Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this bill, sponsored by my colleagues, Representatives Upton, Walters, Blackburn, and myself, requires the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, known as MACPAC, to submit to Congress by January 1, 2020, a report about the services furnished to Medicaid enrollees who are patients in an IMD, that is, an institute of mental disease. As we know, an IMD is a facility of more than 16 beds that is primarily engaged in providing diagnosis, treatment, or care of persons with mental diseases, including treatment for individuals with substance use disorder. Now, since the 1960s, Medicaid's IMD exclusion has limited the circumstances under which Federal Medicaid matching funds are available for inpatient mental healthcare. This means that Medicaid beneficiaries with mental health or substance use disorders are statutorily barred from receiving care in an IMD. While Medicaid has the IMD exclusion, there is great need for this care. According to SAMHSA's 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about 8 million people--8 million, Mr. Speaker--had a mental disorder and a substance use disorder, also known as co-occurring mental and substance use disorders. So where do Medicaid beneficiaries get the inpatient care they need? That is the question.…”