Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provides an at-a-glance summary of news from around the agency.
CMS Offers Guidance to Aid States in Developing Searchable Health Provider Directories
July 16: CMS released a state health official letter, including state guidance for developing searchable health provider directories. New requirements (Section 5123 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023) call for accurate, updated, and searchable provider directories in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), making it easier for eligible individuals to find health care professionals. The letter also addresses the availability of enhanced federal financial participation for states to develop, update, and maintain directories.
CMS Approval Extends New Hampshire Program Providing Substance Use Disorder Treatment to Institutionalized Individuals to Include Eligible Pre-Release Incarcerated Individuals
July 16: CMS approved a five-year extension of New Hampshire’s section 1115 demonstration, “Substance Use Disorder, Serious Mental Illness, and Serious Emotional Disturbance, Treatment Recovery and Access.” Through this demonstration, New Hampshire received renewed authority to (1) provide medical assistance to individuals with substance use disorder, serious mental illness, serious emotional disturbance and (2) to provide dentures to eligible individuals aged 21 and older residing in nursing facilities based on medical necessity. In addition, the state received new authority to provide certain pre-release services to eligible incarcerated individuals for up to 45 days immediately prior to the individual’s expected date of release. The demonstration is effective from July 16, 2024, through June 30, 2029.
CMS shares information on the intersection of EMTALA and Behavioral Health
July 22: CMS participated in the American College of Emergency Physicians “Frontline” Podcast to discuss the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act (EMTALA) and behavioral health. The podcast describes how behavioral health conditions and physical health conditions are considered similarly from the standpoint of EMTALA.
CMS Offers Guidance to States On Medicaid & CHIP Coverage for Eligible Incarcerated Youth
July 23: CMS released a state health official letter on providing certain Medicaid and CHIP services to eligible incarcerated youth under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023. Previously, an “inmate exclusion” provision has generally restricted people eligible for Medicaid and CHIP from receiving benefits while incarcerated. Details can be found here.
CMS Posts Fact Sheet Highlighting Its Efforts to Promote and Support Oral Health
July 23: CMS posted a fact sheet highlighting the accomplishments of its Oral Health Cross-Cutting Initiative. The fact sheet includes an overview of the agency’s work to improve access to oral health services across CMS programs, including strengthened coverage and new data and analyses.
Other Recent Releases:
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CMS, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, serves the public as a trusted partner and steward, dedicated to advancing health equity, expanding coverage, and improving health outcomes. The agency protects public health by administering the Medicare program and working in partnership with state governments to administer Medicaid, CHIP, and the Health Insurance Marketplace.
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