Title: Improving Access to Behavioral Health Information Technology Act
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Improving Access to Behavioral Health Information Technology Act
This bill amends title XI (General Provisions) of the Social Security Act to specify that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation may test models to provide incentive payments to behavioral health providers for: (1) adopting electronic health records technology, and (2) using that technology to improve the quality and coordination of care.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1732 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1732

  To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to promote testing of 
incentive payments for behavioral health providers for adoption and use 
           of certified electronic health record technology.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 3, 2017

 Mr. Whitehouse (for himself and Mr. Portman) introduced the following 
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to promote testing of 
incentive payments for behavioral health providers for adoption and use 
           of certified electronic health record technology.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Improving Access to Behavioral 
Health Information Technology Act''.

SEC. 2. TESTING OF INCENTIVE PAYMENTS FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS 
              FOR ADOPTION AND USE OF CERTIFIED ELECTRONIC HEALTH 
              RECORD TECHNOLOGY.

    Section 1115A(b)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1315a(b)(2)(B)) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
clause:
                            ``(xxv) Providing incentive payments to 
                        behavioral health providers for the adoption 
                        and use of certified electronic health record 
                        technology (as defined in section 1848(o)(4)) 
                        to improve the quality and coordination of care 
                        through the electronic documentation and 
                        exchange of health information. Behavioral 
                        health providers may include--
                                    ``(I) public or private hospitals 
                                that are principally psychiatric 
                                hospitals (as defined in section 
                                1861(f));
                                    ``(II) community mental health 
                                centers (as described in section 
                                1913(b)(2) of the Public Health Service 
                                Act (42 U.S.C. 300x-2(b)(2)));
                                    ``(III) accredited residential or 
                                outpatient mental health treatment 
                                facilities;
                                    ``(IV) accredited substance abuse 
                                treatment facilities;
                                    ``(V) clinical psychologists (as 
                                defined in section 1861(ii)); and
                                    ``(VI) clinical social workers (as 
                                defined in section 1861(hh)(1)).''.
                                 <all>