PHILADELPHIA – Former congressman Patrick Kennedy says that psychiatrists have a unique opportunity to advance their profession and assume a more active role in the health care system now that the Affordable Care Act is underway.
"With health care reform, we’re rewriting the rule book on what health care means," said Mr. Kennedy, at the American Psychiatric Association’s annual institute on psychiatric services. Mr. Kennedy was interviewed by APA President Jeffrey Lieberman.
Alicia Ault/IMNG Medical Media
Former Rep. Patrick Kennedy (left) talks with APA President Jeffrey Lieberman.
"Now, mental health is going to be an essential health benefit," Mr. Kennedy added. That means psychiatrists need to step up and say what they think needs to be included and what should be reimbursed, he said.
"We need your thinking now. Giving it to us 5 years from now is going to be a lost cause," said Mr. Kennedy, a former Democratic House member from Rhode Island who has been very public about his struggles with bipolar disorder and substance abuse.
Mr. Kennedy urged psychiatrists to push for an end to what he called the "silos" between intellectual disabilities and mental health disorders, noting that many of the services required were similar.
Dr. Lieberman agreed, saying that "this artificial separation between intellectual disabilities, mental disorders, substance use, and addiction" should end, but that it was up to psychiatry to tell policy makers how best to do that.
He asked Mr. Kennedy his opinion of some of the key policy challenges for psychiatry, especially under the new health law.
For one, psychiatrists should focus more on adequately diagnosing patients from a medical standpoint – that is, assessing their coexisting conditions and helping to integrate medical and psychiatric care, Mr. Kennedy said. This will help generate bottom line savings for accountable care organizations and, in turn, validate the profession’s value, he said.
"You all have the key to treating cancer better," he said. "You all have the key to treating diabetes and cardiovascular disease better. And no one’s ever thought of calling you!"
As it stands in most of the health system, the rest of the medical profession does not have adequate training in psychiatry and does not know how to reach out to psychiatrists, he said. "Insurance companies ought to know that by paying for the kind of value added that you bring, they’ll get value added to their bottom lines," said Mr. Kennedy, adding that many chronic conditions are "driven by untreated mental illness."
He also reminded psychiatrists that they need to keep campaigning for parity between physical and mental health when it comes to coverage and reimbursement, even though it is the law. Everyone in the mental health field should band together to make sure parity becomes reality, he said.
Dr. Lieberman agreed, saying, "We have to demonstrate some leadership." He said that the APA could be the lead organization bringing others together.
"This is a moment in history where we have a chance to change the landscape," Dr. Lieberman said.
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