The Department of Human Services plans to restore Medicaid coverage for outpatient rehabilitation, prosthetics and optometry services to adults younger than 65 years. The DHS announced it will also restore coverage for durable medical equipment, and will not impose limits on inpatient hospital services.
The DHS had previously proposed eliminating these services effective July 1, in order to save $75 million required by the state biennium budget, according to a press release.
New savings have allowed the DHS to restore these services. An increase in the federal matching rate yielded an additional $15 million and the state legislature appropriated an additional $8 million.
Savings will also be generated through a decrease in per-person actuarial costs for services and from program integrity measures, including the reduction of duplicative enrollment, annual eligibility reviews for adults, fraud reduction and periodic review of Department of Health death records.
“Restoring these critical services is key to addressing the health care needs of Quest beneficiaries,” Patricia McManaman, the director of the Department of Human Services, said in the release. “The restoration of services in consistent with the Governor’s New Day Plan to ensure that all persons have access to quality health care.”
