S-3430 : Still Just a Bill

The Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act of 2023 (S. 3430) addresses several key areas within the healthcare system. Its primary goals are to:

• Expand Mental Health Services: Increase the mental healthcare workforce, improve access to services under Medicare and Medicaid, and support telehealth options for behavioral health.
• Reduce Prescription Drug Costs: Ensure pharmacy access and choice for Medicare beneficiaries, improve payment accuracy to pharmacies under Medicaid, and lower cost-sharing for certain medications.
• Extend Existing Healthcare Provisions: Delay Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payment reductions and extend the state option to provide medical assistance for individuals in mental health institutions.
• Address Medicare Expiring Provisions: Extend funding for quality measure endorsement, outreach for low-income programs, the work geographic index floor, alternative payment model incentives, and the independence at home medical practice demonstration program. It also increases support for physicians adjusting to Medicare payment changes and revises the phase-in of clinical laboratory test payment changes.

To offset these costs, the bill makes adjustments to the Medicaid and Medicare Improvement Funds.