Bits and Pieces or Boulders and Rocks!

September 09, 2026

Transportation changes are, according to sources at DMAS, still on track to “go live” with MTM on October 1st – the official Medicaid Bulletin has not yet dropped and on the Modvicare Quarterly Call yesterday there was no mention.   We’ll keep you posted, but at this point, assume the change will occur!

The Behavioral Health Commission met yesterday to hear staff reports, agency comment and public comment on Behavioral Health Redesign.  You can find the reports under “meetings” on the BHC Website.

• The report focused on the BRAVO services (including the slow uptake for MST and FFT) and the roll out of the Crisis Services.  There was extensive discussion of the issues (or perceived issues) with the implementation of both mobile crisis and community stabilization and what steps were taken to correct the “abuse” and faulty roll-out.
• The report also described the design, funding and implementation process for “redesign” and offered specific recommendations for funding additional training opportunities for staff, etc.  All patchwork solutions to the much larger problem.
• In the end, the recommendation was to allow for an additional delay in the roll-out for the new services.   While they also recognized the lack of overlap for legacy services and redesign, and the now seriously out of date (and low-ball estimate) rates package, and the fact that the CANS Lifetime is not ready, and that the training costs alone will be substantial, . . . They only recommended a delay – not “take a deep breath and start over!”
• Comments along those lines to pause any implementation and rethink the proposal were made by both VACSB and VNPP – plus we are talking individually to the legislators.
• Of course, while this was going on, there were the two precursor sessions with Office of Licensing – we have limited reports on those, but we tried to make the case that heavy attendance for those calls should not be interpreted as enthusiasm for “redesign,”  but rather as a defense against being locked out!

There have also been “pronouncements” from DBHDS in recent weeks about  WaMS submissions – we were expecting some changes, but unfortunately they are falling at essentially the same time as DSS staff changes/additions and other system issues – we will try to get a clear path for eligibility problems, and payment interruptions.  Please monitor all of your eligibility issues and billing issues very closely; if you catch it the day it happens it is so much easier to fix!