In this issue
Hospitals, health systems, MHA spotlight
Minnesota’s mental health care needs
Minnesota’s hospitals and health systems and the Minnesota
Hospital Association (MHA) have launched a statewide campaign to show the
impact mental health has on families and communities around the state. Mental
health consistently ranks among the top community health concerns in Minnesota.
In a 2015 poll conducted by MHA, 85 percent of Minnesota voters consider mental
health a serious problem in their community and 49 percent believe Minnesota’s
mental health system requires major reforms.
Hospitals and health systems believe that every Minnesotan
deserves access to safe, effective and affordable mental health care,
strengthened by a shared community responsibility to reduce stigma, bolster
prevention initiatives and improve overall health. We are working to identify
mental health challenges in the state and introduce thoughtful initiatives to
improve mental health care for patients, their families and the communities
where they live.
To help increase awareness of mental health needs in
Minnesota, MHA and members are conducting editorial board visits and media
briefings around the state to talk about mental health care issues in our
communities. Recent visits have resulted in a feature article in the Duluth News Tribune and an editorial
in the St. Cloud Times.
If you would like to schedule an editorial board or media
visit in your region with MHA staff regarding the mental health campaign,
please contact Emily Lowther, communications manager, MHA, 651-603-3495.
return to top
Governor Dayton appoints new Mental Health Task
Force
Last week, Governor
Dayton issued an executive order establishing a mental health task force to
develop comprehensive recommendations to design, implement and sustain a full
continuum of mental health services throughout the state.
The task force will
be comprised of 22 members, including two from hospital systems. The deadline
to apply is May 19. Recommendations from the task force are due Nov. 15, 2016.
return to top
MHA participates in DHS roundtable
on AMRTC and mental health funding
Dr. Rahul Koranne, chief medical officer, MHA, represented MHA
members at a roundtable discussion on mental health funding priorities held at
Anoka Metro Regional Treatment Center (AMRTC) on April 26. Department of Human
Services Commissioner Emily Piper led the discussion, which also featured
comments from Jane Pinney, a current AMRTC patient; John Dombrowski, the
brother of a former AMRTC patient; and Roberta Opheim, the state ombudsman for
mental health and developmental disabilities.
Koranne was asked to provide perspective from hospitals and
health systems regarding mental health services in Minnesota. He shared that
mental health care is the biggest public health issue facing Minnesota,
affecting every family and community.
“Our patients are not getting the right care at the right
time in the right settings,” said Koranne, emphasizing that additional capacity
is needed for state-operated services. He also reiterated MHA’s legislative priorities, including funding the Excellence in Mental Health Act, fully
funding and staffing CBHHs, providing funds to operate at least 110 beds at
AMRTC and funding a stand-alone competency restoration program.
View a sample of the media coverage generated by the roundtable. return to top
House and Senate pass budget bills, conference committee work next
Both the House and Senate have passed their respective
budget bills for Health and Human Services supplemental appropriations. On
the Senate side, all 2016 supplemental appropriations were included in one
large omnibus spending bill (SF 2356 now HF 2749). The House has divided
its new spending into three smaller bills, including one for Health and Human
Services (along with Public Safety and State Government) in HF 3467. The
next step will be a conference committee to resolve differences between the
bills. This task is further complicated this year since the subject areas
of the appropriation bills are not perfectly aligned, and spending targets
cannot be determined until after leadership decisions are made on a tax bill
and a contentious transportation bill.
MHA has focused on advancing a package of mental health
initiatives aimed at improving access and quality of services. MHA is
pleased both the House and Senate bills fully fund the Excellence in Mental
Health Act, creating a certification process for community behavioral health
clinics that will offer both chemical treatment and mental health services in
one location. This is part of a national demonstration project and the state
needs to fund the effort this year in order for Minnesota to be in
consideration for participation.
The Senate bill includes the following:
- Funding to better staff the Community Behavioral
Health Hospitals, bringing six of these facilities up to their originally-intended
16-bed capacity.
- Funding for a stand-alone competency restoration
program that could free up approximately 20 beds at the Anoka Metro Regional
Treatment Center, as well as increased funding for additional staffing.
- Funding for a much needed 5 percent Medical
Assistance rate increase for preventive medical, dental and outpatient mental
health services.
If all
the provisions can be enacted, it should help improve patient flow – receiving
the right services in the right care setting.
More
information will be provided once legislators selected to serve on the
conference committees have been announced. MHA members are encouraged to
ask legislators to support a higher spending target for the Health and Human
Services budget area so that mental health initiatives can be fully
implemented.
For
additional information, contact Mary Krinkie, vice president of government relations, MHA, or Kristin Loncorich, director of
state government relations, MHA.
Session
bill tracker
For a complete list of 2016 legislative bills MHA is tracking,
visit the MHA Member Center. For assistance accessing the Member Center, contact Ashley Beno,
member services and communications specialist, MHA, 651-603-3545. return to top
Don't miss your chance to celebrate excellence in
Minnesota health care
Register today for MHA's Annual Awards Banquet and help celebrate
outstanding work by Minnesota’s hospitals and health systems. The Minnesota
Hospital Association Annual Health Care Awards honor the best and brightest in
Minnesota health care — individuals who have offered dedicated service to
hospitals and organizations that have implemented successful, innovative
programs.
The 2016 MHA Awards Banquet will be held Friday, May 20, at the Metropolitan
Ballroom in Minneapolis. Visit MHA’s website for the registration form.
Registration deadline is Friday, May 6. For more information, contact Sarah Bohnet, visual communications specialist, MHA, 651-603-3494.
return to top
NAMI offers free online training for health care
professionals
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)-Minnesota offers
two online classes for health care professionals addressing mental illnesses.
- Compassion into Action: Recognizing and Responding to Patients with Mental Illnesses is
for hospital staff and health care personnel to better understand people
with mental illnesses and respond to their treatment needs. The
training lasts about 40 minutes.
- Allies in Recovery describes
how family and friends play a vital role in a person’s recovery. This
training for professionals includes strategies for engaging families, how
to help clients maintain these natural supports, how these relationships can
aid in the treatment process and discussion on data practices
laws. The training is about 40 minutes long.
The classes are free and each provides two Minnesota Board of
Social Work CEUs. Visit the NAMIMinnesota website and scroll down toward the bottom of the
page for “Online Classes for Professionals” to learn more and take the courses.
return to top
DHS releases IHP RFP and seeks feedback on
demonstration
The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) has released
a request for proposals (RFP) for the latest round of the Integrated Health
Partnerships (IHP) demonstration projects. The RFP is available online.
DHS is offering potential responders the opportunity to
schedule a 60-minute question and answer session in person or via conference
call between May 15 and July 25. Proposals are due Aug. 19. Services will begin Jan. 1, 2017.
In
addition, DHS is offering an opportunity to provide feedback on the IHP
demonstration through a request for information (RFI), available online. DHS is
holding a stakeholder webinar on Wednesday, May 4, from 2:30-4 p.m. Webinar
information is as follows:
MHA has strongly and actively supported the IHP
demonstration projects from helping draft the enabling legislation and working
with DHS to develop the original request for proposals, to encouraging MHA
members to consider submitting proposals for the department’s consideration.
Today, 14 of the 19 IHP demonstration projects underway - and serving more
than 340,000 residents across the state - are directly led by MHA members.
MHA intends to respond to the department’s RFI and
appreciates receiving any feedback or issues that members want the association
to include in our comments. Please send them to Matt Anderson, senior vice
president, policy and strategy, MHA. Responses must be submitted to DHS by May
27.
For
more information about the RFP or RFI, contact Mathew Spaan, DHS. return to top
Proposed two-midnight policy adjustment will
enhance Medicare payment rate for FY 2017
In the FY 2014 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) final
rule, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) adopted its two-midnight
policy for inpatient admissions and implemented a 0.2 percent prospective
reduction to the IPPS rate to offset a predicted increase in expenditures
resulting from this policy. The hospital industry challenged the validity of
CMS’ reasoning for the reduction and in Shands Jacksonville Medical Center,
Inc. v. Burwell, the District Court for the District of Columbia ordered that
the policy be remanded back to CMS “to correct certain procedural deficiencies
in the promulgation of the 0.2 percent reduction and reconsider the
adjustment.”
In response to the court’s decision, CMS is proposing to
rescind the prospective adjustment –increasing the IPPS rates by 0.2 percent – and
will restore the money previously recouped in federal FYs 2014, 2015 and 2016
by applying a one-year adjustment of 0.6 percent for FY 2017.
return to top
Physician payment reform proposed rule released
A proposed rule with far-reaching repercussions for Minnesota Hospital Association
(MHA) members was released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
(CMS) on April 27. The proposed rule would implement physician payment reform
provisions of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA).
The CMS proposal lays out which demonstration projects or payment arrangements
will qualify as “Alternative Payment Models,” as well as the measures and
relative weights of four performance categories that CMS will use to adjust
physicians’ Medicare payments under the Merit-based Incentive Payment System
(MIPS) beginning in 2019. Payment adjustments will amount to +/- 4 percent in
2019 and increase each year until they reach +/- 9 percent in 2022. MHA is
analyzing the proposed rule and will provide additional summaries and resources
for our members in the weeks ahead.
CMS will hold a webinar
on Tuesday, May 3 at 11 a.m. CT to provide an overview of the proposed rule;
another webinar
on Wednesday, May 4 at 11 a.m. CT to explain further details regarding the
provisions of the proposed rule dealing with the MIPS program; and a national
provider conference call
on Tuesday, May 10 at 1 p.m. CT to offer another overview of the proposed rule.
Additional resources and background information about MACRA are available through the
American Hospital Association.
MHA encourages members to send feedback and concerns to be
incorporated into the association’s comment letter, which is due by June 27, to
Matt Anderson, senior vice
president, policy and strategy, MHA.
return to top
CMS seeks input regarding regional global budget payments
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued
a request for comments regarding potential regional budget payment concepts for
providers based on Maryland’s all-payer model. Under Maryland’s unique program,
a hospital receives the same reimbursement amount for a service regardless of
whether the patient is covered by Medicare, Medicaid or a commercial health
plan. CMS specifically expressed interest in developing this model for use in
rural communities.
The request for comment and background information about
Maryland’s model can be found here.
MHA intends to submit its comments by the May 13 deadline
and encourages members to share their concerns, suggestions or perspectives with
Matt Anderson, senior vice
president, policy and strategy, MHA.
return to top
CHNA meetings scheduled
MHA is once again partnering with the Local Public Health
Association (LPHA) to sponsor three meetings across Minnesota to discuss
partnering during the Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) process. These
meetings will identify how local public health and hospitals are currently
collaborating, identify barriers in CHNA work and clarify areas where
additional technical assistance is needed across the state for both local
public health and hospitals. The same facilitation guide and format will be
used at each of the meetings. MHA members with CHNA responsibility are
encouraged to attend one of the meetings:
- May 20,
noon-4 p.m., St. Paul
- May 24,
noon-4 p.m., St. Cloud
- June 1, 9
a.m.-1 p.m., Mankato
Lunch will be provided. Registration information will be
available soon. For more information, please contact Kristin Loncorich, state director of government relations, MHA.
return to top
Mental Health First Aid grants available
The Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA) is offering grants
to members wishing to hold Mental Health First Aid trainings. Mental Health First Aid is a basic first aid training for mental health, often compared to CPR. Members
can host trainings for their employees, the general public or other audiences.
In addition, members can choose between adult, youth and older adult trainings.
The training lasts eight hours, includes a workbook and
accommodates up to 30 attendees per class. Grants can be made to cover the
entire cost of the training - $1,500 for one day, up to 30 students – or match
a member’s amount. MHA will offer up to 12 grants for the full
amount and will also help market the training and assist with media coverage. return to top
MHA members are increasingly concerned about mental health
in their communities and MHA is offering these grants as part of the
association’s overall strategy for addressing mental health. We are working to
support members in their communities as we also seek state-level solutions.
For more information, please contact Matt Anderson, senior vice
president, policy and strategy, MHA. return to top