Behavioral Health
Behavioral health is a major public health issue in the District of Columbia. Sadly, many of the legislative and regulatory initiatives around behavioral health are tied to other public health concerns, such as opioid addiction, maternal mortality, and health equity.
In partnership with the Washington Psychiatric Society, AMA, and American Psychiatric Association (APA), MSDC works to ensure that patients receive appropriate support for behavioral health issues, that the practice of psychiatry is supported in the District, and that psychiatrists are available to patients in the District.
MSDC was a proud supporter of the Behavioral Health Parity Act of 2017, which enshrined into law that all health plans offered by an insurance carrier meet federal requirements of the Wellstone/Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.
MSDC Statements and Testimony of Behavioral Health Issues
25th Council period information coming soon
CMS Issues 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
On Monday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule updating the 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) beginning January 2021. This was issued in tandem with the Trump Administration's Executive Order on Improving Rural and Telehealth Access.
The proposed rate rule runs over 1,300 pages, and already various medical specialties have begun publishing analysis for their physicians. MSDC is grateful for the staff at the American Medical Association for analyzing this proposed rule and sharing their analysis. The below is their analysis, which will be updated as more becomes available from them and other sources.
Sample of Legislation MSDC is Tracking in Behavioral Health
(see the whole list of bills here)
What does it do? The bill requires licensed health providers to complete 2 hours of CME on suicide prevention, assessment, and screening.
MSDC position: MSDC opposes the bill as written as the language does not encourage physician wellbeing or sufficient awareness of suicide prevention.
Current status: The bill had a hearing with the Committee on Health on June 10.
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