Searching for Solutions

OIG surveyed behavioral health providers who actively served Medicare and Medicaid patients to assess whether they could make new patient appointments for enrollees in 2023. Some findings of the review include: 1) forty-five percent of surveyed providers reported that they were not available to treat new patients enrolled in traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid managed care, and 2) among the providers who were available to treat new patients enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid, about a quarter reported wait times of more than 30 days for an appointment. This report illustrates that enrollee access to needed behavioral health care is hampered by the inability of active providers to treat new patients.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is revising the labeling of all extended-release stimulants to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder to warn about the risk of weight loss and other side effects in patients younger than 6 years. The agency is requiring a “limitation of use” section in the prescribing information of all extended-release stimulants to include a statement on higher rates of adverse reactions in these young children. Extended-release stimulants are not approved for children below 6, but doctors can prescribe them “off label” to treat ADHD. The agency said it assessed data from clinical trials of extended-release formulations of amphetamine and methylphenidate for ADHD treatment, finding that, compared to older children, patients younger than 6 have higher levels of the drug in their bodies as well as higher rates of side effects. For these reasons, the benefits of extended-release stimulants may not outweigh the risks in patients younger than 6, according to the regulator.

After a successful launch in 2025 when we installed 47 AAPP Fellows in the Class of 2025, we are looking to grow our FAAPP ranks in 2026. Check out our applicant guide and informational video to learn more and start your application today. AAPP Fellow Transcripts are updated annually on July 1.