Recognizing the impact of social determinants of health on patient outcomes, providers are slowly adopting new initiatives to target patients’ social and behavioral needs. Due to a lack of reimbursement, most of these initiatives are small in scope and target only high health care utilizers. CMS is dabbling in expanding the scope of its payment models to include more types of interventions. The Agency released a new model, Integrated Care for Kids (InCK), that would combat the effects of the opioid crisis by addressing both the behavioral health and social risk factors of children. Also, CMS sought comments on how to create a behavioral health payment model. Below is more on the current barriers hospitals face and how new payment models may help overcome them.

Also in Policy Brief:

• Senate Passes Massive Spending Package
• Opioid Legislative Stalled in Senate
• House Committee Sends Recommendations to CMS on Reducing Red Tape
• A Look at The Federal Register

Published September 7, 2018