Department of Labor Creates New Consumer Assistance Web Page
The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration has created a new consumer assistance web page that allows users to submit questions and complaints about health and retirement plans electronically. Users also have the option to submit a question, file a complaint or report a problem with their plan. Responses can be expected within three business days.
http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/
HHS Announces Guidance to the States on the Essential Health Benefit
December 16, 2011: HHS Announces Guidance to the States on the Essential Health Benefit.
The Affordable Care Act requires that health insurance plans offered in the individual and small group markets, both inside and outside of the Affordable Insurance Exchanges (Exchanges), offer a comprehensive package of items and services, known as "essential health benefits." These guidelines are intended to give consumers, states, employers and insurers timely information as they work toward establishing Exchanges and making decisions for 2014.
Public input on this proposal is encouraged. Comments are due by Jan 31, 2012 and can be sent to: EssentialHealthBenefits@cms.hhs.gov.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, October 29, 2011
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has organized another prescription drug "take back" day to provide drop sites for people who want to properly dispose of unwanted and unused prescription drugs. The two take back days in 2010 collected nearly 309 tons of prescription drugs. This year's event is on October 29, 2011, from 10 AM until 2 PM.
AAPM and AOAAM Support ASAM's Medical Marijuana White Paper
The American Academy of Pain Medicine and the American Osteopathic Academy of Addiction Medicine lend their support for ASAM's medical marijuana white paper, "The Role of the Physician in Medical Marijuana".
ASAM offers Surgeon General Comments on Youth Rx Drug Abuse
On Thursday, June 2, ASAM submitted comments in response to a Federal Register notice requesting public input to inform a Surgeon General response on prescription drug abuse in youth.
Click here to read ASAM's comments.
The Future of Addiction Treatment under HCR: A CSAM Policy Brief
National health care reform provides the best opportunity to date to significantly expand and improve treatment for people with substance use disorder. But to ensure that happens, state policy makers and regulators must adopt standards of care that are effective, adequate and include a continuum of basic integrated services. The California Society of Addiction Medicine has published a guide for states that outlines the necessary components of an integrated substance use disorder benefit.
Read CSAM's Policy Brief.
ASAM Supports Administration's Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Plan
On April 20, 2011, ASAM, joined by the American Board of Addiction Medicine Foundation and the Association of Medical Education and Research on Substance Abuse, issued a press release endorsing the Obama Administration's Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Plan. The action plan was announced at a press conference yesterday, as were the FDA's new prescription drug safety measures. ASAM EVP/CEO Penny Mills was in attendance.
ONDCP Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Plan
ASAM Press Release
2011 ASAM Legislative Day
On April 13, 2011, thirty-five ASAM members, many of them Legislative Day first-timers, attended meetings with Congressional Offices to discuss and educate members on federal policies related to the practice of Addiction Medicine. Ten ASAM members had the opportunity to meet directly with their Representatives. This Legislative Day was our largest and most successful to date and our message was well received on Capitol Hill. For information on upcoming legislative days or other ways to support ASAM's advocacy efforts, please contact ASAM's Director of Government Relations, Alexis Geier-Horan at ageier@asam.org.
ASAM Publishes Medical Marijuana White Paper
Citing the dangers of marijuana and the lack of clinical research supporting its medicinal value, ASAM issues a white paper asserting that "medical" marijuana should be subject to federal regulatory standards for drug approval and distribution and advising physicians against recommending this drug until these standards are met.
Author Disclosure Forms
ONDCP 2011 National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign
ABOVE THE INFLUENCE: ONDCP’s 2011 National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign offers free resources to help teens, parents, educators, and community groups recognize the signs and symptoms of substance abuse and other risky behaviors.
Please call the SAMHSA clearinghouse at (800) 788-2800 to have materials shipped to you, or visit www.TheAntiDrug.com/Resources and www.MethResources.gov for more information or to download any of the resources.
Final Parity Regulations Go Into Effect On July 1, 2010
Rules implementing the 2008 Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) go into effect for plan years beginning on or after July 1, 2010.
This parity law requires that employers who offer mental health or addiction treatment benefits, and have 50 or more employees, must provide coverage for these benefits on par with the coverage provided for medical and/or surgical benefits. Historically, mental health and addiction treatment benefits have been subject to much stricter treatment and reimbursement limitations than medical/surgical benefits. Implementation of MHPAEA means expanded coverage for millions of Americans living with mental illness and/or addicitons.
For more information about your rights and benefits per this new law, please visit Mental Health Parity Watch. If you are having difficulty accessing these benefits, call the U.S. Department of Labor at 1.866.444.EBSA (3732). planning, meeting materials and more. For more information or to register early, contact Alexis Geier-Horan.
President Obama Passes "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act"
On March 23, 2010, addiction physicians and their patients all over the country won a resounding victory as President Obama signed landmark health care legislation that included many of the principles and provisions advanced by ASAM and the Coalition for Whole Health, a coalition of addiction and mental health organizations of which ASAM is a member. For more information on the addiction-related provisions in these bills, click here. [Health Care Reform Bill]
The historic bill signing ceremony capped a seventeen year effort to bring treatment of diseases of the brain in line with the treatment of diseases of the body and built on the foundation laid by the field’s historic parity victory. When the law is fully implemented, 32 million Americans who are uninsured today will have access to health insurance coverage that includes mental health and substance use disorder treatment services at parity.
The President subsequently signed a reconciliaiton bill called the "Health Care Affordability Reconciliaiton Act" that included a number of additional health insurace reforms not contained in the larger bill.