Section 145 Emergency Department Boarding Study

Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the health policy commission established in chapter 6D of the General Laws shall conduct an analysis and issue a report on the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on behavioral health-related boarding in acute care hospital settings including, but not limited to, boarding in emergency departments, medical surgical units or observation units in the commonwealth. The study shall consider emergency department visits in the commonwealth classified as mental health, behavioral health, substance use disorder or other alcohol-related diagnosis and shall review: (i) length of stay for boarding; (ii) primary reason for wait; (iii) level of care required; (iv) type of insurance coverage; (v) payer reimbursement to care for boarders in emergency departments, medical surgical units or observation units; (vi) available data on patient age, race, ethnicity, preferred spoken language, gender and homelessness; (vii) the ability to facilitate care coordination among health care providers; (viii) effects of COVID-19 on length of stay; (ix) effects of COVID-19 on workforce and any workforce shortages; and (x) other factors related to COVID-19 affecting the: (a) increased burden on acute care hospitals as a result of behavioral health-related boarding; (b) outcomes and quality of care for patients boarded in acute care hospitals; (c) resources provided by health plans to care for boarders. The health policy commission shall also review behavioral health-related boarding in other states and actions taken and any best practices to address the pressure on acute care hospitals as a result of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on behavioral health-related boarding. Not later than July 1, 2023 the health policy commission shall submit to the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery and the joint committee on healthcare financing its report, including recommendations on how to address: (i) the burden on acute care hospitals; (ii) outcomes for patients with behavioral diagnoses; (iii) quality of care for patients boarded in acute care hospitals; and (iv) payer reimbursement to care for boarders in acute care hospitals.