House committee advances substitute for HB 70 to fund EHR, expand MAT and implement justice‑involved Medicaid billing

Representative Eliason introduced the first substitute to HB 70 and told the Health and Human Services Committee the measure fills critical gaps needed to implement a justice‑involved Medicaid demonstration waiver that allows billing Medicaid for inmate health services up to 90 days before release.

"If we don't put the landing gear down, which is the kind of the EHR, it's not gonna even happen," Representative Eliason said, urging passage of tools needed to bill Medicaid and realize projected savings.

The substitute would allow one‑time funding from the Medicaid growth production and budget stabilization account to purchase an electronic health record (EHR) with billing functionality. Dr. Mark Wisner, director of Correctional Health Services, testified the current EHR lacks a billing module and coding system and is the largest obstacle to billing Medicaid. "Right now we have about…