MCPAP Needs Our Help (and our Stories)

Adapted from a recent e-mail blast:

The various MCPAP programs need help to negotiate with the medical insurers who provide behavioral health and medical coverage to your patients. In the State’s FY 2010 budget, the MCPAP received a 20% cut in funding with the State’s intention of having the private insurers make up this shortfall. Presently all of the money supporting MCPAP comes fully from state dollars. This is in spite of the fact that more than half of the calls and families evaluated by MCPAP have private insurance with a behavioral health benefit. It will be difficult for any program to take a 20% cut in support without decreasing services.

MCPAP is asking our involved primary care clinicians to write a brief letter describing the value of MCPAP to your practice and the patients you treat. If appropriate, you could note your understanding of the limited access that you have to mental health services in the community. MCPAP will use these letters in our negotiations with the private insurers to both demonstrate the value of our state-wide service as well as to show the important (albeit invisible) role we play in the insurer’s delivery system, filling some of the gaps that we know are there.

If you are willing to write a letter, you use the MCPAP “Tell Us Your Story” link here, which may result in your comments being published on the MCPAP website . We are hoping to receive supporting letters by early September.