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View Public Comments for Screening for Depression in Adults

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[22 Comments]
Page 1 of 1
First character of titleCommenterComment Information
B
Bailey, Karen Date: 03/08/2011
Comment:
Depression is one of the most debilitating disorders in the United States. It is vital that we screen and treat depression in order to support workforce productivity and improve the quality of life for our citizens. Please include depression More opens in new window
B
Bessen, MD, Laura Title: Vice President, US Immunoscience and Neuroscience
Organization: US Medical / Bristol Myers Squibb
Date: 03/30/2011
Comment:

March 30th, 2011

Madeline Ulrich, MD
Stuart Caplan, RN, MAS
Coverage and Analysis Group
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21244

Re: National More opens in new window

B
Brown, Gary Title: Executive Director
Organization: Kenosha Area Family and Aging Services, Inc.
Date: 03/09/2011
Comment:
I work for a not-for-profit agency that provides home delivered meals, congregate meals, transportation and several other services for older adults. We see first hand the negative impact depression has on the last years of our client's lives. A More opens in new window
B
Byer, MIchael Title: Collaborative Member
Organization: M3 Information
Date: 03/17/2011
Comment:
This is an effort that will yield people and the treatment process great benefits. As you know all screens or tests are not the same. Behavioral health screens have typically been unidimensional focusing on one symptom cluster (depression, anxiety, More opens in new window
C
Carson, USPHS-Ret, PhD, CAPT Robert Title: Director, Behavioral Health Services Department
Organization: see address #1
Date: 03/15/2011
Comment:
For 20+ years the PHQ-9 short version has been a standard of practice in HRSA's Federally Qualified Health Centers that offer mental health services. It has also been used by FQHC primary care physicians in centers who don't offer mental health More opens in new window
C
Chiriboga, David Date: 03/06/2011
Comment:
re frequency: My sense is that screening for depression would be most appropriate perhaps 2 to 3 months following a major loss experience. Thus it might be appropriate for primary care physicians to routinely have patients complete a brief life More opens in new window
F
Frantz, Dana Title: Associate Director, Adult Services
Organization: Adult and Child Mental Health Center, Inc.
Date: 03/30/2011
Comment:
There are many well-documented studies that show that treating depression reduces the overall cost of health care over time, as untreated depression interferes with recovery from medical diseases. Many medical providers are reluctant to screen More opens in new window
G
Goplerud, Eric Date: 03/14/2011
Comment:
Effective treatment of many medical conditions requires a careful assessment and treatment of underlying or co-morbid depression. Screening and treatment of depression is a core function of primary care, and Medicare coverage of depression More opens in new window
H
Hurowitz, MD, Gerald Title: Collaborative Member
Organization: M3 Information
Date: 03/18/2011
Comment:
Deficiencies in existing mental health screening are serious yet correctible. By far the most widely used screen is the PHQ-9, and like the several others available the PHQ-9 is tuned to a single diagnosis. And yet, anxiety disorders overall have More opens in new window
K
Kinzie, E Date: 03/07/2011
Comment:
I practice Internal Medicine and Psychiatry. Depression screens should be allowed at least yearly, but also after a life-changing event like divorce, death of a family member, loss of job, recent surgery or heart attack...Really, since depression More opens in new window
L
Lewis, Mary Title: Psychologist
Organization: Senior Life Consultants, Inc.
Date: 03/10/2011
Comment:
I'm a counseling psychologist with 20 years of experience working with older adults and feel that depression needs to be screened routinely, and done by a qualified professional. Older adults with depression present differently than younger adults, More opens in new window
M
Maves, MD, MBA, Michael Organization: American Medical Association
Date: 04/01/2011
Comment:

April 1, 2011

Stuart Caplan, RN, MAS
Madeline Ulrich, MD, MS
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Coverage and Analysis Group
7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21244

Re: National More opens in new window

P
powers, james Title: Associate Professor of Medicine
Organization: Vandeerbilt Medical Center
Date: 03/03/2011
Comment:
recommend screening each year or each visit if more than 1 year between visits. Screening using PHQ 2 is brief and literature supports effectiveness as a first screen. Similar screening frequency is used for falls, and consistent with good More opens in new window
Q
Qualls, Sara Title: Director, Gerontology Ctr; Prof of Psychology
Organization: University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Date: 03/10/2011
Comment:
Depression screening should be done as part of every physical evaluation, and at times of change in health status as well as in prevention/wellness planning evaluations. Depression screening is the gateway to evaluation and treatment that benefits More opens in new window
R
Rosenberg, Linda Title: President/CEO
Organization: National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare
Date: 03/31/2011
Comment:
Re: National Coverage Analysis (NCA) for Screening For Depression in Adults (CAG-00425N) The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare (National Council) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the National Coverage Analysis (NCA) for More opens in new window
S
Schaffer, Mary Title: Clinical Psychologist
Organization: Schaffer Psychological Services
Date: 03/06/2011
Comment:
Strongly agree depression screening for adults would be beneficial as a clinical psychologist provider for older adults I clinical update my depression screenings every 90 days and typically show some improvement via psychotherapuetic interventions More opens in new window
S
Scully, Jr ., M.D., James H. Title: Medical Director and C.E.O.
Organization: American Psychiatric Association
Date: 03/22/2011
Comment:

March 22, 2011

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Attention: Stuart Caplan and Madeline Ulrich, M.D.
7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21244

Dear Mr. Caplan and Dr. Ulrich:

The More opens in new window

S
Shah, Avani Date: 04/01/2011
Comment:
Not only can the combination of systematic strategies for depression recognition in primary care and treatment improve care, but it can also lead to a reduction of medical cost. Physicians have noted that time was the most formidable barrier to More opens in new window
S
Shern, David Title: President & CEO
Organization: Mental Health America
Date: 04/01/2011
Comment:
March 31, 2011 Donald M. Berwick, M.D. Administrator Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Department of Health and Human Services Re: NCA Tracking Sheet for Screening of Depression in Adults (CAG-00425N) Dear Dr. Berwick: Thank More opens in new window
W
Weiglein, Glenn A. Title: Vice President
Organization: Government & External Affairs
Date: 03/30/2011
Comment:

March 30, 2011

Louis Jacques, MD
Director, Coverage and Analysis Group
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Attention: CAG-00425N
7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21244-1850

Re: More opens in new window

Y
Yang, Janet Title: Clinical Director
Organization: Center for Aging Resources
Date: 03/09/2011
Comment:
As a licensed psychologist with 30 years of experience working with older adults, I think it would be clinically appropriate to screen older adults for depression every 6 months or every 12 months. I think a licensed mental health professional More opens in new window
Z
Zweibel, Ph.D., Nancy R. Title: Senior Program Officer
Organization: The Retirement Research Foundation
Date: 03/09/2011
Comment:
I strongly favor support for depression screening as a preventive service under Medicare. There are many reason: - Depression is underdiagnosed but prevalent in this group. - Depression is both a cause and a consequence of physical More opens in new window
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