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2018 Session

Budget Amendments - HB30 (Member Request)

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Chief Patron: Sickles
Medicaid Expansion Required Elements (language only)

Item 303 #37h

Item 303 #37h

Health and Human Resources
Department of Medical Assistance Services

Language

Page 269, strike lines 55 through 57.

Page 270, strike line 1 and insert:

"c. In order to improve access to and realign the availability of community-based mental health services, address Virginia's opioid crises and provide basic medical services for the uninsured, by July 1, 2018, the Department of Medical Assistance Services shall implement coverage pursuant to 42 USC 1396d(y)(1). The coverage shall include the following elements:

(i) incorporation of the GAP program waiver into the Medicaid State Plan by (1) covering individuals aged 19 and 20, (2) covering individuals with substance use disorders, (3) covering inpatient services, and (4) using managed care organization to deliver and manage all GAP services;

(ii) special provisions for individuals with mental illness and substance use disorders, including same day access at Community Services Boards and collaboration with courts and jails to (1) divert offenders into treatment rather than incarceration, (2) provide access to immediate coverage and treatment for those who have been incarcerated upon their release, and (3) use permanent supportive housing;

(iii) increased personal responsibility by establishing a schedule of copayments that include incentives for primary care and and appropriate treatment of chronic conditions and to discourage non-emergency use of emergency rooms;

(iv) services that are closely aligned to commercial insurance;

(v) incentives for preventive services, an initial primary care visit, wellness activities, healthy behaviors and job readiness;

(vi) incentives to encourage employment for individuals who are unemployed, not attending school as full-time students, not receiving Unemployment Compensation or Social Security Disability benefits and not caring for dependent family members under 12 months of age or a disabled family member of any age;

(vii) options to pay premiums for available employer-based coverage;

(viii) protections for Virginia in the event the federal financial participation is reduced below 90 percent;

(ix) payments to health plans and providers that are conditioned on quality care measures; and

(x) strengthened efforts to prevent, detect and punish fraud and abuse.

Each of these features shall be evaluated by the department on an ongoing basis to measure program integrity and cost-effectiveness of the value of services provided."



Explanation

(This amendment adds language to require Medicaid expansion pursuant to the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to be effective July 1, 2018. Further, the amendment adds language to require that any amendments to the State Plan for Medical Assistance to expand Medicaid include a number of elements in its design in order to improve access to and realign the availability of community-based mental health services, to address Virginia's opioid crises and to provide basic medical services for the uninsured. Language also requires the Department of Medical Assistance Services to conduct an ongoing evaluation of the expansion to measure its impacts. The introduced budget contains provisions to begin Medicaid expansion by October 1, 2018.)