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

MSDC and Coalition Request Prior Auth Hearing

May 18, 2022, 11:39 AM by MSDC Staff

The letter signed by numerous national and local associations requests a hearing on B24-655 before the Council's summer recess.

Today, MSDC and a coalition of 17 other organizations requested that the Committee on Health hold a hearing on B24-655 (Prior Authorization Reform Act) before the Council's summer recess.

The bill would align DC with other states in reforming the prior authorization process and adopt common-sense reforms modeled by the American Medical Association and other national healthcare organizations. The bill lays out a minimum amount of time a prescription approval is valid, sets qualifications for payer personnel to make prior auth determinations, prohibits a prior auth for cost purposes, and more. The bill is one of MSDC's highest priorities and we have created an action site on the issue.

The letter (seen below) is joined by national and local healthcare, patient advocacy, and health reform organizations. The content is simple in asking for a hearing as the organizations involved have numerous stories on the impact of prior authorization on their members and patients. MSDC has some examples on its prior auth site.

How can you get involved in this issue?

Let MSDC know you want to get involved via our form

Contact your Councilmembers and tell them to support the bill

Find your Councilmember here
Use our talking points for your call, visit, or email
Download, copy, and send our draft language to your Councilmembers
Learn the best strategies for advocating on an issue by reading our articles here, here, here, and here.
Download this brochure to provide to patients in your office.

Letter:

May 18, 2022

The Honorable Vincent C. Gray

Chair, Committee on Health

1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW Ste 406

Washington, DC 20004

Dear Chair Gray,

We, the undersigned organizations and practices, request that you hold a hearing on B24-655, the Prior Authorization Reform Amendment Act of 2022, before the Council’s summer recess. This legislation is critical to protecting the health and wellbeing of District residents and joins the District with numerous other states in reforming the onerous prior authorization process.

Prior authorizations routinely negatively impact patient care. The recent American Medical Association physician survey on prior auth showed that 93% of physicians report care delays because of prior authorization. The same survey showed that provider offices spend 13 hours each week (almost two business days) dedicated to prior auth paperwork. These delays impact our residents and patients daily, leading many to wait unnecessarily for their treatments or choose to abandon them altogether.

Our organizations have stories from patients and providers that can help educate the committee on this issue, but without a hearing on the bill we cannot share this information before the committee. We urge you to schedule a hearing for this bill and give us the chance to share why this important reform is needed now.

Sincerely,

Medical Society of the District of Columbia

Aimed Alliance

Allergy & Asthma Network

The ALS Association

American College of Rheumatology

American Medical Association

Arthritis Foundation

The Association for Clinical Oncology

Chronic Disease Coalition

DC Society of Addiction Medicine

District of Columbia Primary Care Association

Hemophilia Association of the Capital Area

Hemophilia Federation of America

Lupus and Allied Diseases Association

Multiple Sclerosis Association of America

National Multiple Sclerosis Society

Rheumatism Society of DC

Washington Psychiatric Society

CC: Members of the Committee on Health

Sample of Legislation MSDC is Tracking in Behavioral Health

(see the whole list of bills here)

Suicide Prevention Continuing Education Amendment Act of 2019 (B23-543)

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.