Health care access agency pauses taxonomy expansion for behavioral-health–in–primary-care measure, will use HPD analysis to refine approach

The Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) told its investment and payment work group on a recent meeting that it will not expand the list of primary‑care provider taxonomies now for the behavioral‑health‑in‑primary‑care module, and will instead use analyses of Healthcare Payments Data Program (HPD) data over the coming year to refine the measure.

HCAI health care delivery system group manager Debbie Lindes opened the meeting and summarized public comments on HCAI’s proposed definition and methodology for measuring behavioral health spending, saying the agency received seven comment letters, including a joint letter from five organizations that represent consumers and specific populations.

The decision matters because HCAI’s methodology will be used to count behavioral‑health claims for reporting and to inform future policy tools, including an investment benchmark that the agency has delayed until at least summer 2026. HCAI staff emphasized the tension between capturing integrated behavioral‑health services delivered inside primary care and avoiding overcounting when claims data are imperfect.

Consultant Bob Seifert of the Friedman Health Care team summarized the agency’s revised plan for the behavioral‑health‑in‑primary‑care module: in the short term, HCAI will include claims that meet existing definitions for behavioral health and that fall in the outpatient professional primary‑care…