237152 Changing Role of Counties in State Medicaid Programs under the Affordable Care Act

Tuesday, November 1, 2011: 12:50 PM

Ronald Manderscheid, PhD , National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors, Washington, DC
  
     
National health reform through the Affordable Care Act will bring dramtic changes to the mental health and substance use care fields. A major component of these landmark changes will be driven by reform and expansion of the Medicaid system.

Using actual case examples, this presentation will describe how State Medicaid programs are currently being changed through waivers and state plan amendments to accommodate an expanded role for counties in the administration and management of these programs under the Affordable Care Act. In each case, changes to county mental health and substance use programs will be examined. Particular foci will include the new Health Home and 1915i amendments.

In addition, the mandated 2014 expansion of the Medicaid program will be examined, particularly with respect to the dramatic expansion of persons with pre-existing mental health and substance use conditions who will be seeking care.

Together, all of these changes portend a dramatic shift in mental health and substance use policy at the national level, and how the federal government manages and supports these programs.

Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and prevention
Other professions or practice related to public health
Program planning
Provision of health care to the public
Public health or related public policy
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Demonstrate through field examples how State Medicaid programs are being devolved to counties and the implications of these changes for future county mental health and substance use programs.

Keywords: Health Care Reform, Medicaid

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have worked extensively on national health reform and the Affordable Care Act, and I am currently working with the field on associated Medicaid reforms.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Public mental health reform
See more of: Mental Health