Carve-Out Or No

The primary carve-out model of financing and managing behavioral health services is on the wane. In a number of states – the primary behavioral health carve-out in Medicaid has either been replaced (New Mexico and Oregon), or is in the process of being replaced (Colorado, Washington, and Louisiana) by integrating financing for behavioral health services through health plans. The recent approval of a primary behavioral health carve-out for consumers with serious mental illness (SMI) in California (see California & The Mental Health Carve-Out and California’s Mental Health Carve-Out Preserved For Five Years, But With New . . .