The OPEN MINDS Weekly News Wire

The OPEN MINDS Weekly News Wire is a dynamic weekly web-based publication that helps you quickly spot the latest trends in the behavioral health care industry. We cover the stories that are going to have an impact on the way you do business—from policy developments, federal and state legislation, and financial trends pieces, to the latest evidence-based practice research and technological developments. You won’t find any other news source that brings you this type of in-depth coverage specifically designed for the field.

The Weekly News Wire is organized by topics so that you can review all the news affecting the health and human service marketplace, but also easily focus on the stories that interest you most. Each week, we cover the latest developments in children's, mental health & chemical dependency, intellectual & developmental disability, and disability support services; as well as the most recent strategic health care topics.

From health care reform legislation, to updates on the state budget crisis, the OPEN MINDS Weekly News Wire provides you with the information that your organization needs to succeed in the marketplace.

May 20, 2013 Edition

• Virginia Medicaid Awards Behavioral Health Services Administrator Contract To Magellan

  Weekly News "Hot Off The Wire"

  On May 10, 2013, the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) awarded Magellan Health Services a contract to administer Medicaid behavioral health services statewide. The initial three-year BHSA contract term has two optional one-year extension periods. The contract term will start about 120 days after the contract is executed. The contract value has not been finalized. The contract for a Behavioral Health Services Administrator (BHSA) represents a new approach for the state. The contract for a Behavioral Health Services Administrator (BHSA) represents a new approach for the state. Currently, Virginia Medicaid pays the Commonwealth’s 40 Community Service Boards (CSBs) and private provider organizations on a fee-for-service (FFS) basis to deliver specialty behavioral health services; the CSBs are also paid on a FFS basis to provide targeted case management... Full Article

• Also Featured This Week:

  May 20, 2013 Edition

  Preauthorizations For Psychiatric Admissions From ER Average 38 Minutes; Median Psych Stay In Emergency Department Was 8.5 Hours
  
  Anthem Agrees To Reprocess 28,000 Claims Submitted By Connecticut Behavioral Health Provider Organizations Due To Misinterpretation Of New CPT Codes
  
  Texas To Release RFP For A Second Foster Care Redesign Contractor In Summer 2013
  
  Oklahoma Closing Developmental Centers; Concerns Remain About Service Capacity For 7,000+ On HCBS Waiting List
  
  Florida Seeks Managing Entity Services For Redirections Services Programs
  
  Maryland Health Insurance Exchange Launches Connector Program
  
  View Entire Edition

Recent Editions

Below are links to the most recent editions of the OPEN MINDS Weekly News Wire along with the title of the 'Hot Off The Wire' news article for that week. Each link contains the full edition (table of contents) and is viewable without subscription. Within each edition, however, the links to the individual articles are password protected and marked for 'basic' or 'premium' OPEN MINDS Circle members. To learn more about OPEN MINDS Circle membership, click here. 

• May 13, 2013: Medicaid Directors Call For The End Of IMD Exclusion & Protest Formation Of Federally Qualified Community Behavioral Health Centers
• May 6, 2013: New York To Launch Capitated Care Management For Individuals With Developmental Disabilities
• April 29, 2013: CMS Reaffirms Commitment To Performance-Based Contracting For Pioneer ACOs
• April 22, 2013: Head Start Implements Mandatory Competitive Procurement Process For Low-Performing Grantees - 80 Existing Programs Retained & 25 Replaced
• April 15, 2013: 34 States Integrating Medicare & Medicaid Services For Dual Eligibles
• April 8, 2013: Cost Of New Medicare Care Coordination Codes Estimated At $600 Million For 2013
• April 1, 2013: $1 Billion Maricopa County RBHA Contract Moves To Mercy
• March 25, 2013: California Emergency Regulations Force Health Plans To Cover Autism Treatment Services
• March 11, 2013: Allegheny County Pennsylvania Implements New Criteria For Non-Profit Property Tax Exemption
• March 4, 2013: 62 Million Americans Will Have Expanded Mental Health & Addiction Disorder Benefits In 2014 Under Health Care Reform
• February 25, 2013: Venture Capital Investments In Health IT Totaled $1 Billion+ In 2012
• February 18, 2013: CMS Announces 464 Facilities Selected For Medicare Bundled Payment Program
• February 11, 2013: CMS Previews Medicaid Core Set Of Health Home Quality Measures
• February 4, 2013: CMS Announces 106 New ACO Contracts; 260 ACOs Now In Operation
• January 28, 2013: Florida Awards Medicaid Long-Term Managed Care Contracts
• January 21, 2013: Massachusetts Launching Pay-For-Success Juvenile Justice & Homeless Services Programs
• January 14, 2013: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation For Depression Covered By Southeast Medicare Administrator; Added To Magellan Medical Necessity Guidelines
• January 7, 2013: Texas To Implement Foster Care Case Rate Initiative In February 2013
• CLICK HERE for older archives