MANCHIN APPLAUDS CMS FOR EXPANDING MEDICAID COVERAGE FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT IN WEST VIRGINIA
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) released the following statement on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) decision to expand Medicaid coverage of substance abuse treatment, including inpatient treatment at large residential facilities in West Virginia.
“An important part of ending the opioid epidemic is making sure that people struggling with opioid abuse have access to substance abuse treatment. That’s why I am thrilled CMS has approved West Virginia’s waiver to expand Medicaid coverage, including increasing access to inpatient treatment and peer support services,” Senator Manchin said. “This change has bipartisan support and that is why I was pleased to join my colleagues in May in introducing the Medicaid Coverage for Addiction Recovery Expansion Act, which would make this change legislatively. We need a long term treatment solution and this change will be a part of that.”
The Medicaid CARE Act would increase access to addiction treatment services by updating the Medicaid Institutions for Mental Disease (IMD) Exclusion, an outdated policy that limits Medicaid coverage for substance abuse treatment to facilities with fewer than 16 beds. The Medicaid CARE Act would lift this barrier by expanding Medicaid coverage to pay for up to 40 treatment beds at larger substance abuse treatment facilities.
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