The Elephant Moves

The team at Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has been busy. There have been many new developments over the past few month that are likely to have major effects on the health care delivery system in 2024. It brings to mind the old adage about sleeping next to an elephant—you just have to notice when it moves.

CMS is making changes that will have direct effects on specialty provider organizations—with new coverage of intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) and the ability of marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) to provide therapy for Medicare . . .