Two Of Arizona Medicaid MCOs Did Not Complete Required Behavioral Health Parity Analyses

Auditors indicate two of three Arizona Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) selected for a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Inspector General (OIG) audit did not complete required annual analyses to demonstrate that prior authorization requirements for mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) services were no more restrictive than requirements for medical and surgical services during the 2022-2023 federal fiscal year. As a result, auditors found that the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) could not demonstrate that the two MCOs complied with federal mental health and SUD parity requirements related to prior authorization . . .