CEO Update 247
Reminder: Please Submit Your System’s Information for the NABH 2025 Membership Directory Updates by Next Friday, Oct. 3
NABH is compiling information for its 2025 Membership Directory, which we will publish online only. To help ensure we have the most accurate member information, please use the link to our membership update tool that NABH sent to all system members earlier this month and verify your system’s information.
Please be sure to enter information on all of your system’s facilities so that we have a better picture of our diverse membership. The answers to these questions will help us provide a more accurate description of our members to policymakers, regulators, partner organizations, and the media.
The deadline to submit your changes to NABH is next Friday, Oct. 3. If you need assistance or the link to be resent, please contact Maria Merlie at maria@nabh.org or 202-393-6700, ext. 104.
NABH & Partner Groups Urge Congressional Leaders to Extend Telehealth Flexibilities and Enhanced Premium Healthcare Tax Credits
NABH and our partners in the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) this week urged House and Senate leaders to establish a two-year or permanent extension of Medicare telehealth services flexibilities and pass an extension of enhanced premium healthcare tax credits.
To learn more, please read the MHLG’s telehealth letter and the organization’s tax credits extension letter.
HHS-OIG Urges CMS to Help States Better Ensure Children at Risk of Suicide Receive Timely Follow-Up Care
A new report from the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) recommended the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) should assist low-performing states to better ensure children at risk of suicide receive timely follow-up care.
The report showed that in half of cases of hospitalization or emergency department (ED) visits for suicidal thoughts or behaviors, children enrolled in Medicaid did not receive a follow-up visit in the week after their discharge—a critical time for intervention.
When children did receive follow-up visits, researchers found, most visits occurred with behavioral health providers such as counselors, social workers, and psychiatrists.
“Subject matter experts whom OIG interviewed attributed the lack of timely follow-up visits to provider shortages and difficulties connecting children to care,” the report noted. “The experts also shared that brief interventions from any type of provider could support children while they await more comprehensive care from a behavioral health professional (e.g., telephone contacts and safety planning).”
The report also noted suicide is the second leading cause of death for children in the United States. In 2023, nearly 225,000 children aged 10–17 who were enrolled in Medicaid were hospitalized or visited the ED for suicidal thoughts or behaviors.
“OIG interviewed experts who told us that a follow-up visit should occur anywhere from 24 hours to 1 week after a child’s discharge from the hospital or ED,” the report said.
Kaiser Family Foundation Report Examines CMS’ Rural Health Fund Announcement
A new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) highlights five essential points from CMS’ recent rural health Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
KFF’s analysis notes CMS will distribute $25 billion equally across states with approved applications and the remaining $25 billion based on numerous factors, some more data-driven than others; states will receive more funds if they adopt Make America Healthy Again policies; while the $50 billion fund could help rural communities in a number of ways, the extent to which it will benefit rural hospitals and offset their losses under the reconciliation law is unclear; it remains unclear which states and rural hospitals will benefit the most; and it is unclear how transparent CMS and states will be about the distribution and oversight of the fund, such as by disclosing the flow of dollars to specific hospitals and other entities.
“While the NOFO includes many new details about how the funds will be distributed across states,” the KFF report noted, “questions remain about which states will receive funding, the final distribution across approved states, and how well this distribution will align with various definitions of need.”
Fact of the Week
A new JAMA study suggests expanding access to behavioral healthcare may be a financially viable cost-reduction strategy for healthcare buyers.
For questions or comments about this CEO Update, please contact Jessica Zigmond.