The Council on Healthcare Systems and Financing works to foster parity and nondiscriminatory mental health coverage by monitoring and participating in activities generated through state and federal agencies, private insurance carriers, and the business community at large. The council advocates for adequate funding and reimbursement for psychiatric and other mental health services and works to foster integration of psychiatric and mental health services with the delivery of primary care services.
Highlights of Responsibilities
- Monitor and evaluate emerging trends in health care delivery and financing, including trends in both the public and private sector.
- Work closely with APA and its components in proposing changes or modifications in public and private policy affecting access, funding, and quality of psychiatric and mental health services nationally and regionally.
- Collaborate with other APA components involved in carrying out effective educational programs in the area of health care delivery and finance.
- Disseminate, broadly, information to the membership on developments relating to health care systems and financing through articles in Psychiatric News and other APA publications as well as through programs at the Annual Meeting and at regional meetings, as appropriate.
Staff Liaison
- Esther Gershenson
Committees
- Committee on Integrated Care
- Committee on RBRVS, Codes, and Reimbursements
- Committee on Reimbursement for Psychiatric Care
- Committee on Telepsychiatry
Council Members
- Robert Trestman, M.D., Ph.D., DLFAPA – Chairperson
2024-2026 - Somya Abubucker, M.D.
2022-2025 - James Batterson, M.D., DLFAPA
2024-2027 - William Beecroft, M.D., DLFAPA
2022-2025 - Caroline Fisher, M.D., Ph.D.
2020-2026 - Sasidhar Gunturu, M.D., FAPA
2024-2025 - Laura Halpin, M.D., Ph.D.
2022-2025 - Brian Hepburn, M.D., DLFAPA
2019-2025 - James Potash, M.D., M.P.H., DFAPA
2022-2025 - Kathryn Skimming, M.D. – Early Career Psychiatrist Representative
2020-2026 - Thomas Smith, M.D., DLFAPA
2020-2026 - Tobias Wasser, M.D., FAPA – Assembly Representative
2024-2027 - Nomi Levy-Carrick, M.D. – Corresponding Member
2024-2025 - Shannon Suo, M.D., DFAPA – Corresponding Member
2024-2025 - Arpan Waghray, M.D. – Corresponding Member
2024-2025