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CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield and Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., have entered into a value-based care alliance to address three key priority health conditions: behavioral and mental health, diabetes, and infant mortality.
The first initiative involves addressing the youth mental health crisis. As part of this alliance, nonprofit CareFirst has increased the reimbursement for preventive and mental healthcare for primary care providers who go through specialized mental health training focused on depression, suicide prevention, anxiety, ADHD and eating disorders. The training is offered through the Pediatric Health Network, the clinically integrated network of healthcare providers for Children’s National, to its more than 1,500 members including more than 700 primary care physicians.
“Providers face challenges due to limited resources and insufficient support in addressing pediatric mental health needs. CareFirst’s commitment to increasing reimbursement for mental health care underscores the integral role of primary care providers in this space,” says Nathaniel Beers, M.D., executive vice president for Community and Population Health for Children’s National Hospital, in a statement. “With these trainings, our providers gain the knowledge, tools and confidence to handle sensitive conversations, offer vital support and make informed referrals when needed.”