HHS issues plan for housing-related SUD strategies in Medicaid

The Department of Health and Human Services yesterday sent Congress its plan to help states develop and expand innovative strategies to provide housing-related services and support to Medicaid beneficiaries with substance use disorders, as required by the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act of 2018. Under the plan, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services expects to work with other federal agencies to assess state needs for technical assistance and support, identify and disseminate best practices and lessons learned, promote performance measurement and improvement, and raise awareness of existing Medicaid options in this area. According to a recent report by the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, the opioid epidemic has disproportionately affected Medicaid beneficiaries, who in some states account for roughly half of related overdose deaths.