to provider and beneficiary fraud either, as several GAO recent reports suggest. Fraud, waste and abuse are significant issues that all insurance providers must address. Medicaid agencies, like other health insurers, are attempting to mitigate these issues through a variety of activities intended to identify and prevent fraudulent activities and to strengthen existing protections. Additionally, fraudulent behavior occurs in very small segments of the population. It is easy to become reactive to high-profile, worst-case examples, but Medicaid agencies must balance activities to identify fraudulent behavior with the need to ensure that the vast majority of honest providers and beneficiaries receive necessary services.
Full briefing: http://www.nasmd.org/home/doc/AnnKohlerTestimony.pdf
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Posted on September 22, 2009 11:10
Topics: Mental Health | State Data | Substance Use | Trends
Post Type: briefing
A collection of research briefings from NASMHPD's Summer 2009 Commissioners Meeting are available for review. These topics include:
Significant findings from this brief include:
- Trauma and recovery issues
- A set of attitudes and actions that could integrate behavioral health into mainstream health policy
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In-SHAPE, a lifespan enhancing wellness program targeted for persons with severe mental illness
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Peer Support Whole Health, a new approach of trained peers promoting sustainable change in health behaviors of other peers to address preventable medical conditions and risk factors contributing to early death and promote holistic recovery
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Olmstead decision and the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) as they relate to state hospitals and state mental health departments
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Workforce Core Competency Curriculum for Mental Health Services
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National Core Competencies for Psychiatric Hospital Superintendents
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Missouri's approach to integrating Primary Care and Behavioral Healthcare
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Mental health services for people who are deaf or hard of hearing
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The Joint Commission: CMS and State Hospital Accreditation
National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD). (2009). Selected Presentations from the Summer 2009 Commissioners Meeting. Research briefings. http://www.nasmhpd.org/Summer2009Commish.cfm
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Posted on September 22, 2009 10:59
Topics: Innovation | Mental Health | SAMHSA | State Data | Trends
Post Type: briefing
A collection of research briefings from NASMHPD's Sixth National Summit of State Psychiatric Hospital Superintendents are available for review.
The topics include:
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Hope Redeemed: The Life, Death and Resurrection of a Veteran with Mental Illness
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Morbidity and Mortality in People with Serious Mental Illnesses: Responding to the Epidemic
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Promising Practice Mid-Western Region: “Fulton State Hospital New Outlook Program for Behavior and Mood Self-Management”
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Promising Practice Western Region: "Creating Your Own Internal Review Process - Consolidating CMS & Joint Commission Standards"
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Hospital Disaster Preparation and Response: Like There Wasn't Enough To Worry About!
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Mental Health Services for People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
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The Development of an Evidence-Based Best Practice: Preventing Violence and the Use of Seclusion and Restraint
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Developing National Core Competencies for State Hospital Superintendents: Removing the Mystery of Effective Leadership
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Promising Practice Southern Region: “An Experiment in Community Reinvestment”
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Promising Practice Northeastern Region: "Achieving Real Transparency with Families and Consumers in New Jersey's State Hospital System"
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State Hospital Smoking Report
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From the Hospital into the Community: Technical Assistance and Dialogue on Going Tobacco Free
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SAMHSA’s CMHS Funded Harvard/NASMHPD Program for Executive Leadership in State Mental Health Administration, “How to Mainstream Behavioral Health into Health Policy”
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In-SHAPE: Improved Health Status Through Social Inclusion for Persons with Severe Mental Illness
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Peer Support Whole Health
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The Joint Commission: CMS and State Hospital Accreditation
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Olmstead and CRIPA: Redefining the Standard of Care
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Preparing Your Direct Care Staff to Work in a Changing System of Care: A Workforce Core Competencies Curriculum
National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD). (2009). Selected Presentations from the Sixth National Summit of State Psychiatric Hospital Superintendents. Research briefings. http://www.nasmhpd.org/HospitalsSummit2009.cfm
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Posted on August 17, 2009 11:48
Topics: Outcomes | Substance Use
Post Type: briefing
This research brief from the Justice Policy Institute summarizes findings about substance abuse treatment as it relates to public safety and incarceration.
From the brief:
This research brief will summarize findings on what is known about substance abuse treatment as it relates to public safety and the use of incarceration. Along with conducting a brief literature review, the Justice Policy Institute (JPI) has compared state data on drug treatment admissions to incarceration rates. While no single solution will guarantee that a person will not be involved in criminal activity and the literature is not conclusive on what single factor might solve every community’s various challenges, the research suggests that increased investments in drug treatment can have a positive public safety benefit. Significant findings from this brief include:
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Increases in admissions to substance abuse treatment are associated with reductions in crime rates
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Increased admissions to drug treatment are associated with reduced incarceration rates
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Substance abuse treatment prior to contact with the justice system yields public safety benefits early on.
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Substance abuse treatment helps in the transition from the criminal justice system to the community
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Substance abuse treatment is more cost-effective than prison or other punitive measures
Justice Policy Institute. (2008). Substance abuse treatment and public safety. Research brief. http://www.issuelab.org/research/substance_abuse_treatment_and_public_safety
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Posted on August 14, 2009 16:54
Topics: Rates/Reimbursement/Cost | SAMHSA | Substance Use
Post Type: briefing
This SAMHSA fact sheet, prepared by CSAT and released in 2002, argues that the economic benefits of substance abuse treatment outweigh the costs.
From the fact sheet:
This fact sheet presents a synthesis of information on cost effectiveness and cost benefit studies and whether some substance abuse treatment is better than “no” treatment. Cost effectiveness and cost benefit studies can play an important role in helping treatment providers evaluate existing and alternative substance abuse treatment approaches and in assessing new treatment methods. Evaluating the outcomes and costs associated with treatment is important in determining how to more efficiently allocate scarce funding resources. Several cost benefit studies have demonstrated that the benefits of substance abuse treatment, including reductions in criminal behavior and health care costs, are greater than the costs of substance abuse treatment. Some studies have specifically analyzed the economic benefits of substance abuse treatment on health care costs and utilization. These studies have found that health care costs and utilization rise dramatically prior to initiation of substance abuse treatment and fall dramatically following treatment. Findings from these studies provide growing evidence that substance abuse treatment is cost effective, and the economic benefits outweigh the costs of treatment.
Full fact sheet: http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/SAMHDA/NTIES/NTIES-PDF/SHEETS/140_economic_benefits.pdf
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Posted on August 14, 2009 14:46
Topics: Health Care Reform | Insurance | Private Insurance | Rates/Reimbursement/Cost
Post Type: briefing
On June 23, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Health Reform released a brief, “Hidden costs of Health Care: Why Americans are Paying More but Getting Less.” The brief documents the rising costs of deductibles, co-payments, and other out-of-pocket expenses, noting that the average health care costs for individuals with employer-sponsored insurance was $1,522 excluding premiums in 2006—up from $1,260 in 2001. Including premiums, out-of-pocket costs rose 30 percent from 2001 to 2006 and insurance premiums have nearly doubled since 2000.
Full brief: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/hiddencosts/hiddencosts.pdf
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