Changes to North Dakota's Medicaid State Plan went into effect November 1 to help increase access to addiction treatment and behavioral health services.
Maggie Anderson is Medicaid director with the North Dakota Department of Human Services. She says the department has been working for about a year on its rehabilitative services to make sure providers understand the enrollment process and exactly what is covered through Medicaid.
"We had heard through various stakeholder input sessions and through listening to providers testify before legislative committees that there was confusion around what we covered and how it was covered, and we wanted to make sure that we weren't providing services in an environment that created that confusion. We wanted it to be very understandable for providers, and was welcoming to them to become Medicaid providers, and provide these services to the Medicaid population."
Changes also include a provision that licensed treatment programs will no longer need to be under the direction of a physician, as well as reimbursement for services to Medicaid clients in residential programs excluding room and board costs. The state's Substance Use Disorder Voucher can help qualifying individuals pay those room and board expenses while receiving their treatment. Final approval of the amendments is expected early next year.