New York State Licensed Agencies Providing Mental Health Services
Assuring the viability of independent, not-for-profit, mental health centers for over forty years.
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Low-COPS and Non-COPS Rate Relief in Governor's '08-'09 Budget Until complete rate reform becomes a reality, non-COPS and low-COPS Article 31 clinics can look forward to interim rate relief of an estimated $100 per session. An aggregate amount of $5 million to be annualized to $10 million State share for this rate adjustment was included in the Governor's budget released on January 22, 2008. Payment is expected to take the form of a supplement increase in the amount of approximately $16 (for non-COPS clinics with CQI additions) to bring the total rate to $100 per session. This combined $24 supplement ($7.95 current supplement and the additional $16) will be available for full, brief, Med Management and group sessions. Very importantly OMH officials have asserted that Medicaid Neutrality, and all service ceilings will be removed by the summer of '08 for both COPS & non-COPS clinics. OMH also expects to open up the Interim List to more clinics in New York City. The Federation is very grateful to the current administration for recognizing the importance of getting relief to those clinics receiving the lowest rates and for removing obstacles to care for New York's neediest clinic clients. |
Article 31 Clinic Rate Reform Reaches Dawn of Reality For ten years going back to 1998 when The Federation of Mental Health Centers (FMHC) first filed lawsuits on the issue of clinic rate parity, the FMHC has been vigorously advocating for Medicaid rate reform to change the vast reimbursement disparity between COPS and non-COPS clinics. Like Plate Teutonics, 2007 was the year that a confluence of forces that included the bellwether Public Consulting Group (PCG) study on Article 31 clinic fees, the Medicaid reform orientation of the Spitzer administration, influence from the Federal Government, and the fairmindedness of Officials from the Office of Mental Health, all came together to result in a statewide effort to begin the process of dissolving the COP/non-COPS system and the creation of an equitable, economical and uniform Article 31 Medicaid rate structure. Led by the Office of Mental Health, numerous meetings and conference calls involving leadership and stakeholders statewide have taken place and have resulted in a rate reform concept paper. The recommendations of this paper are expected to be phased in during the 2009-2010 budget year. The membership of The Federation should feel very gratified that all their efforts and advocacy through the years is about to yield very significant reform. |