CMS Rule Guarantees Payment for Mental Health, Substance Abuse Treatment for Low-Income Patients

States will now be required to provide assistance for mental health or substance abuse issues to Medicaid enrollees. Healthcare Finance News reports the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services established this rule to help benefit over 23 million enrolled in Medicaid including Medicaid alternative benefit plans, managed care organizations and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. The new rule requires health plans to detail mental health or substance use benefits upon request and provide reason for any denial in payment for services.

Mortgages for Expensive Healthcare? Some Experts Think It Can Work

Mortgages could be an affordable option for those who are in need of expensive drugs, according to Kaiser Health News. Two experts have proposed a plan to offer healthcare installment loans, financed by investors, to patients who cannot afford necessary medication. The loans would help create greater accessibility to expensive pharmaceutical drugs, but patients would need to pay back the loan with interest. If the patient were to relapse or die, the patient or family, would no longer need to continue making payments.

Hospitals Brace for New Medicare Payment Rules

Starting April 1, nearly 800 hospitals will be accountable for all costs of hip and knee replacements for the first 90 days after an initial procedure. According to The Wall Street Journal, this new requirement from the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services could save the government program $343 million over the next five years. Hospitals prepared for this new initiative can save money if a patient is sent home earlier than 90 days; however, some experts worry ill-prepared hospitals and their bottom line will be impacted tremendously.