California & The Mental Health Carve-Out

Last week, OPEN MINDS Market Intelligence Analyst Athena Mandros gave a great overview of all the many changes happening in California’s Medicaid program (Medi-Cal) and discussed why it’s important for other states to keep an eye on California’s system (see California As A Bellwether). Amid all of these changes, one of the most important policies that California’s behavioral health community is keeping an eye on, is the mental health carve-out. At the end of June, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved California’s 1915(b) Specialty Mental Health Services (SMHS) waiver . . .