MHA Today | November 12, 2021

Staff Contact: Sarah Willson

The Subcommittee on Mental Health Policy Research of the House Health and Mental Health Policy Committee held a fourth hearing to discuss behavioral health issues. The committee heard from primary care providers, public administrators, hospitals and others on a variety of topics such as access to community mental health services, public administration challenges and boarding of children in hospitals. Representatives of four hospitals and health systems provided testimony requesting the legislators empanel a committee of legislative, administrative and private sector experts to develop short- and long-term changes to ensure Missouri’s children in state custody and individuals with developmental disabilities have access to the services they need.

Staff Contact: Andrew Wheeler

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued the following updates to MLN Connects Provider eNews.

• critical care E/M services: comparative billing report in November
• provider enrollment application fee for CY 2022
• LTCH and IRF: CY 2022 QRP updates

Staff Contact: Shawn Billings

In response to 93,000 individuals dying from an opioid overdose in 2020, the federal government took steps to increase the number of clinicians who can prescribe buprenorphine, but many patients struggle to get those prescriptions filled.

A recent study found that one in five pharmacies do not provide buprenorphine, despite research showing it halves the risk of overdose and doubles an individual’s chances of entering long-term recovery. The study also found that overdose mortality rates were higher in the areas where pharmacies are not dispensing buprenorphine. Buprenorphine access limitations produce a considerable risk for patients with opioid use disorder. Pharmacy-directed interventions may be necessary to ensure timely buprenorphine access for patients with OUD.