APPENDIX BEHAVIORAL HEALTH LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND

APPENDIX 7 BEHAVIORAL HEALTH LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE PH-MCO Prior to the Behavioral Health Conversion, MA mental health and drug and alcohol services will continue to be offered through the MA Fee-for-Service Program as usual except as referenced below. The County Mental Health/Mental Retardation Program and the County Drug and Alcohol Program will also continue to operate its service for clients as usual, although these administrative entities and their providers will be involved in the planning for and the readiness review process in the implementation of the HealthChoices Behavioral Health Program. As per the HealthChoices Physical Health Request for Proposal, the Physical Health Managed Care Organization (PH-MCO) will be responsible for: • the payment of all outpatient pharmacy services, including the pharmacy costs for behavioral health medications except for methadone when used in the treatment of substance abuse disorders and when prescribed and dispensed by behavioral health Providers. the payment for all emergency services provided in general hospital emergency rooms except for the emergency room evaluations for voluntary and involuntary commitments pursuant to the 1976 Mental Health Procedures Act. the payment of all emergency and non-emergency Medically Necessary ambulance services, and the coordination of care, when appropriate, between the Primary Care Practitioner and the behavioral health Provider. • • • To insure that there is support for the coordination of care between the PCP and the behavioral health Provider, appropriate county contacts can be found at the following Internet addresses: County MH/MR Administrators: http://pacounties2.org/mhmrpaap/membership.html Single County Authorities (SCA's): http://www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/health/cwp/view.asp?a=173&q=199790 HealthChoices Physical Health Agreement Effective 07/01/06 7-1 _____________________________ County MH/MR Administrator _____________________________ County SCA Administrator _____________________________ PH-MCO ________________________ Date ________________________ Date ________________________ Date HealthChoices Physical Health Agreement Effective 07/01/06 7-2