The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released data today highlighting the continued impact the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency is having on Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program beneficiaries and utilization of health services. The data show that, from March through October 2020, beneficiaries have foregone millions of primary, preventive, and mental health care visits due to the COVID-19 PHE, compared to the same time period in 2019.
The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to achieving mental health parity, expanding access to mental health care, and eliminating mental health stigmas. In addition to improving access to mental health services provided to Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries, “More than 100 million Americans, including 43 million children, relied on us to deliver access to mental health and other services they needed through Medicaid and CHIP in 2020. Medicaid is the largest payer in the nation for mental health and that care is a lifeline for many,” said CMS Acting Administrator Liz Richter.
Throughout the pandemic, CMS has encouraged states to consider telehealth options to combat COVID-19 and increase access to care. This updated data snapshot demonstrates a marked increase in the number of services delivered via telehealth compared to prior years.
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