A new report from Florida TaxWatch highlights the critical role of Behavioral Health Managing Entities (BHMEs) in Florida’s healthcare system while raising concerns about their long-term sustainability.
BHMEs are non-profit organizations that manage the delivery of behavioral health services to uninsured and indigent Floridians. They play a vital role in coordinating care, managing networks and funding, and improving outcomes.
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“Organizations that make up Florida’s behavioral health managing entities system administer over a billion dollars’ worth of services to Floridians in need in every community throughout the state,” said Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro. “This has positioned the Sunshine State as a national leader in behavioral health management.”
However, the report, titled “Enhancing Lives, Ensuring Accountability: The Value of Florida’s Behavioral Health Managing Entities,” warns that the current low operational costs of BHMEs are unsustainable.
“This operational cost, however, is unsustainable and threatens the efficiency and effectiveness that have made these managing entities so successful in improving behavioral health outcomes,” said Florida TaxWatch Executive Vice President and General Counsel Jeff Kottkamp.
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Despite increasing responsibilities, BHMEs operate with overhead rates far below comparable organizations. Without increased funding, they face challenges in maintaining oversight, retaining qualified staff, and ensuring continued service delivery.
Florida TaxWatch recommends increasing operational funding for BHMEs to a sustainable 5% operating rate. This would ensure their ability to oversee Florida’s behavioral health safety net system.
The report also highlights the key contributions of BHMEs:
- Serving as a safety net for vulnerable populations.
- Providing a wide array of behavioral health services.
- Operating with a community-driven approach.
- Coordinating care and managing provider networks.
- Promoting recovery and resiliency.
- Ensuring accountability and transparency.
- Managing finances strategically.
- Utilizing data-driven decision-making.
- Fostering innovation.
- Responding to emergencies and disasters.
Florida TaxWatch urges lawmakers to invest in BHMEs to ensure the continued effectiveness of the state’s behavioral health system.
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