CFHA Psychiatry Special Interest Group Meeting – 2020

Speaker: William Beecroft, M.D.

Dr. Beecroft is currently responsible for the medical administration of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan Health Care Value Behavioral Health and Behavioral Health strategy and planning. Dr. Beecroft has been able to address payment issues and referral strategies to three RAISE/navigate programs in Michigan(the first insurer to do so in Michigan) and is working to get reimbursement strategies instituted for the BCBSM population which provides first break psychotic individuals evidence-based care to prevent the secondary effects of psychosis. He has been instrumental and a strong advocate for the Collaborative Care Model and has been an information source for first adopters of this model of behavioral healthcare case management and delivery through a primary care practice.  Additionally, developing payment models and institutions of Psychiatric observation units, Crisis Residential Units, and Mobile Crisis units have been recent projects. During the Covis-19 crisis, Dr. Beecroft has been able to facilitate an outpatient Substance Disorder treatment protocol to avoid inpatient services and assist our providers to know what BCBSM will be able to reimburse, most without copay, many behavioral health treatment codes have been made with no cost-sharing for ease of access and working with providers to continue to provide needed services through telemedicine platforms including IOP and PHP services.

Dr. Beecroft received his M.D. from Michigan State University. His residency was initially in Internal medicine and then he completed In Psychiatry also at MSU. He is board-certified in general psychiatry with added qualifications in geriatrics and psychosomatic medicine (recently completing the MOC in 2016 and 2019 respectively) by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He practiced in a variety of capacities in Lansing hospitals including inpatient, consultation-liaison services, and community mental health.  He was Chair of the Department of Psychiatry of what was known as Ingham Medical Center then McLaren Greater Lansing for a total of 20 years and was elected co-chair of the medical staff at McLaren Greater Lansing before transitioning to his current position.

Dr. Beecroft was named a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association in 2018.