Wisconsin Medicaid Waiver Extension Approved, Will Continue IMD Services For Addiction Treatment

Wisconsin Medicaid is continuing its BadgerCare 1115 waiver demonstration initiative for another five years to provide addiction disorder treatment in short-term residential settings that qualify as institutions for mental diseases (IMDs). An IMD is any inpatient or residential facility with more than 16 beds and that primarily provides behavioral health services. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved Wisconsin’s waiver extension request on October 29, 2024, to run through December 31, 2029.

The state has six goals for the demonstration related to addiction treatment, as follows:

Increase rates of identification, initiation, and engagement in treatment for . . .