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Committee hears bill to enable Medicaid coverage for rehabilitative residential mental health services
Summary
Assembly Bill 514 would allow the Medicaid director to secure federal financial participation and establish coverage methods for rehabilitative residential mental health treatment; the bill drew support from NAMI Nevada and passed the committee as part of a consent motion.
Assembly Bill 514 would authorize the Medicaid director to secure federal financial participation, where available, and to establish a method for Medicaid coverage of rehabilitative residential mental health treatment, sponsor Senator David Niante told the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services.
"This bill makes revisions relating to mental health care," Senator David Niante said when presenting the measure. He told the committee AB514 comes from bipartisan recommendations developed by the joint interim committee on health and human services and aims to fill gaps in Nevada’s mental-health service array.
Sarah Adler of NAMI Nevada testified in support, saying the bill will assist Nevadans living in unstable housing and that NAMI had previously advanced related legislation. "This bill is really going to assist many Nevadans who live in challenging and unstable conditions," Adler said.
Committee members asked staff about the relationship between the bill and Medicaid waivers. Committee counsel and staff said Nevada had several waiver applications pending and that federal approval timelines typically range from roughly 18 months to two years. The committee record notes that the bill’s implementation may depend on availability of federal financial participation and any necessary waivers.
There was no recorded opposition. The committee later included AB514 in a three-bill consent due-pass motion; the motion carried unanimously.
