Healthcare (Mental Health)

] Requires the Oregon Health Authority and coordinated care organizations to ensure that access to behavioral health treatment in the medical assistance program is comparable to access to medical and surgical treatment and that limitations are applied to behavioral health treatment no more stringently than to medical and surgical treatment. Prohibits the authority or a contracted external quality review organization, under certain circumstances, from making a negative finding about or imposing a penalty on a coordinated care organization based on documents or templates created by the authority for use by a coordinated care organization. Modifies certain statutes to clarify roles and responsibilities for the delivery of behavioral health services and to update terminology. Modifies the types of providers that may be reimbursed in the state medical assistance program for the cost of health services delivered using telemedicine. Becomes operative on January 1, 2027. Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.

] Imposes requirements and restrictions on insurer and coordinated care organization audits of claims for reimbursement submitted by behavioral health treatment providers. Becomes operative on January 1, 2027. Adds information that certain carriers must annually report to the Department of Consumer and Business Services regarding compliance with behavioral health parity requirements. [ Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die. ].

HB 4069 requires behavioral health employers (like residential treatment facilities, detox centers, mobile crisis teams, and shelters that contract with Oregon Health Authority) to create and implement a written safety plan for their workers. The plan must specifically address lone workers, facility safety reporting procedures for structural hazards, and details about required safety training. Employers must provide the plan to new hires and make it easily accessible to all staff. The law takes effect July 1, 2027, with implementation timelines based on existing contracts with the Oregon Health Authority.

] Requires the Oregon Health Authority to, no later than June 30, 2027, adopt a uniform process for credentialing [ organizational ] behavioral health providers and [ establish a centralized portal for processing applications ] select an existing electronic credentialing system . Prohibits a coordinated care organization from requiring a behavioral health provider to comply with any additional credentialing procedures. Requires a coordinated care organization to begin using the selected electronic credentialing system no later than July 1, 2027. Requires the authority to minimize unnecessary administrative burden for individual and organizational behavioral health providers who serve medical assistance recipients and to report biennially to the Governor and the Legislative Assembly. Allows certain licensed behavioral health care providers to provide supervision for other behavioral health care providers who hold different license types. [ Provides that the Mental Health Regulatory Agency will provide administrative and regulatory oversight and centralized service for the State Board of Licensed Social Workers. ] Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.