TX: Alternatives to Abortion insulated from state cuts to mental health, Medicaid, family planning

[Shallah Kali]

TX is cutting mental health, family planning, and other health services severely yet have no compunctions paying faith based unlicensed 'councilors' to talk pregnant women out of abortion and even further diverting family planning (aka subsided birth control) funding further to give more money to the unlicensed untrained faith based people more $$. & with deeper cuts on medicaid and welfare it will be harder than ever for low income women to get the healthcare they and the unplanned offspring the healthcare and food they need. & they call themselves pro-life....


http://americanindependent.com/181560/alternatives-to-abortion-insulated-from-state-cuts-to-mental-health-medicaid

Under the state program, primary contractor Texas Pregnancy Care Network reimburses subcontractors (almost all of which are faith-based charities) for providing services at rates negotiated with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission in 2005. The state pays service providers $1.05 per minute (or $63 per hour) for mentoring/counseling sessions conducted by individuals trained under TPCN guidelines, but who do not have formal education requirements and do not have to be licensed or certified by any professional regulatory body.

As the Texas Independent has previously reported, TPCN’s reimbursement rate is higher than what the state pays, under Medicaid, for nurses to provide family planning services. The rate is also higher than the Medicaid rate for therapeutic sessions with master’s-level counselors or social workers — but less than the Medicaid rate for doctorate-holding psychologists.

Because it is a distinct state program and its rates were negotiated directly by TPCN with HHSC, the Alternatives to Abortion program will not be affected by cuts to Medicaid reimbursement rates proposed in the House budget (cuts of 10 percent) or Senate budget (cuts of 3 percent). However, the Medicaid rate cuts would apply to the aforementioned services provided by nurses and mental health professionals.

Additionally, in a series of floor amendments, House lawmakers reduced by about two-thirds the overall pot of money available for family planning services. One amendment, proposed by state Rep. Randy Weber (R-Pearland), reallocated $7.3 million from family planning to refund the Alternatives to Abortion program for the next two years.

[ceile]

1. I still can't believe I live here.

I think it might finally be time to leave...

[Shallah Kali]

2. Texas pays higher rate for abortion alternatives counselors/mentors than for family planning nurses

Basic clinic visit costs state about $20 or $31; nonprofits bill state $63 an hour for counseling/mentoring

http://washingtonindependent.com/107750/texas-pays-higher-rate-for-abortion-alternatives-counselorsmentors-than-for-family-planning-nurses

FPCB clinics are primarily staffed by nurse practitioners (requiring a masters-level degree) with oversight from a medical director and some aspects of visits performed by medical assistants, she said.

For the most basic type of visit — consisting of a pregnancy test and about 45 minutes spent providing the woman with information about resources such as social services and drug/alcohol counseling –the state would reimburse FPCB about $20 for a returning patient and $31 for a new patient, according to Medicaid program rates, Stukenberg said.

snip

For the most complex visit for a new patient — also including STD testing, blood testing, Pap test, assessments for obesity/drinking/drug use/abuse, etc. — FPCB would be reimbursed, at most, $70 under Medicaid rates, Stukenberg said.

Meanwhile, the state’s Alternatives to Abortion contractor Texas Pregnancy Care Network reimburses their service providers at the following base rates: $1.05 per minute for counseling/mentoring, $1.05 per minute for referrals, $21 per class (more than one student), $10.50 per visit for material assistance (with 20 minutes of counseling/mentoring, to be billed separately, also required).