Strickland delays autism Medicaid rules, reaches psychiatric drug compromise

Last week the Strickland Administration again delayed new rules which would curtail Medicaid funding for certain children's autism treatment services. (Source: Gongwer Report, Jan. 25, 2008.) "The rules proposed by ODJFS and the Department of Mental Health would prevent providers from billing the state's Medicaid program for community psychiatric supportive services for autism that don't match the federal guidelines. The Department of Mental Health's rule summary specifies that day treatment, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, adaptive, habilitative, or educational services don't qualify for reimbursement." If the new rules pass a Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review meeting on Feb. 19, they will go into effect July 1st.

In other news, the Strickland administration reached a compromise with mental health advocates over requiring physicians obtain prior authorization before prescribing psychiatric drugs for Medicaid patients. The new policy "will exempt psychiatrists enrolled in managed care plans or working within community mental health centers from the requirement, which mental health advocates said would erect a barrier to effective treatment for a very vulnerable population. Other providers, such as family practitioners, would still be subject to the prior authorization requirement."