HB2486 - Mental Health Modernization and Access Improvement Act

• Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to apply for a Medicaid waiver or State Plan amendment within 6 months to develop a regulatory framework allowing payment reform models for community mental health services, moving away from fee-for-service payment.

• Establishes quality and outcomes metrics reporting requirements with no more than 20 total metrics, including quality metrics, health outcomes metrics, patient experience metrics, and social determinants of health metrics, with phased implementation starting year one.

• Providers meeting quality benchmarks receive annual incentive payments equal to 6 percentage points above base Medicaid reimbursement rates; providers failing to meet minimum thresholds for 3 consecutive years become ineligible for participation.

• Increases Medicaid reimbursement rates by 7% annually for 3 years starting SFY 2020 for community mental health services without existing enhanced rates, and establishes comparable psychiatry service rates phased in over 4 years beginning January 1, 2020.

• Requires mental health parity compliance consistent with federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act; allows workforce flexibility for mental health professionals to practice at full scope of credentials; participation in the regulatory framework is voluntary with annual opt-in/opt-out opportunities.