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To find out who your legislator is call 202-224-3121). |
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE - MARYLAND -
September 2008
This summer, the Maryland Legislative Council of Social Work Organizations - the
coalition of GWSCSW and MSCSW (the Maryland Society for Clinical Social Work) -
was one of only two organizations from the clinical community invited to make a
presentation at the Joint Commission on Access to Mental Health Services hearing
in Annapolis. (The other was the Maryland Psychological Association.)
Representing the Council at the July 29 hearing, MSCSW president Martha Miller
summarized the points in the Council’s written testimony. The focus was the
survey conducted by the Council over the past year on the effects of declining
reimbursement rates and other insurance company practices on the ability of
social workers to continue participation in insurance networks and carry out our
core values of treating all Marylanders who are in need.
Ms. Miller ended her testimony with thanks to the legislators for the
opportunity to share our concerns and a plea that they “…understand that our
concern is not just about money. It is about preventing burn-out, about
preserving a positive therapeutic frame of mind toward the most challenging and
demanding clients, and about feeling – and being - valued…. When therapists drop
out of panels, it is so they might practice in a way that makes them feel good
about their professional identity, providing quality care without the negative
intrusion of insurance company limitations.”
Ms. Miller and your lobbyist then spent an afternoon of advocacy with the
legislators, insurance company representatives, and mental health professional
organizations in attendance.
Asked by the Commission for recommendations for legislative or regulatory change
that would lead to a more accessible high quality mental health system; the
Council’s follow-up letter highlighted the following:
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Promote the true parity legislature introduced by Delegate Morhaim in the 2007 legislative session removing the limitation of 20% co pay to the first five treatment sessions;
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create incentives for hospitals to treat persons with mental illness in their community hospital settings;
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Refine the legislation to require Networks to accurately reflect the availability of professional providers in their panels including the most recent history of accepting new patients;
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Increase reimbursement rates for clinical social workers for Medicaid and other provider reimbursement plans so that experienced and skilled clinical social workers have incentives to work with this population;
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Alter state laws to protect solo practitioners as well as those in networks;
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Enforce and refine the current law enabling a credentials process which provides incentives for clinical social workers to accept and treat new patients;
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Urge the Reimbursement Task Force to focus on all mental health providers, specifically clinical social workers and psychologists, who are underutilized in the mental health system because of underpayment;
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Urge the Maryland Insurance Administration (MIA) to address the recent obstacle imposed by the carriers to have “preferred status” by January of 2009, or leave all their networks. (The “incentive” for switching from “participating” to “preferred” will be a 10% reduction in allowed fees);
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Urge support for Parity with the passage of HR 1424 - the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act; and
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Urge the MIA to explore the most recent technique used by one of the larger insurers for delaying payment to providers in their HMO and PPO networks by denials of claims for individual treatment, based on “inappropriate service for this diagnosis.”
By participating on the
Reimbursement Task Force, testifying at the Joint Commission, and by following
up with meetings, calls, and correspondence, the Legislative Council has been
demonstrating that clinical social workers are interested and willing to
participate. This in turn helps convince legislators to become advocates for
clinical social work issues in the future.
Alice Neily Mutch of Capital Consultants of Maryland is a lobbyist for the
Legislative Council, the coalition of GWSCSW and MSCSW. Her website
http://www.capitalconsultantsofmd.com provides a wealth of information about
Maryland legislation and legislators.
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