backAccess to high-quality mental health and substance use disorder treatment is a hot-button issue heading into the coming election. King & Spalding will host a one-hour roundtable webinar on September 19, 2024 to canvass the key action items on behavioral healthcare for lawmakers and regulators, and their implications for providers and investors. Topics for discussion will include:
- As COVID-era flexibilities expire, lawmakers and regulators must address unresolved questions about the future of telehealth. For example, the Drug Enforcement Agency has now tried twice to craft a telemedicine prescribing rule for controlled substances. Its second attempt received over 38,000 public comments, which overwhelmingly said the proposal was too restrictive. How will public demand for flexibility be balanced against the risks of diversion?
- The Biden administration publicly prioritized mental health parity. But compliance with the mandates of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act remains elusive. Last year, regulators proposed a sweeping new rule that would impose substantial burdens on plans to demonstrate that their limitations on behavioral benefits are not more stringent than their limitations on medical/surgical benefits. What does the election mean for the new rule, and what would the new rule mean for providers if enacted?
- Meanwhile, as reports of abuses draw media attention, Congressional and regulatory scrutiny of behavioral healthcare providers is at an all-time high. How can providers assess and manage the risks of the new and evolving enforcement environment, and what to do if your company is in the crosshairs? And what is next on the legislative agenda?