FOR RELEASE: Immediate, March 11, 2011
CONTACT: John Coppola, Executive Director 518-426-3122
ASAP PRAISES MEDICAID REDESIGN PROPOSALS
Treatment Recommendations Will Help New Yorkers in Need and Save New York Money
The New York State Association of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers (ASAP) today praised Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT) for producing a report that can serve as a blueprint for the initial steps necessary to transform healthcare in NYS. ASAP was particularly pleased that the report recognized that chemical dependence treatment, prevention and recovery are an important part of the solution to New York’s fiscal crisis.
The MRT recently released a wide-ranging set of recommendations designed to control Medicaid costs. Included in the report were numerous proposals made by ASAP that will save taxpayers money and provide better treatment outcomes for those in need.
In response to the recommendations, ASAP Executive Director John Coppola said, “We recognize that the Medicaid Redesign Team was faced with a daunting task and we are very pleased that Governor Cuomo created a process that invited community and stakeholder input to look at how New York spends Medicaid dollars. The leadership and members of the team worked hard with stakeholders to craft a plan that, if adopted, will produce positive changes for New Yorkers.”
Coppola continued, “We are especially pleased that that the team decided to include the proposals offered by New York’s alcoholism and substance abuse providers, persons in recovery. We appreciate the leadership and contributions to the process provided by OASAS Commissioner Arlene Gonzalez-Sanchez who was instrumental in the creation of this report. Treating people with substance use disorders leads to healthier, more productive lives and a dramatic decrease in the usage of costly healthcare services. We would urge the Senate and Assembly to keep these provisions in the final budget.”
Three of the key proposals made by ASAP that were included in the Medicaid Redesign Team’s report are:
Expansion of the Managed Care Managed Addiction Treatment Program (MATS) in New York City and upstate counties. This program provides targeted case management to help patients access the proper level of care and reduce unnecessary use of expensive hospital services. New York City has saved close to $10 million in each of the past three years using MATS. ASAP projects that by serving 4500 people in the MATS program NY could save over $60 million.
Expanded screening, intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) for alcohol/drug use beyond emergency room settings. Expanding SBIRT to primary health care settings (hospitals, outpatient clinics and private physician offices) will allow for the early detection of substance use disorders and earlier treatment and prevention. Treating these addictions will result in savings through lower usage of costly health care and criminal justice services. In order to ensure that increased utilization of SBIRT is done quickly and effectively ASAP proposed an allocation of $500,000 in the 2011-12 NYS budget to train physicians, physicians assistants, nurses, and other qualified health professionals on how to effectively implement SBIRT so that patients receive better care and NYS saves significant resources.
The establishment of Behavioral Health Organizations (BHOs) to manage behavioral health services not currently covered under the State’s various Medicaid Managed Care (MMC) plans. Similar programs have been deployed successfully in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania and provide better treatment options for clients and providers, as well as allowing the State to meet its goal of cost containment. ASAP proposed that strict standards should be put in place regarding patient admission criteria, establishment of medical necessity, and utilization review within a BHO structure and that these standards should be developed and monitored by OASAS.
ASAP also strongly supports the recommendation made by the recovery community to utilize recovery coaches to help drive down Medicaid costs. The MRT included the use of recovery coaches among the recommendations made in their report.
Ashley Behrle
