Mandatory Reporting with Respect to Adult Behavioral Health Measures

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5583, which would require all Medicaid programs to report on behavioral health quality measures in Medicaid, and I thank the sponsor, Ms. Clarke.

The Medicaid behavioral health core set of measures contains 16 key measures used by CMS to measure and evaluate the quality of behavioral healthcare that is being provided by State Medicaid and CHIP agencies. Recently, CMS added two additional measures related to opioids.

The core set is designed to help ensure that those with behavioral healthcare needs are receiving appropriate screening management and follow-up for their mental health conditions, such as substance abuse disorder, including opioid use disorders, ADHD, depression, or schizophrenia.

Currently, the behavioral health core set is a quality measure. However, given the expanse of the opioid epidemic and need to improve mental healthcare quality and coordination for those with substance abuse disorders and all patients, mandatory reporting will ensure we have a standard nationwide dataset on the quality of behavioral health treatment that our beneficiaries receive under Medicaid.

Quality treatment is vital to assist in bolstering our Nation's mental health and substance abuse care and in improving our healthcare system's ability to fight the opioid epidemic. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Clarke).

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5583, which I introduced together with the Representative from Oregon, Greg Walden, chairman of our committee, and the Representative from Tennessee, Marsha Blackburn.

As you have heard throughout today's floor debate, more than 115 people die every day from an opioid overdose, and in my hometown of New York City, someone dies every 7 hours from an opioid overdose.

The African American community, in particular, is dying at an alarming rate from opioid abuse. The overdose death rate among African Americans in urban counties rose by 41 percent in 2016.

Mr. Speaker, this is more than an epidemic. This is a full-blown crisis, and Congress must act to protect our most vulnerable communities.

To address this epidemic, I have introduced a bill that would support the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' efforts to monitor and track quality care, especially in behavioral health related to the use of opioids.

Currently, State reporting on these measures is strictly voluntary. H.R. 5583 would make such reporting mandatory. Doing so allows us to better collect data for research purposes.

H.R. 5583 is one of 57 bills that the House Energy and Commerce Committee has brought forward to combat the opioid crisis. Now is the time for House leadership to bring the issue to a vote.

We need data that will help us understand opioid prevalence and incidence trends amongst our most vulnerable populations. We know that the vast majority of people seeking addiction treatment rely on Medicaid. We require quality reporting in our other Federal health programs. Medicaid beneficiaries deserve the same consideration.

This bill is a bipartisan effort with Representatives Walden and Blackburn, and this crisis goes beyond a rural or urban issue. From coast to coast, the opioid epidemic has raged in our communities. Regardless of where we are from--urban, suburban, or rural communities--we must come together to find a solution to opioid abuse.

H.R. 5583 enables Congress and our Nation's public health agencies to examine and better understand how to support States in treating substance abuse and opioid use disorders.

Mr. Speaker, instead of undermining and sabotaging the ACA and gutting Medicaid, let's think of the American people first. 115 people die every day from opioid-based overdoses. How many hundreds more before Congress takes action?

This is straightforward policy that will give us insight on how to be most effective in helping our most at-risk communities.

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Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5583, a bill to Amend Title XI of the Social Security Act to Require States to Annually Report on Certain Adult Health Quality Measures.

The United States must affirm its role as a leader in domestic care by guaranteeing access to plentiful and accurate information regarding the health of its most vulnerable citizens.

Mr. Speaker, over 67.4 million individuals are enrolled in Medicaid as of March of 2018.

In Texas, Medicaid covers 1 in 14 adults under the age of 65, 1 in 3 low-income individuals, 2 in 5 children, 3 in 5 nursing home residents, and 1 in 3 people with disabilities.

There are currently over 717 thousand open Medicaid cases in Harris County alone.

In addition, to doctor and hospital visits, Medicaid covers long-term services like nursing homes and community-based services that allow people with chronic conditions and disabilities to live independently.

Medicaid covers more than half of all nursing home residents.

H.R. 5583 requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to expand its core set of adult health quality measures for Medicaid- eligible adults to include measures specific to behavioral health.

A state Medicaid program must report annually on such measures.

This bill requires States to use all behavioral health measures included in the core set of adult health quality metrics, and any changes to such measures, to be reported regarding the quality of healthcare for Medicaid-eligible adults.

By passing this bill and instituting these reporting requirements, we can ensure equitable attention to healthcare for Medicaid-eligible men and women.

All Americans, no matter their financial circumstances, deserve access to healthcare, and this bill will ensure that discrepancies in care among low-income Americans can be identified and addressed.

Safeguarding the health and healthcare of our citizens is the best way to concretely demonstrate our dedication to their safety and well- being.

It is not only the right thing to do for our citizens; it is the smart thing to do for our nation.

I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for H.R. 5583, a bill that will ensure the healthcare of all Americans can be addressed and improved by requiring annual reports on the health quality of Medicaid- eligible Americans.

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