My Letter to Joint Co-Chairs for Committee on MH/ DD/ SA

From: Marsha V. Hammond, PhD
Clinical / Health Psychology
NC Licensed Psychologist
cell: 828 772 1127
e mail: chomskysright@gmail.com

TO: Senator Louis Pate – Co-Chair
406 Legislative Office Building
Raleigh, NC  27603
O: 733-5601 Email:Louis.Pate@ncleg.net

Representative Justin Burr – Co-Chair
538 Legislative Office Building
Raleigh, NC 27603
O: 733-5908  Email: Justin.Burr@ncleg.net

RE: SMC LME-MCO REFUSAL TO CONTINUE ALREADY IN PLACE VALUE OPTIONS OUTPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORIZATIONS SO I CAN BE PAID TO SEE MY CLIENTS

Date: 9.26.2012

Dear Mr. Justin Burr and Louis Pate,co-chairs for Oversight Committee for Mental Health, Developmental disabilities, and Substance Abuse:

You are the co-chairs for the Joint legislative Oversight Committee associated with mental health.

What has your committee determined to be the process for the continuation of mental health care as associated with the Medicaid Waiver which has been in effect for SMC LME since July 1, 2012? Is the LME-MCO supposed to carry forward the authorizations which providers put into place, as they were required to create at the beginning of the year, authorizations which were managed by Value Options (managed by them for years prior to this medicaid waiver).

SMC LME apparently is allowing 'some'------whatever authorizations were passed to them by VO-----of these authorizations to be utilized and on the other hand, what 'we didn't get', has been simply ignored.

I look forward to speaking w/ you this afternoon about this important matter which is effecting mental health in NC.

If I cannot be paid for my work, then I cannot do my work.

Sincerely,

Marsha V. Hammond, PhD