Bill > S1264

This bill establishes a five-year demonstration program under Medicare to promote collaborative treatment of mental and physical health comorbidities, focusing on hospitals in vulnerable communities. The program will support eligible hospitals (including rural, teaching, and safety net hospitals) in developing innovative approaches to address patients with co-occurring mental and physical health conditions. Participating hospitals will receive funding to implement comprehensive care strategies that go beyond traditional treatment, such as integrating mental health services into medical homes, improving electronic health records to track treatments across care settings, and providing wrap-around services like nutrition counseling, social service referrals, and community health worker support. The program aims to target individuals with serious mental illness who also have chronic conditions, are elderly, disabled, or at high risk, with a particular emphasis on addressing social determinants of health that negatively impact patient outcomes. Hospitals will be required to participate in a learning collaborative to share best practices and will be evaluated on metrics including improved access to care, health outcomes, care coordination, and potential cost reductions. By the end of the demonstration period, the Secretary of Health and Human Services must submit a comprehensive report to Congress detailing the program's effectiveness and recommending potential legislative or administrative actions based on the findings.

Budget and Finance

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1264/all-info