Responding to the Opioid Crisis and More: 2018-19 New York State Behavioral Health Budget Highlights
April 09, 2018
Several provisions in the recently adopted 2018-19 New York State Budget (the “Enacted Budget”) are intended to address the ongoing opioid crisis. As discussed in a prior post (here), some were focused on pharmaceutical manufacturers. Some of the most significant provisions, however, relate to the behavioral health services available to patients, including both mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) services. Other provisions will affect behavioral health services more generally. Key provisions are summarized below.
Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Ombudsman. The Enacted Budget establishes the Office of the Independent Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Ombudsman, which will be operated or selected by the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS), in conjunction with the Office of Mental Health (OMH). The Ombudsman will assist individuals with SUD and/or mental illness to ensure they receive appropriate health insurance coverage. The Ombudsman will identify, investigate, refer and resolve complaints that are made by or on behalf of consumers and treatment providers regarding health insurance coverage and network adequacy for substance use disorder and mental health care services. The Enacted Budget appropriated $1.5 million for this program.
Prohibit Prior Authorization for Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment. The Enacted Budget amends several provisions of the Insurance Law to prohibit prior authorization for outpatient, intensive outpatient, outpatient rehabilitation and opioid treatment provided by OASAS-certified facilities that are within the insurer’s provider network. The coverage provided cannot be subject to concurrent review for the first two weeks of treatment if the facility notifies the insurer of the patient’s initial start date of treatment and the treatment plan within 48 hours. The facility is also required to perform a patient clinical assessment at each visit and consult with the insurer to ensure the facility is using the appropriate evidence-based/peer reviewed clinical tool utilized by the insurer and designated by OASAS to ensure treatment is medically necessary. Insurers may deny coverage for any portion of the initial two weeks of treatment if the treatment was deemed not medically necessary and contrary to the insurer-designated, OASAS-approved, evidence-based/peer reviewed tool. If such coverage is denied by the insurer, the patient is liable for the copayment, coinsurance, or deductible required pursuant to the insurance contract.
Children and Recovering Mothers Program. The Enacted Budget authorizes the Department of Health (DOH), in consultation with OASAS, to establish the Children and Recovering Mothers Program to provide health care providers, hospitals, and midwifery birth centers with guidance, education and assistance when providing care to expectant mothers with SUD. The program will provide information to health care providers and expectant mothers on medication-assisted treatment, a referral list of SUD providers in the area, and information on other benefits and services they may be eligible for while expecting or after birth. The program will develop a statewide system for rapid consultation and referral linkage services for obstetricians and primary care providers who treat expectant mothers. Additionally, the DOH, in consultation with OASAS, will convene a workgroup of stakeholders, including hospitals, local health departments, obstetricians, midwives, pediatricians and substance use disorder providers, to study and evaluate the obstacles in identifying and treating expectant mothers, newborns and new parents with SUD. The workgroup is required to submit a report of its findings to DOH, OASAS and the Legislature by April 2019. The Enacted Budget appropriated $1 million for this initiative and $350,000 to establish an infant recovery pilot program to support up to four recovery centers in NYS.
Peer Recovery Advocate Services. The Enacted Budget establishes the Certified Peer Recovery Advocate Services Program which builds upon the existing NYS Peer Recovery program.
The program provides patient-centered services that emphasize knowledge and wisdom obtained through life experience, where peers share their own personal journey with SUD to support the recovery goals of others. The program standards, training and certification process will be developed and administered by OMH. Certified peer recovery advocate services may include: developing recovery plans; raising awareness and linking participants to existing social and formal recovery support services; working with individuals to model coping skills and develop individual strengths; assisting individuals applying for benefits; attending medical appointments and court appearances; educating program individuals about the various modes of recovery; providing non-crisis support; and working with hospital emergency services, law enforcement departments, fire departments and other first responders to assist patients that have been administered an opioid antagonist establish connections to treatment and other support services.
Opioid Stewardship Act. As previously discussed, the Enacted Budget establishes an “Opioid Stewardship Fund” which imposes a “stewardship payment” (essentially a tax) on manufacturers and distributors that sell or distribute opioids in New York. More detail can be found here.
Opioid Treatment Plans. The final budget includes language which prohibits prescribing opioids beyond three months, unless the patient’s medical record contains a written treatment plan that follows generally accepted national professional or governmental guidelines. Exceptions are provided for patients being treated for cancer or palliative care. More detail can be found here.
Social Work, Psychology and Mental Health Practitioners Scope of Practice. The Enacted Budget includes provisions to clarify the activities and services that may be performed by licensed practitioners and those that do not require licensing. These provisions eliminate the need to continue the licensure exemption which has been in place for persons employed by programs regulated or operated by OMH, OPWDD, OASAS, DOH, the State Office for Aging, the Office of Children and Family Services, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, and local government or social services districts since 2002.
Behavioral Health/Primary Care Integration. The Enacted Budget includes provisions building on the State’s prior efforts to integrate the licensure of behavioral health and primary care services. Prior state regulations established standards to determine how a facility offering integrated mental health, SUD and/or primary care services must be licensed. Unfortunately, the ability to streamline such licensure was restricted in part by applicable statutes. The Enacted Budget revises those statutes to clarify that primary care services providers licensed by Article 28 of the Public Health Law, mental health service providers licensed by Article 31 of the Mental Hygiene Law, and SUD providers licensed by Article 32 of the Mental Hygiene Law can each provide the other types of services so long as they are authorized to provide integrated services in accordance with DOH, OMH and OASAS regulations, without obtaining additional operating certificates.
Significant Appropriations
School Mental Health Resource and Training Center. The Enacted Budget includes $1 million to create a Resource Center to help schools provide mental health education as part of their kindergarten through 12th grade curriculum, as required by Chapter 390 of 2016.
Children’s Mental Health. The Enacted Budget includes $10 million for services and expenses of not-for-profit agencies licensed, certified or approved by OMH to support the preservation, restructuring or expansion of children’s behavioral health services.
Jail-Based SUD Treatment and Transition. The enacted budget includes $3.75 million for jail-based SUD and transition services. The Commissioner of Mental Health, in consultation with local government units, county sheriffs and other stakeholders, will implement a jail-based program that supports the initiation, operation and enhancement of SUD services for individuals incarcerated in county jails.
Mental Health Facilities Capital Improvement Fund. The enacted budget includes $50 million for the acquisition of property, construction, and rehabilitation of new facilities, to develop residential crisis programs. Funds may be used for the renovation of existing community mental health facilities under the auspice of municipalities, and other public or not-for-profit agencies, as approved by the Commissioner of Mental Health.
OASAS Treatment Funding. The enacted budget includes $30 million for the development, expansion, and operation of treatment, recovery, and/or prevention services for persons with heroin and opiate use and addiction disorders. This funding will be distributed by the Commissioner of Office of Substance Abuse Services, subject to the approval of the Budget Director.
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If you have any questions or would like additional information on any of the above referenced issues, please do not hesitate to contact Farrell Fritz’s Regulatory & Government Relations Practice Group at 518.313.1450 or NYSRGR@FarrellFritz.com.