Healey knocks separate systems for medical, behavioral care
At a time when policymakers are trying to break down barriers to behavioral health services, patients in Massachusetts must deal with separate systems for medical services and mental health and substance abuse treatment, according to a new report.
Attorney General Maura Healey indicated last week that she hopes to work with others to address the issues outlined in her report, which also calls for an examination of rates paid for behavioral health care, financial arrangements that make care coordination difficult, and data reporting on prices and payment methods, which the attorney general said is inconsistent and confusing.
The report found that "inadequate rates can constrain investment in behavioral health ultimately impacting consumer access to care."
"In 2015, we should be treating access to mental health and behavioral health the same as we treat access to treatment for a heart condition or diabetes," Healey said in a statement.
According to the report, overall inpatient discharges at general acute care hospitals have decreased over time, but discharges with behavioral health as the primary diagnosis have increases. Citing national surveys, the report said that from 2012 to 2013, 19 percent of adults in Massachusetts suffered from a mental health condition, and 9 percent suffered from a substance use disorder.
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