The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is looking to streamline primary care-specialist care integration, which could make it easier for behavioral health providers to get paid, Behavioral Health Business reports.
Medicaid programs may now directly pay consulting providers for interprofessional consultations, even when a patient is not present.
CMS informed state health officials of the new policy in a memo released Thursday. CMS said streamlining interprofessional consultations is a part of the Biden administration’s mental health crisis strategy, an extension of its so-called unity agenda. Read more.