(Source: Buchanan, Ingersoll and Rooney, PC, Daily Health Care Daily Roundup, April 3, 2019)

Following House passage last week, the Senate passed, by voice vote, the Medicaid Services Investment and Accountability Act of 2019 (H.R. 1839), legislation that includes short-term extensions of several Medicaid programs such as the Money Follows the Person Program – which helps transition individuals with chronic conditions and disabilities from institutions back into their local communities to get care – and the Community Mental Health Services Demonstration Program, which allows community providers to expand access to treatment for mental and behavioral health. Specifically, the bill provides $20 million in additional grant funds for the Money Follows the Person Program and extend the Community Mental Health Services Demonstration Program through June 30, 2019, or for two years, whichever is longer. In addition, the bill:

• Includes provisions of the Right Rebate Act, which allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services to require drug manufacturers to reclassify their drugs and impose civil monetary penalties when drugs are knowingly misclassified in the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program (MDRP);

• Increases the number of days (from 90 to 100) that a state may delay payments in Medicaid to providers for medical services provided to a child with a medical support order; and

• Extends states’ flexibility to disregard individuals’ spousal income and assets when determining eligibility for home and community-based services and supports through September 30, 2019.

Finally, the bill includes provisions of the Advancing Care for Exceptional (ACE) Kids Act that creates a state option to establish health homes for children with medically complex conditions, as well as provide two quarters of enhanced federal matching funds for states’ payments to health homes. The bill now heads to the President for his signature.

Questions, please contact Jack Phillips, Director of Government Affairs.