Michigan Association of COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH Boards

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September 18, 2015 FRIDAYFACTS 5 pages Michigan Association of COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH Boards TO: FROM: RE: CMH and PIHP Executive Directors Chairpersons and Delegates Provider Alliance Executive

1 September 18, 2015 FRIDAYFACTS 5 pages Michigan Association of COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH Boards TO: FROM: RE: CMH and PIHP Executive Directors Chairpersons and Delegates Provider Alliance Executive Board Michael Vizena, Executive Director Alan Bolter, Associate Director - Let CMS Know the Importance of Healthy Michigan - Fall 2015 Issue of Connections - Woodlands BHN Celebrates 50 th Anniversary - Legislative Update GF, SAF Revenues Running $123.1M Under Expectations National Update HHS Issues Proposed Rule to Prevent Discrimination in Health Care - MACMHB - Meetings for September 2015 Let CMS Know the Importance of Healthy Michigan As reported in previous Friday Facts, the Department of Health and Human Services submitted the 2 nd Healthy Michigan Waiver on September 1 st to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). CMHSPs, PIHPs, and Provider organizations all know how important the approval of this second waiver request is to individuals and families currently enrolled in Healthy Michigan. It is providing access to primary care and specialty physical healthcare, as well as expanded behavioral healthcare services to 600,000 low income Michigan residents. DHHS has provided the following statement for organizations and individuals interested in supporting the state s waiver request: Many have asked how you can show support for the Healthy Michigan Plan waiver that has been submitted to the Federal government. As you know, the wavier is the next step to ensuring the Healthy Michigan Plan is aligned with state law to allow for the continuation of the program which currently provides health care coverage for nearly 600,000 residents. Although approval of the second waiver is necessary to maintain coverage for all beneficiaries, the waiver amendment itself only pertains to the coverage options and requirements for individuals who are between 100 and 133 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, and will have had Healthy Michigan Plan coverage for 48 cumulative months. The Healthy Michigan Plan and 1

2 the second waiver application have a special focus on encouraging beneficiaries to adopt healthy behaviors. After 48 months, beneficiaries will need to either purchase private insurance through the federal Marketplace, or remain in the Healthy Michigan Plan with increased cost-sharing. If the State of Michigan does not receive approval of the second waiver by December 31, 2015, the Healthy Michigan Plan will end on April 30, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is accepting public comments on the Healthy Michigan Plan Waiver application through October 3, You may go directly to the waiver by clicking on this link: and entering your comments in the section provided. The site also allows for users to upload files for comments. If you would like to show your support for the Healthy Michigan Plan waiver, please submit your comments to CMS in the next two weeks. We would also encourage you to share this information with others in your organization so we can truly demonstrate to CMS just how much support there is in our state for the Healthy Michigan Plan. MACMHB encourages all of its members to share comments with CMS about the importance of Healthy Michigan in your communities, and to share this message with other stakeholders in your community interested in supporting the continuance of Healthy Michigan. Fall 2015 Issue of Connections The fall 2015 issue of Connections will be issued next week. Clint Galloway, Ionia CMH board member and editor of Connections since its inception, has issued the following statement for all MACMHB members and our community stakeholders: With this issue, we welcome all our partners who work in the DHHS offices throughout the state of Michigan. We share a common bond in that together we strive to improve the individual s experience of health care as well the wellness of the communities in which we live and serve. Our focus is the public sphere, providing services especially to those of limited means with the hope that everyone will be enabled to fully participate and realize their dreams. Of particular interest in this issue is an article written by Steve Yager, Deputy Director of Children s Services and Lynda Zeller, Deputy Director, Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Administration. Their article is a response to the request to address the implications for children s services of the recent merger of MDHS and MDCH into MDHHS. They make it clear, these are all our children and we need to work closely together so they can grow up in families who are supported and supportive. From the beginning, Connections was designed to help build and enhance the relationships people need to be successful in achieving their goals. Its purpose is to be an avenue for the exchange of information, including people s dreams, stories, concerns, successes, etc. Its intent 2

3 is to connect us all - people who are striving every day to realize a vision of a higher quality of life for everyone in our communities. We invite you to contribute. We connect by sharing stories, as stories create indelible pictures. A simple story can teach us more than reams of prescriptive manuals. We need your stories so they can be shared with others. If you would like to contribute to a future edition of Connections, please contact the editor (Clint Galloway) at macmhbconnections@gmail.com. You may click on the following link to access the most current edition of Connections. You will also find all previous issues. Woodlands BHN Celebrates 50 th Anniversary On October 2, 2015, Woodlands Behavioral Healthcare Network (Cass County Community Mental Health Authority) will be celebrating 50 years of providing quality behavioral health care services to the residents of Cass County. The event will take place from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at Southwestern Michigan College in Dowagiac, Michigan. Woodlands currently assists approximately 1600 residents of Cass County annually, serving people with serious mental illnesses, substance use disorders, children with serious emotional disturbances and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In October of 1963, President John F. Kennedy signed into law the Community Mental Health Act, which drastically altered the delivery of mental health services and inspired a new era of optimism in mental health care. This law led to the establishment of comprehensive community mental health centers throughout the country and helped people with mental illnesses that were in hospitals and institutions move back into their communities. Cass County was one of the first counties in the State of Michigan to establish a county-based community mental health center. As noted by CEO Kathy Emans, "the foresight of CMH Board members throughout the years has helped to transition programs toward the high quality services that are now available to Cass County residents. The event on October 2, 2015 will highlight some of the accomplishments for the organization over the past 50 years. In addition to the luncheon, the public is invited to an Open House on October 2, from 3 5pm at both Woodlands facilities: 1124 Austin St. and 960 M- 60 East, Cassopolis MI LEGISLATIVE UPDATE GF, SAF Revenues Running $123.1M Under Expectations Tax dollars going into Michigan's General Fund (GF) and School Aid Fund (SAF) grew 4.5 percent and totaled $1.8 billion in August 2015, but the revenues are about $50.5 million below expectations, according to the Senate Fiscal Agency's monthly revenue report. 3

4 August GF collections were $17.3 million below expectations and SAF tax collections were $29.1 million below expectations. The remaining $4.1 million in below-forecast collections was from other funds, most notably constitutional revenue sharing. Through August, year-to-date GF collections are $17.9 million below, and SAF collections $105.2 million below expectations based on the May 2015 consensus revenue estimates, due mostly to the state cutting checks to businesses as opposed to collecting money from them. Refunds to businesses exceeded business tax collections for the fourth time in the last six months. Combined business tax collections from the Single Business Tax (SBT), Michigan Business Tax (MBT), and Corporate Income Tax (CIT) totaled a negative $38.8 million for August Net MBT revenue collections were $17.9 million less than expected in August 2015 and year-to-date MBT revenue is $148.9 million below the expected level. Forecasted MBT revenue in FY 15 is expected to be dominated by several large refunds. CIT collections in August 2015 totaled only $2.0 million and were $13.1 million less than expected. As a result, year-to-date CIT collections are $3.3 million below the predicted level. Net income tax revenue totaled $708.2 million in August 2015, up 11.6 percent from August Withholding payments were 9.5 percent above the year-ago level and $42.3 million above the predicted level. Sales tax receipts totaled $624.5 million in August $56.0 million below the forecast for the month and down 0.7 percent from August 2014, despite 5.0 percent growth in sales tax collections from strong vehicle sales. August 2015 represented the seventh consecutive month that sales tax collections have been below the year-ago level. Despite a 3.7 percent year-to-date increase in sales tax collections from vehicles sales, total year-to-date sales tax collections are 0.4 percent below last year's level, and $195.2 million below expectations. NATIONAL UPDATE HHS Issues Proposed Rule to Prevent Discrimination in Health Care Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a proposed rule aimed at prevention of discriminatory practices in health care. The proposed regulations, issued by the Office of Civil Rights, aim to advance the efforts of health equity through the Affordable Care Act by prohibiting discrimination in health care on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex, age, or disability. This proposed rule is an important step to strengthen protections for people who have often been subject to discrimination in our health care system, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell said in a statement. This is another example of this Administration s commitment to giving every American access to the health care they deserve. 4

5 The rule advances a number of new protections. Of most concern to community mental health and substance use providers are the protections provided to those with disabilities, including provisions to provide effective communication and equal access to needed treatment. While the rule does address many pressing needs throughout the health care community, it does not address efforts of importance to the National Council, including health care benefit design issues. The National Council is presently drafting comments for the proposed rule and will be share them with you upon completion. For more on this proposed rule, click here. MACMHB Meetings in September, 2015 (all meetings are at the MACMHB offices unless otherwise indicated) September 22 nd, 9:00 a.m. September 28 th, 10:00 a.m. - Director s Forum, James Henry Center, MSU - Provider Alliance Have a Great Weekend! 5

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