Part of the budget bill passing through Michigan’s legislature this week contains the first steps for privatizing the state’s mental health services, according to The Detroit News.
If approved, the long-term plan for privatization of $2.6 billion worth of services would begin October 1 with four pilot projects. These projects would allow health plans to obtain Medicaid contracts that couple behavioral health services with the physical health services they already provide.
While the bill’s sponsors say it will save money by reducing administrative costs and keeping mental health patients out of emergency rooms, detractors argue that companies with little experience in mental health may not offer the quality of care that patients need.
Earlier this June, 11 state mental health organizations penned a letter to Gov. Rick Snyder (R) asking him to veto the budget’s new privatization provisions, citing recommendations from three state-initiated reviews of mental health services. All three reviews recommended against privatization
More Articles on Leadership:
Senate Republicans won't release AHCA draft before CBO scores it