AB284 seeks Medicaid reimbursement for implanted vagus‑nerve stimulation to treat drug‑resistant epilepsy
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Summary
Assemblymember Tracy Brown‑May presented AB284 to fund reimbursement for implanted vagus‑nerve therapy devices for Medicaid beneficiaries with drug‑resistant epilepsy; Nevada Medicaid testified the amended bill delays implementation and reduced fiscal impact but estimated modest biennial costs.
Assemblymember Tracy Brown‑May presented AB284, an appropriation request to require the director of the Department of Health and Human Services to seek Medicaid reimbursement rates for implanted vagus‑nerve stimulation (VNS) devices to treat medication‑resistant epilepsy.
Brown‑May said a May 16 amendment decouples reimbursement for the device from the procedure and delays the effective date to March 2026 to align with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) review and implementation timelines. Stacy Weeks of Nevada Medicaid explained that the amendment "would actually decouple the reimbursement in a way that we are able to pay for the device as well as the procedure," and that delaying the effective date "does really impact the fiscal note and kinda pushes some of those costs down." The sponsor presented updated fiscal estimates: $54,728 new general‑fund cost for FY26 and approximately $240,004 for FY27, offset by federal matching funds for an estimated biennial total of $888,000 when paired with Title XIX funds.
Testimony noted that while high per‑month medication costs for drug‑resistant epilepsy can be substantial, an implanted device with periodic replacements can produce lower long‑term equivalent monthly costs for some patients. The University of Nevada, health‑care representatives and no callers opposed; the hearing closed with no committee vote recorded.