Federal News & Issues

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

APA Members, Staffers Donate More Than $30,000 to Disaster Relief

ARLINGTON, Va. — The American Psychiatric Association Foundation, a business entity of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), today presented checks totaling $30,000 to the American Red Cross for disaster relief efforts in mainland U.S. and Puerto Rico. The Foundation also announced that it will later present a check of $3,000 to CrearConSalud, a nonprofit providing mental health services in Puerto Rico.

The U.S. has experienced a significant number of natural disasters this year: hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria and wildfires in California. The APA Foundation created a disaster relief fund and APA members and staffers responded. The Foundation presented a $20,000 check to the Red Cross’ Disaster Services Program, which includes its Disaster Mental Health Volunteer Program and supports all disasters. The...

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Author: mbourdase - Published: Dec 8, 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

Analysis Uncovers Significant Inequalities Between Mental and Physical Health: Lower Payments to Providers and Wide Disparities in Access to Benefits


Data Points to Potential Violations of Mental Health Parity Laws; Shows Higher Out-of-Pocket Costs for Consumers When Compared to Physical Health

(Washington, DC) – Physical healthcare providers are receiving significantly higher payments from insurers than addiction and mental health providers for the same types of services, finds a groundbreaking, independent report published today by Milliman, Inc. and released by a coalition of America’s leading mental health and addiction advocacy organizations. In the Milliman report, commissioned by the Bowman Family Foundation, researchers found that along with payment disparities, which occur in 46 out of 50 states, “out-of-network” use of addiction and mental health treatment providers by consumers is extremely high when compared to physical...

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Author: mbourdase - Published: Nov 30, 2017

America’s Frontline Physicians Oppose Efforts to Eliminate the Individual Mandate

Washington (November 16, 2017) – Our organizations, which represent more than 560,000 physicians and medical students, strongly support policies that ensure every American has access to affordable health coverage. We are concerned that a proposed provision in the Senate tax reform legislation to repeal the individual mandate is inconsistent with our goals.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that repeal of the individual mandate will result in 13 million people becoming uninsured by 2027. Furthermore, repealing the mandate will increase premiums and destabilize the individual and small group markets.

Our members are the nation’s frontline physicians, providing care to individuals and families in communities large and small, urban and rural. They see each day the inherent value of having health...

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Author: mbourdase - Published: Nov 16, 2017

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