Yesterday, AHIP submitted its comments on CMS’s proposed rule for the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System for CY 2024. AHIP believes that everyone should have access to effective, affordable, and equitable mental health support and counseling. They emphasize the importance of collaboration between health insurance providers, care professionals, and government agencies to establish high-quality standards and guidelines that yield measurable results for patients. AHIP is dedicated to improving access to mental health and substance use disorder care for all patients.
Although AHIP views the new benefit as a step in the right direction, they believe more should be done to support individuals with acute mental illness or substance use issues. They suggest that CMS should integrate behavioral health care into the Innovation Center’s alternative payment model demonstrations. This integration could incentivize coordinated care and address challenges such as social barriers and stigma.
AHIP appreciates CMS’s ongoing partnership and commitment to the Core Quality Measure Collaborative. They particularly support CMS’s work on advancing digital measurement and using measurement to enhance health care quality, access, and equity. AHIP recognizes the potential of health information technology and digital quality measurement to assess innovative concepts, drive change, and reduce burden for all stakeholders.
Furthermore, AHIP supports CMS’s goal of ensuring the safe and ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI). They recognize that AI has the potential to improve health care affordability, access, and outcomes, but question whether provider performance programs are the appropriate avenue for monitoring AI use. AHIP believes that these programs should be focused on evidence-based processes and patient outcomes.