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Committee approves raise in Medicaid diagnostic-lab cap for chronic-pain patients from $500 to $1,800
Summary
SB348 would increase the annual Medicaid cap on diagnostic laboratory services for patients diagnosed with chronic pain from $500 to $1,800, supporters said the change would allow better monitoring and prevent costly emergency care; DHS officials estimated a state-share fiscal impact between roughly $100,000 and $600,000.
Kristen Neck, chief operating officer for AIT Health (Pain Treatment Centers of America affiliate), asked the committee to increase the annual Medicaid cap for diagnostic laboratory services for chronic-pain beneficiaries from $500 to $1,800 so providers can perform more comprehensive urine drug screens and related testing.
Neck said additional testing would improve monitoring, reduce emergency-room visits and help avoid inpatient stays related to substance-use disorders. She cited a per-ER-visit figure of about $520 and said average annual medical costs associated with substance-use disorder diagnoses can exceed $15,000.
Janet Mann from the Department of Human Services told the committee the measure would have a fiscal impact; DHS provided a conservative state-share estimate ranging from about $100,000 to $600,000. Mann noted the Medicaid match is roughly 70% federal and 30% state, so the state share is the smaller portion of the total fiscal impact.
Kitty Cohn, chief legal officer for Pain Treatment Centers of America, told the committee that increasing the diagnostic cap would reduce downstream emergency and inpatient costs and, in her view, save the program money by preventing expensive overdoses and admissions.
Senators asked questions about the fiscal analyses. Penzo closed by urging a favorable vote. The committee approved SB348 by voice vote; the transcript includes the clerk announcing that the bill passed.
