Capitol Comments

This week new federal rules were released that will require insurance plans to provide preventive health services without any co-pay, co-insurance or deductible. The move to ensure that prevention is without cost to the consumer comes from the federal health reform legislation passed earlier this year.

According to a report released today by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA), substance abuse treatment admissions for prescription pain relievers have increasd by 400 percent in the last decade.  

The National Center for Interstate Compacts, in conjunction with CSG’s Energy and Environment Task Force, will be convening two advisory committee meetings to explore the possibility of an interstate compact to govern interstate transmission line siting.  The first meeting of the advisory panel,  which will be comprised of state and federal officials, subject matter experts, interested stakeholders, and compact experts, will be hosted by Federal Energy Regulatory Commissioner Moeller’s Office July 29 and 30 at FERC headquarters in Washington, DC.  The meeting will be co-chaired by Representative Tom Sloan of Kansas and Representative Kim Koppelman of North Dakota.  For more information about the effort and about the National Center for Interstate Compacts please click here. 

The National Juvenile Justice Network, a coalition of juvenile justice advocates, has released a new report with recommendations for cost-effective strategies to improve juvenile justice systems in cash-strapped states.

• Real Costs and Benefits of Change: Finding Opportunities for Reform during Difficult Fiscal Times