Association Executive Directors Community

  • 1.  Inflationary Increase for SUF Residential Service Rates - help requested - time sensitive - 9/20/21

    Posted 09-20-2021 09:31

    Dear colleagues - We have met with our state Department of Health and Human Services about linking the SUD rates to an inflationary scale as is done for nursing facilities, hospitals, and some HCBS services.

    The state has now asked what scales other states use (if their rates receive annual inflationary increases).

    Could you share how your state sets inflation increases for substance use treatment or other analogous examples by Wednesday?

    Thank you for your help with this – John

     John Tassoni, Jr.
    Vice President of Operations, Community and Government Relations
    Substance Use and Mental Health Leadership Council of Rhode Island



    PS - Below are the scales the state uses for hospitals, HCBS, and long-term care.

    For your reference, below are current examples in statute:

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    John Tassoni
    VP of Operations, Community and Government Relations
    Substance Use and Mental Health Leadership Council of Rhode Island
    Warwick RI
    (401)521-5759
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  • 2.  RE: Inflationary Increase for SUF Residential Service Rates - help requested - time sensitive - 9/20/21

    Posted 09-20-2021 13:27
    Vermont has no automatic increases for SUD services - they have been level-funded for years.

    Thanks,

    Julie


    Julie Tessler. Executive Director (she/her)

    VT Council of Developmental & Mental Health Services/Vermont Care Partners

     

    137 Elm Street, Montpelier, VT 05602

    Phone:Office:802-223-1773 x406  Mobile:802 279-0464

    www.vermontcarepartners.org







  • 3.  RE: Inflationary Increase for SUF Residential Service Rates - help requested - time sensitive - 9/20/21

    Posted 09-20-2021 14:12
    NY has a statutory COLA on the books, but the Executive-centric budgeting powers have always allowed the Gov to propose a budget without funding it by deferring it to the next year (for more a decade).

    The index is tied to the CPI so it fluctuated. It is also tied to a specific time period, directly tied to inflation and known well in advance of the January budget release (this year's CPI factor is 5.4%, which would be a great pay out if our new Governor is so inclined):
    the twelve month period ending in July of the budget year prior to such state fiscal year, for the purpose of establishing rates of payments,

    Andrea Smyth
    President & CEO
    NYS Coalition for Children's Behavioral Health
    (518) 795-5270





  • 4.  RE: Inflationary Increase for SUF Residential Service Rates - help requested - time sensitive - 9/20/21

    Posted 09-20-2021 13:39
    John, Maryland does not provide inflationary increases per se to community-based behavioral health providers.

    However, in 2019, we amended a $15/hr minimum wage bill to require the state to increase rates for community-based behavioral health services by 3-4% each year for the coming eight years. The way Maryland's legislative process works, this law now requires the Governor to fully fund the legally-mandated rates, then request permission from the legislature to reduce the funding. We've been more successful fighting to prevent cuts than we are to secure additional funds - so far the mandated increases have been fully funded. 

    You can find a copy of our minimum wage bill and mandated increases here:
    https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2019RS/chapters_noln/Ch_11_sb0280E.pdf

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    Shannon Hall
    Executive Director
    Community Behavioral Health Association of Maryland
    Catonsville MD
    410-788-1865 ext 2
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  • 5.  RE: Inflationary Increase for SUF Residential Service Rates - help requested - time sensitive - 9/20/21

    Posted 09-28-2021 08:47
    John,

    This is a great question, and almost requires me to go into full policy wonk mode. Kansas has a twice a year process for estimating expenses for health and human services expenses. The state Medicaid agency, designated mental health authority, and a few other relevant stakeholders work to estimate the costs in these areas along with the legislative research department. This keeps the Executive and Legislative branches from fighting with each other over process for estimating the costs.

    At the macro level, our Association has used the CPI-Midwest index to adjust for our cost increases. We started doing this about 3-4 years ago, and Governors have generally ignored it while legislators recognize it about every other year. This is all to say that we do not have it in statute, but we do talk about it in our testimony before budget committees.

    Let me know as you have other questions.

    Best,

    Kyle

    Sent from my iPad




  • 6.  RE: Inflationary Increase for SUF Residential Service Rates - help requested - time sensitive - 9/20/21

    Posted 09-20-2021 14:31

    Hey John,

    We are in the same boat as Vermont.  No automatic COLAs and we have been level funded for years.

    Best,

    Holly



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    Holly McCorkle
    Executive Director
    Alabama Council of Community Mental Health Boards
    Montgomery AL
    2059992420
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  • 7.  RE: Inflationary Increase for SUF Residential Service Rates - help requested - time sensitive - 9/20/21

    Posted 09-20-2021 14:39

    No automatic COLAs in NH , however after significant advocacy work across hospitals, MDs, Mental health , SUD , VNAs and others we were successful in the last biennial budget in getting adjustments to the underlying medicaid fee schedule across ALL services in the Medicaid program – two adjustments were made over that budget the first on 1/1/20 and the second on 1/1/21. 

     

    Roland