May 29, 2007

National Task Force Sets Agenda for Assuring Consumer Access to Emerging Neurotechnologies

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania – The recently convened inaugural meeting of the National Task Force on Consumer Access to Emerging Neurotechnologies set an aggressive agenda for resolving questions of policy and practice regarding new neurotechnologies. The National Task Force is composed of executives in the health and human services field who are interested in assuring, and capable of effecting, the appropriate and equitable access to emerging neurotechnologies for all consumers with mental health, behavioral health, and neurological conditions. The focus of the National Task Force is three-fold:

  1. To increase understanding within the payer, provider, and consumer advocacy communities of available new neurotechnologies and their appropriate uses

  2. To promote standardized clinical decision making criteria, consumer access processes, and reimbursement policies for appropriate neurotechnologies

  3. To promote parity and equity in consumer access to new technologies for treatment of these conditions

The inaugural meeting of the National Task Force was focused on consideration of the current issues regarding the introduction, adoption, and utilization of emerging technologies. Much of the meeting’s discussion focused on the neurotechnologies specific to the treatment of depression, as these are the first applications to reach the market-ready stage. Four noted academic researchers led the National Task Force’s discussion:

At the conclusion of the meeting, the National Task Force members discussed the payer, professional, and consumer issues and, based on that discussion, have selected two areas of immediate focus for the work of the National Task Force:

  • Creation of a standardized definition of “treatment-resistant depression” that can be used to modify existing clinical criteria with respect to appropriate access to emerging treatment intervention

  • Development of a field-based multi-payer evaluation methodology that can assess the cost and outcomes of new neurotechnologies in pilot study populations

The National Task Force members will be engaged in an on-going dialogue on these two initiatives, with final recommendations to be made to policy makers and health care financing organizations in the fall of 2007.

Based on the initial meeting of the National Task Force, a summary issue white paper has been released. The National Task Force White Paper, “Issues in Access to New Treatment Options for Individuals with Severe Depression,” can be viewed at no charge at www.openminds.com/circlehome/indres/042507tfwhitepaper.htm.

The National Task Force on Consumer Access to Emerging Neurotechnologies is managed by OPEN MINDS, a national behavioral health and social service industry market research and management consulting firm. Funding for the first two meetings of the National Task Force was made possible by a grant from Cyberonics, Inc. Sponsorship of the National Task Force is open to government, technology, health care financing, and professional organizations.

National Task Force on Consumer Access to Emerging Neurotechnologies Membership List

Payer Members

Michael Golinkoff, Ph.D.
National Clinical Director
Aetna Behavioral Health
930 Harvest Drive, Mail Stop U31W
Blue Bell, Pennsylvania 19422

Lawrence J. Nardozzi, M.M.M, M.D., D.F.A.P.A., C.P.E.
Vice President and National Psychiatric Officer
Magellan Health Services
4142 Ogletown-Stanton Road #235
Newark, DE 19713

Pamela Mazerski
Associate Commissioner, Office of Program Development and Research
Social Security Administration
128 Altmeyer Bldg., 6401 Security Blvd.
Baltimore, Maryland 21235

Stanley Pearson, M.D.
Chief Medical Director
CIGNA Healthcare
11001 North Black Canyon Highway
Phoenix, Arizona 85029

Rhonda Robinson-Beale, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer
United Behavioral Healthcare/PacifiCare Behavioral Health
3120 Lake Center Drive
Santa Ana, California 92704

James Slayton, M.D.
Medical Director
United Behavioral Healthcare/PacifiCare Behavioral Health
45 Braintree Hill Park #204, MA040-02-04
Braintree, Massachusetts 02184

Academic Members

Lawrence J. Cohen, Pharm.D., B.C.P.P., F.A.S.H.P., F.C.C.P.
Professor Pharmacotherapy Washington State University College of Pharmacy, Assistant Director for Psychopharmacology Research and Training, Washington Institute for Mental Illness Research and Training
412 E. Spokane Falls Blvd.
Spokane, Washington 99202

Roger Haskett, M.D.
Professor of Psychiatry
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
3811 O'Hara St., E824
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213

Susan D. Horn, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist and Vice President of Research International Severity Information Systems, Inc.
Institute for Clinical Outcomes Research
699 East South Temple, Suite 100
Salt Lake City, Utah 84102

Madhukar H. Trivedi, M.D.
Lydia Bryant Test Professorship in Psychiatric Research Director, Mood Disorders Research Program & Clinic Co-PI NIMH Depression Trials Network
University of Texas Southwestern Medical School
5323 Harry Hines Blvd.
Dallas, Texas 75390

Provider Organization Members

Darin Dougherty, M.D.
Neurotherapeutics Division
Massachusetts General Hospital
CNY2612; Bldg. 149; 13th Street
Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129

Alan Ettinger, M.D.
Director, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center
Long Island Jewish Medical Center
270-05 76th Avenue
New Hyde Park, New York 11040

Leighton Huey, M.D.
University of Connecticut Medical Center
263 Farmington Ave., MC 1410
Farmington, Connecticut 06030

Dennis Morrison, Ph.D.
President and Chief Executive Officer
Center for Behavioral Health
645 S Rogers St
Bloomington, Indiana 47403

Behavioral Health Policy Members

Susan Bergeson
President
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
730 N. Franklin Street; Suite 501
Chicago, Illinois 60610

Steven Newman
Executive Director
NAMI D.C.
422 8th St. SE, 2nd Floor
Washington, D.C. 20003

Monica E. Oss
Chief Executive Officer
OPEN MINDS
163 York Street
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325

Charles Ray, M.Ed.
Treasurer and Board of Directors
World Federation for Mental Health
3020 Steven Martin Drive
Fairfax, Virginia 22031

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