Medicaid Behavioral Health: CMS Guidance Needed To Better Align Demonstration Payment Rates With Costs & Prevent Duplication

On September 23, 2021, the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) published this report to Congressional committees regarding the opinion that Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) needs to provide guidance to better align demonstration payment rates with costs and prevent duplication for Medicaid behavioral health. According to GAO, addressing these weaknesses is important to help ensure that Medicaid CCBHC payments meet requirements for Medicaid payments under federal law, including that they be consistent with efficiency, economy, and quality of care, and are sufficient to ensure access to care . . .