Public comment requested on waiver proposal

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is requesting public comment on its 1115 Pathway to Integration Waiver application.

Michigan is seeking approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to combine all services and eligible populations under a single waiver authority to promote inclusion and community supports. The waiver builds on Michigan’s commitment to focus on abilities and opportunities for success for persons with behavioral health needs.

Through the waiver, MDHHS is seeking broad flexibility to develop financing and quality integrated physical and behavioral health care initiatives for all specialty service populations on a statewide basis. The specialty service populations are listed in the MDHHS waiver summary.

A vital component of the demonstration is the alignment of quality and financial incentives between traditional Medicaid Health Plans and Michigan’s Specialty Service System. Demonstration incentives would include the joint identification and tracking of high risk and high utilizing populations, the prevention of modifiable risk factors, access to care incentives, pilot demonstrations through accountable systems of care, the enhancement of co-occurring serious mental illness and substance use disorder delivery systems, and the use of specialized complex care managers for individuals considered high utilizers.

Two public hearings have been scheduled to discuss the waiver and demonstration. MDHHS will host a webinar on January 13 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and a meeting on January 28 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Lansing Center.

The waiver, summary, stakeholder notice, and webinar details are available on the MDHHS website, www.michigan.gov/mdhhs. To request a hard copy of the waiver email MDHHS-Pathway1115@Michigan.gov. 

All comments on should include a “Section 1115 – Pathway to Integration” reference in the written submission or the subject line if submitted by email. All comments must be received by 5 p.m. on February 2 and letters should be mailed to:

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Community Health Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Administration, 320 S. Walnut Street, Lewis Cass Building, 5th Floor, Lansing, 48913.

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