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CMS Finalizes 2019 Payment Increases for PHPs In a final rule this week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) set the 2019 hospital-based partial hospitalization program (PHP) payment rate at $220.86. This is above the $216.55 rate that the CMS had recommended in its Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System (OPPS/ASC) proposed rule in July. The final rule also increased the 2019 payment rate for the nation’s community mental health centers (CMHCs) to $120.58, compared with earlier proposed rate of $117.35. CMS also finalized its controversial site-neutral payment policy, saying it will apply “a Physician Fee Schedule (PFS)-equivalent payment rate for the clinic visit service when provided at an off-campus provider-based department (PBD) that is paid under the OPPS.” NABH opposed this change in its comments to CMS. The association will work with other organizations to determine the best approach on addressing this policy change. CMS Addresses Opioid Crisis in OPPS/ASC Final Rule As part of this week’s final OPPS/ASC rule, CMS said it would pay the nation’s ambulatory surgery centers more for non-opioid painkillers and also remove pain questions from post-discharge hospital surveys to avoid potential unintended consequences. The agency also said it is adopting a policy to encourage increased use of non-opioid drugs after a surgical procedure in an ASC setting. Specifically, CMS said it would pay separately at the average sales price plus 6 percent for non-opioid pain management drugs that function as a supply when used in a covered surgical procedure performed in an ASC.   New Jersey General Assembly Approves Parity Bill The New Jersey General Assembly this week overwhelmingly passed a strong bill to improve transparency and enforce mental health parity. The legislation puts in place substantial portions of the Model State Parity Legislation that the Kennedy Forum, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Mental Health Association, National Alliance on Mental Illness, and other organizations developed. Click here for details about the bill.   IHS Announces Policy to Expand MAT Access in Remote Locations HHS’ Indian Health Service (IHS) this week released an Internet Eligible Controlled Substance Provide Designation Policy designed to increase access to opioid use disorder treatment for American Indians and Alaskan Natives living in rural areas. The new policy enables IHS, tribal, and urban Indian organization healthcare providers to apply for designation from IHS as Internet Eligible Controlled Substance Providers, which would allow them to prescribe controlled substances for Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) through telemedicine. ASAM Introduces Continuing Medical Education Program in Addiction Medicine The American Society of Addiction Medicine has introduced The ASAM Fundamentals of Addiction Medicine 40-Hour Program, a continuing medical education (CME) program for primary care and other providers to diagnose and treat patients at risk for or with addiction. CME activities for the program include a fundamentals of addiction medicine workshop, a CO*RE/ASAM pain management and opioids course, the ASAM treatment of opioid use disorder course, and more. Click here to learn about registering for the live course in Chicago on Dec. 5. Place Your Ad in the 2019 NABH Membership Directory Today Each year NABH updates and publishes the NABH Membership Directory to help both consumers and providers find and access behavioral healthcare services nationwide. Scheduled for publication later this fall, the 2019 directory will list member organizations alphabetically, geographically, and by system/facility. The directory is widely distributed to state hospital associations, National Alliance on Mental Illness state affiliates, and NABH members. Please take the opportunity to highlight your organization’s specialized services with an ad in the 2019 edition.  Ads are due November 9. Download an advertising rate card or e-mail maria@nabh.org.   Register Today for the 2019 NABH Annual Meeting Please visit NABH’s Annual Meeting homepage today to register and reserve your hotel room for the 2019 NABH Annual Meeting — Behavioral Healthcare: Improving Coordination, Collaboration, Integration. We look forward to seeing you at the Mandarin Oriental Washington, D.C. from March 18-20, 2019!   For questions or comments about CEO Update, please contact Jessica Zigmond