Senators introduce mental health reform bill

Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) today introduced the Mental Health Reform Act. According to the sponsors, the bipartisan legislation would create an assistant secretary within the Department of Health and Human Services to coordinate federal mental health services, a committee to coordinate research and treatment for serious mental illness, and a national policy laboratory to provide innovation grants. The bill also would require the Departments of Labor, HHS and Treasury to conduct audits and issue guidance on mental health parity implementation, and provide grants to help states integrate physical and mental health care and provide early intervention for children at risk for mental illness. In addition, the legislation would allow Medicare and Medicaid patients to use mental health and primary care services at the same location and on the same day, and repeal the Medicaid exclusion on inpatient treatment for adults aged 22-64 in Institutions for Mental Disease if the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services actuary certifies that the provision would not lead to a net increase in federal spending.