Pending Legislation Will Provide Reimbursement Parity for Behavioral Health Provider Organizations

Just in case you've missed it, there is a bill wending its way through Congress to extend the HIT/EHR incentives that are available to all other health care provider organizations through the Stimulus (ARRA) funds to behavioral health. On April 15, 2010, Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy (D-RI) and Congressman Tim Murphy (R-PA) introduced the Health Information Technology Extension for Behavioral Health Services Act of 2010 (HR 5040). The bill adds mental health and substance abuse professionals, psychiatric hospitals, substance abuse treatment facilities, community mental health centers, psychologists and clinical social workers to those eligible for electronic health record incentive payments established under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). Psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners are already eligible for this program under existing law.

You can learn about the bill at http://patrickkennedy.house.gov/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=1770. We'll keep you posted on the status of the bill in our coverage of breaking developments in the field.