Bill 118 hr 10419, also known as the Medicare Crisis Response Services Demonstration Act, aims to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to create a demonstration program within Medicare focused on crisis response services. The purpose of this program is to provide timely and effective crisis response services to Medicare beneficiaries who are experiencing a mental health or substance use disorder crisis.
Under this bill, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will establish a demonstration program that will test the effectiveness of crisis response services in improving outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries in crisis situations. These services may include mobile crisis teams, crisis stabilization units, crisis hotlines, and other crisis intervention services.
The demonstration program will be implemented in select states and will run for a specified period of time to evaluate the impact of crisis response services on Medicare beneficiaries' health outcomes, utilization of healthcare services, and overall well-being. The bill also includes provisions for data collection and reporting to assess the effectiveness of the program.
Overall, the Medicare Crisis Response Services Demonstration Act seeks to address the growing need for crisis response services for Medicare beneficiaries with mental health and substance use disorders. By testing the effectiveness of these services through a demonstration program, policymakers can better understand how to improve crisis response services within the Medicare program and ultimately improve outcomes for beneficiaries in crisis situations.