Federal News & Issues

APA Responds to Temporary CHIP Extension, Urges Congress to Reauthorize Health Insurance Funding for Five Years

ARLINGTON, Va. — Today, Congress authorized a temporary extension of funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which expired on Sept. 30. This stopgap measure only funds the program through the end of March. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has called for Congress to reauthorize the program for five years.

“We are relieved that states will have temporary funding for children’s health insurance, but Congress must pass a long-term reauthorization of CHIP,” said APA CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A. “Nearly nine million children receive health care thanks to this program, including approximately 850,000 with serious behavioral or emotional disorders. CHIP is vital to keeping our nation’s children healthy and strong. We urge Congress to act with all possible speed to pass a...

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Author: mbourdase - Published: Dec 22, 2017

Tax Bill an Unnecessary Attack on Nation’s Health Care

ARLINGTON, Va. — The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is disappointed by the final passage today of a tax bill that causes unnecessary damage to the nation’s health care system. In response, the APA is issuing this statement from its CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A.:

“This legislation, which calls for the removal of the individual mandate in the Affordable Care Act, sacrifices the health care of 13 million Americans who will lose their insurance by 2027,” Levin said. “By significantly raising the federal deficit, this bill sets the stage for future cuts to Medicare and other critical safety net programs. What is being sold as a tax cut bill is also an attack on our health care system. There is no reason for these two issues to be decided by the same vote.

“We need Congress to pass...

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Author: mbourdase - Published: Dec 20, 2017

APA and National Council for Behavioral Health Applaud the ISMICC’s First Report

Washington, DC — The American Psychiatric Association (APA) and National Council for Behavioral Health commend the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for its report, released yesterday by the federal Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee (ISMICC). The report acknowledged that the health care system has failed to meet the needs of adults with serious mental illnesses and children with serious emotional disturbances, and outlined areas to help address this failure.

Based on initial deliberations, the ISMICC’s areas of focus include making it easier to access care, closing the gap between treatment that works and what is offered, and developing financing strategies that increase availability and affordability of care.

The APA and National Council call on the...

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Author: mbourdase - Published: Dec 15, 2017

APA Welcomes First Federal Report on Coordinating Agency Responses to Serious Mental Illness

ARLINGTON, Va. — The American Psychiatric Association (APA) welcomes the first-ever report issued today from the Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee (ISMICC), led by Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Elinore McCance-Katz, M.D, Ph.D. The committee was created as part of the 21st Century Cures Act, a mental health reform bill passed late last year. The committee is charged with enhancing coordination across federal agencies that impact the care of those with serious mental illness.

“We congratulate Assistant Secretary McCance-Katz on the release of the first ISMICC report and its focus on prevention, care and early...

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Author: mbourdase - Published: Dec 14, 2017

Section 1115 Demonstration Waivers and Other Proposals to Change Medicaid Benefits, Financing and Cost-sharing: Ensuring Access and Affordability Must be Paramount


Joint principles of the following organizations representing front-line physicians:

  • American Academy of Family Physicians
  • American Academy of Pediatrics
  • American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
  • American College of Physicians
  • American Osteopathic Association
  • American Psychiatric Association

On behalf of the more than 560,000 physicians and medical students represented by the combined memberships of the above organizations, we have adopted the following principles for designing, evaluating, reviewing and approving proposals to change Medicaid benefits, financing and cost sharing through Section 1115 demonstration waivers or other legislative or regulatory policies. Our...

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Author: mbourdase - Published: Dec 8, 2017

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