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.”
One More Step for Behavioral Health
The following groups signed on to the letter to Administrator Verma:
Aging Life Care Association
American Art Therapy Association
American Association on Health and Disability
American Federation of Teachers
American Foundation for the Blind
American Mental Health Counselors Association
American Psychiatric Association
Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice
Center for Medicare Advocacy
Global Alliance for Behavioral Health and Social Justice
Justice in Aging
Lakeshore Foundation
Medicare Rights Center
National Council for Behavioral Healthcare
National Committee for Quality Assurance
National Council on Aging
Read the full letter here.
