HHS Announces Plan to Limit Psychiatric Overprescribing

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on May 4 announced a new action plan aimed at reducing psychiatric drug prescribing and promoting nonmedication alternatives. To support efforts to reduce prescribing, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released guidance on Medicare reimbursement for medication deprescribing.

Alongside the announcement, HHS published a Dear Colleague Letter signed by leaders from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), CMS, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the Administration for Children and Families. The letter encourages clinicians and provider organizations to prioritize shared decision-making and informed consent with patients when initiating, continuing, or discontinuing psychiatric medications.

Future activities include SAMHSA educational webinars for prescribers throughout June and July and a joint SAMHSA-HRSA webinar for federally qualified health center providers this summer. HHS will convene a technical expert panel in July to inform formal clinical guidance on psychiatric medication use and tapering.

Contact Director of Policy Rob Nelb, MPH, at [email protected] or 202.585.0127 with questions.