One More Step for Behavioral Health

April 28, 2017 · NCQA Communications

NCQA is proud to stand with other organizations to support measures that improve the Medicare Advantage Star Ratings Program.

In a joint letter to Seema Verma, Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, NCQA and 15 organizations call for adding behavioral and mental health measures to the Star Ratings.

Excerpts from the Letter:

“Medicare Advantage plans must focus on measures included in the Star Ratings to compete, since Star Ratings are tied to plan payment rates. The Medicare Advantage Star Ratings system lacks strong behavioral health measures. We therefore are not seeing progress on behavioral and mental health care results that enrollees urgently need.”
“Behavioral and mental health conditions are substantially undertreated and are strongly associated with greater use of other health care services, and thus, higher costs. Treatments for many behavioral health conditions also have significant side effects that require careful monitoring and, often, further treatment. Furthermore, there is often little, if any, of the coordination between behavioral and other health care providers that is needed for optimal care.”