Michigan’s Lt. Governor Forms Workgroup To Replace Budget Proposal To End Behavioral Health Carve-Out

On March 11, 2016, the Michigan Governor’s Office announced that it was taking action to replace language in a section of the proposed state budget that would end the state’s Medicaid behavioral health carve out by September 30, 2017. The proposal called for adding responsibility for behavioral health services to the physical health Medicaid managed care plans. After much negative communication from behavioral health stakeholders about the proposal, on February 29, 2016, Lt. Governor Brian Calley told a state legislative appropriations committee that the budget language needs to be replaced. Replacement language for the boilerplate will be needed . . .