Connections Health Solutions Applauds Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Behavioral Health Crisis Services for Medicare Beneficiaries
Connections Health Solutions, the leading innovator in immediate-access emergency behavioral health care, commends Congressmen Tony Cárdenas (CA-29), David Schweikert (AZ-1), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1), and Marc Veasey (TX-33) for introducing the ''Crisis Care Access and Response Expansion for Behavioral Health Act of 2024'' or the ''CARE for Behavioral Health Act of 2024.'' The bipartisan legislation will establish a Medicare demonstration program for crisis stabilization services. This landmark proposal is a significant step towards enhancing the 988 Crisis Lifeline's commitment to ensuring individuals in crisis have "A Safe Place for Help" by enabling Medicare reimbursement for essential services provided by crisis receiving and stabilization facilities and behavioral health urgent care centers. It addresses a critical gap in community-based behavioral health care.
Over 225 million Americans lack Medicare and private insurance coverage for patient-centered, community-based crisis care. This new legislation aims to close this funding gap, explore value-based arrangements, and expand access to high quality crisis care services, marking a significant advancement in addressing the nation's growing behavioral health needs. Medicare currently provides limited coverage for community-based crisis stabilization services, with the costs of these life-saving facilities often absorbed by fractured state and local funds. The lack of Medicare reimbursement for these services also leads to hesitancy and reluctance among commercial insurers to fund the operations and integrated treatment models provided by crisis receiving and stabilization facilities. This demonstration program would ensure Medicare recipients have access to timely and specialized care, preventing unnecessary emergency room visits, improving behavioral health outcomes, and reducing overall costs within the healthcare system.
"This pilot will dramatically improve access to behavioral health crisis care, help prevent unnecessary trips to hospital emergency departments and reduce overall spend and strain on our healthcare and legal systems," said Connections Health Solutions CEO Colin LeClair. "We applaud the co-sponsors for ensuring the program evaluates the effectiveness of crisis systems across the country while also measuring how it improves behavioral health outcomes and satisfaction with care. We look forward to working with them on its enactment."
The legislation also advances the broader vision of a fully integrated crisis care continuum. The inclusion of Medicare funding would strengthen the nation's behavioral health infrastructure by ensuring individuals in crisis receive the right care, in the right setting, at the right time. According to experts, such measures improve community health, decrease healthcare costs, and increase satisfaction for both patients and providers.
