The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources received approval of its section 1115 Medicaid waiver aimed at strengthening substance misuse care Oct. 6.
The waiver, titled "Creating a Continuum of Care for Medicaid Enrollees with Substance Use Disorders," is effective Jan. 1, 2018, through Dec. 31, 2022. Under the demonstration, West Virginia Medicaid enrollees will receive coverage for narcotic overdose treatments methadone and naloxone, as well as peer recovery support systems, withdrawal management and short-term residential services.
"West Virginia will implement increased responsibilities to monitor, report on and evaluate the impact of this demonstration," CMS Administrator Seema Verma wrote in the approval letter. "We support West Virginia's efforts to improve the care and outcomes for individuals with [substance use disorders]."
West Virginia's Republican Gov. Jim Justice said the federal government will pay for more than 80 percent of the waiver.