Headline DC is a publication of NACBHDD
JANUARY 2011 | Printable Version
HILL HAPPENINGS: POLICY AND POLITICS
- 112th Congress: Congress returns on January 5, the only day when the Senate can alter its rules by a simple majority vote.
A move is afoot to change the filibuster rule that had thwarted Senate action during the Congress. Stay tuned.
- 2011 CR: Before heading home, Congress approved 11th-hour funding to keep the government running at FY 2010 levels
until March 4. Final language froze federal salaries for 2 years and omitted many House-approved provisions, including
increased funds for CMS operations for the ACA.
- Disability Housing Win: On December 21, Congress enacted the Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act to
modernize and reinvigorate the Section 811 housing program for persons with disabilities, including integrate supportive
housing units.
AROUND THE AGENCIES: NEWS AND OPPORTUNITIES
- Justifying Insurance Hikes: New proposed ACA regulations enable HHS and states to require insurers to disclose and
explain rate increases of 10% or more, beginning in 2011. Thereafter, state-specific thresholds will be established that
better reflect cost trends particular to each state. For more: http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/ratereview.html.
- ACA info for consumers: SAMHSA has released three “tip sheets” on health reform for behavioral health consumers:
(1) Understanding Health Reform: Overview; (2) Quick Facts; and (3) Pre-existing conditions. For more, go to:
http://www.samhsa.gov/healthreform/
Clarifying ACA and Parity Act: The Departments of Labor, Treasury and Health and Human Services have issued a
series of FAQs about a number of provisions of the Affordable Care and the Mental Health Parity and Addictions Equity
Act. Go to: http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq-aca5.html
ORGANIZATIONALLY SPEAKING
- Kaiser Family Foundation: New publication, Rate Review: Spotlight on State Efforts to Make Health Insurance More
Affordable, examines rate regulation in practice and the limitations of statutory authority, subjectivity, transparency, and
capacity and resources and their implications. Go to: http://www.kff.org/healthreform/upload/8122.pdf
ETCETERA
- Abstracts Wanted: American Public Health Association calls for abstracts for its October 29-November 2, 2011 annual
meeting in Washington, DC, with the theme Healthy Communities Promote Healthy Minds and Bodies. To submit, go to:
http://www.apha.org/meetings or http://apha.confex.com/apha/139am/oasys.epl. Deadlines between February 7-11, 2011.
- Next Session: The next in the ACMHA series Wellness, Prevention and Promotionis scheduled for January 12, 2010 at
3:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. PDT. Register at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HCR_011211
- 2011 ACMHA Summit: Also mark your calendar now for the 2011 ACMHA Summit Behavioral Health Leadership
and Disruptive Innovation in Health Reform in New Orleans, March 16 18.
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