Senate mental health bill would modify federal privacy law

Modern Healthcare (complimentary online subscription): A bill to reform the nation's behavioral healthcare delivery system seeks to weaken a law that protects the medical records of millions of drug and alcohol abuse patients. Sen. Bill Cassidy, (R-La.) a physician, and Sen. Chris Murphy, (D. Conn.), a lawyer, introduced their Mental Health Reform Act of 2015 this month. The bill proposes integrating physical and mental health services, focusing on treatment and early intervention and identifying and funding new, more effective care models.

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