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Waiver allows added federal support for Delaware Medicaid patients with substance abuse disorder

Delaware Public Media

Delaware is set to get more federal support for Medicaid patients with substance abuse disorder.

Last week the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced it has approved Delaware’s 1115 waiver.

The Medicaid program does not normally allow federal financial support for patients staying in an Institute for Mental Disease (IMD), but under the waiver Delaware will receive federal rebates for these patients.

“The waiver recognizes the fact that the concerns around larger facilities for mental health services don’t necessarily translate for substance abuse disorder treatment, where a larger facility may be an appropriate setting,” said Delaware’s Medicaid Director Steve Groff.

Groff adds the state had previously been footing the bill for substance abuse disorder patients in IMDs.

“So this is really a benefit to the citizens of Delaware that we can draw down those federal funds to make these services more accessible,” he said.

Groff says the waiver allows rebates for substance abuse treatment at mental health facilities in the state with 16 or more beds—places like Sun Behavioral Health in Georgetown, Dover Behavioral Health or the Rockford Center in Newark.

Delaware is the 25th state to receive this federal Medicaid waiver for substance abuse disorder treatment.

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