[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 192 (Thursday, December 17, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E3048-E3049]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF THE OUTPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 16, 2009

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the 
Outpatient Mental Health Modernization Act of 2009, which will support 
a high quality and cost-savings approach to long-term care mental 
health services.
  Five million Medicare beneficiaries have mental disorders other than 
mental retardation and 1.3 million of these individuals are under the 
age of 65. Medicare Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHPs) provide a 
structured and clinically intensive alternative to hospitalization for 
patients who otherwise might require sustained inpatient psychiatric 
hospitalization. PHP psychiatric patients typically receive four to six 
hours of treatment per day, five to six days a week in hospital-based 
settings and community mental health centers.
  The severity the patient's illness often prevents the individual from 
obtaining or seeking transportation to the PHP facility, or from 
accessing high quality food. Additionally, some psychiatric medications 
that are prescribed to the patient cannot be safely administered 
without food. These patients often live in group-supervised settings 
due to difficulties in maintaining family relationships and their 
financial instability.
  Currently, Medicare does not cover the costs of nutritional planning, 
meals or transportation for patients who receive psychiatric treatment 
in a PHP setting. Therefore, PHP facilities are responsible for the 
cost of providing food and transportation. This aggravates financial 
burdens that many PHPs and countless other community organizations are 
experiencing in these difficult economic times.
  The Outpatient Mental Health Modernization Act of 2009 requires 
Medicare to reimburse PHPs for providing transportation and food and 
nutritional services. The bill also establishes a Behavioral Health 
Advisory Committee in which a diverse group of behavioral health 
stakeholders would examine and provide recommendations on how to 
address the

[[Page E3049]]

persisting challenges of access, stigma, quality and operability in the 
mental health delivery system. The Outpatient Mental Health 
Modernization Act of 2009 is a house companion to S. 1522, a bill that 
was introduced by Senator David Vitter (R-LA) on July 28, 2009.
  Madam Speaker, PHPs are a cost effective alternative that can prevent 
mentally ill individuals from facing expensive inpatient care, 
incarceration, or institutionalization. The growing use and role of 
mental health PHPs in our health care system requires that we amend the 
law to assist PHPs in delivering the services, care and support to 
those who are living with severe and chronic mental illness. I urge my 
colleagues to support the bi-partisan Outpatient Mental Health 
Modernization Act of 2009, which help sustain an important treatment 
option in long-term care service network.

                          ____________________