The Health Information Technology Extension for Behavioral Health Services Act of 2010 was introduced today by Reps. Patrick Kennedy and Tim Murphy to include incentives from the stimulus funding electronic records for behavioral health. As is noted in press release (below) from Rep. Patrick Kennedy's office, "clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, psychiatric hospitals, substance use treatment facilities and mental health treatment facilities" were initially omitted from the list of health care providers receiving benefits. The bill they introduced corrects for that.
Washington, DC - Today, 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. This legislation would extend the incentives for the "meaningful use" of electronic health records established through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act by ensuring the eligibility of many behavioral and mental health professionals, psychiatric hospitals, behavioral and mental health treatment facilities, and substance abuse treatment facilities.
"As co-chairs of the 21st Century Health Care Caucus, Congressman Murphy and I have long advocated for the adoption of electronic health records as an efficient means to lower health care costs and reduce medical errors," said Kennedy. "This legislation would further extend the incentives included in the HITECH Act to the mental and behavioral health community. It acknowledges what was established with the passage of the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act - that we need to treat illnesses of the brain just as we would ailments of any other part of the body."
"Delivering health IT to mental and behavioral providers bridges the care for those with mental and physical illness," said Congressman Murphy, a psychologist. "To best diagnose and treat patients, mental health professionals need complete, up-to-date medical histories. For instance, when depression is not treated, the costs of caring for a person with a chronic illness like heart disease can double. Electronic medical records ensure that physicians and mental health professionals are working together and delivering the best possible treatments. The Health Information Technology Extension for Behavioral Health Services Act keeps the 21st Century Healthcare Caucus' commitment to treating mental illness with the same vigor as physical ailments."
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided $20 billion in incentives and grants to health care providers and hospitals to establish interoperable electronic health record (EHR) systems throughout the nation. These benefits are extended to most physicians, chiropractors, dentists, optometrists, and podiatrists and most hospitals. However, an important sector of the health care community is excluded--clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, psychiatric hospitals, substance use treatment facilities and mental health treatment facilities. Mental health providers, psychiatric hospitals and other outpatient mental health and substance use clinics provide important medical services to a large portion of this nation's population. These providers and hospitals are often under-funded and under- reimbursed for their services.
"Health information technology is a critical component of health reform. Proper use of health information technology will address some of the challenges that hospitals, practitioners and facilities encounter when delivering mental and behavioral health services. Furthermore, this bill will ensure that mental and behavioral health providers are included in the nation's plan to achieve widespread adoption of health information technology," said Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL).
"As a long-time supporter of access to mental health services, I'm glad to see this legislation as a corrective action to a previous oversight. The vague language in the HITECH Act was insufficient to allow the equal access of mental health facilities to health IT grants. These mental health facilities should have the same access as other hospitals and providers and with the passage of this legislation, they will," said Congressman Gene Green (D-TX).
"This proposed legislation corrects an oversight that excluded a major component of the U.S. healthcare system from critical funding that will help organizations accelerate their adoption of Electronic Health Records," said James L. Conway, chief executive officer of Netsmart Technologies, a provider of enterprise-wide software and services for health care and human services organizations. "We're gratified that Rep. Kennedy and Rep. Murphy have introduced this legislation that recognizes the need to treat the entire person, including both primary and behavioral health, which many times are interrelated."
