Access to Care: Preliminary Mentions in Gov’s Budget Briefing Book

January 21, 2020

Here’s a look at just a few of the ‘brief discussions in the Governor’s Budget Briefing Book that relate to access to care issues (our True North).

Note:  We are still awaiting actual budget bills that will give a far clearer picture of what’s what.

  • The FY 2021 Executive Budget proposal establishes the Behavioral Health Parity Compliance Fund for the collection of penalties imposed on insurance carriers who violate New York’s Behavioral Health Parity laws, which will be used to support the Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Ombudsman program. Additionally, the State will strengthen compliance with the Behavioral Health Parity provisions set forth in the FY 2020 Enacted Budget through the release of State regulations by October 2020.
  • Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Ombudsman Program.  The Executive Budget proposal will continue $1.5 million in funding to support the behavioral health ombudsman program, which helps individuals and their families navigate the behavioral health care system to ensure people have access to necessary care and services, and helps resolve issues when care has been delayed or denied. The Executive Budget also provides authority to utilize up to $1.5 million in funds received in the newly established Behavioral Health Parity Compliance Fund.
  • Briefing Book mentions that DFS/DoH will together conduct market conduct exams in the commercial insurance space (we believe these are ongoing), to ensure commercial plans are keeping their contractual and regulatory commitments.  Also the executive budget proposal will include new regulations around Network Adequacy requirements, to ensure pans have adequate networks of all types including (this is new) early intervention networks.
  • Briefing Book mentions the executive’s intention to continue to ‘break down unnecessary barriers to care’ (in this case the topic is Medication Assisted Treatment) but there is no proposal mentioned (in the Briefing Book) to counteract the Governor’s veto of the prohibition of MAT in the Medicaid Program. However it is our understanding that there are serious negotiations still happening to address the underlying reasons as to why the Governor vetoed the bill.  Stand by for more here.
  • There is a brief mention in the ‘Mental Hygiene’  section of the Budget Briefing Book that discusses ‘$20M for existing residential programs.’  It is our understanding that this money would be for residential programs and services already in the pipeline. (But this could change once we see budget bills.)  This proposal appears to refer to existing OMH community-based housing.  The NYS Council strongly supports ACL’s  ‘Bring It Home’ Campaign!!
  • There is a proposal mentioned briefly in the Mental Hygiene section of the Briefing Book that discusses transforming Kingsborough Psychiatric Center into a ‘Recovery Hub’.