45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2001

RELATING TO MEDICAID; REQUIRING THAT MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES BE PROVIDED UNDER A FEE-FOR-SERVICE ARRANGEMENT; AMENDING A SECTION OF THE NMSA 1978.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. Section 27-2-12.6 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1994, Chapter 62, Section 22) is amended to read:

"27-2-12.6. MEDICAID PAYMENTS--MANAGED CARE.--

A. The department shall provide for a statewide, managed care system to provide cost-efficient, preventive, primary and acute care for medicaid recipients by July 1, 1995.

B. The managed care system shall ensure:

(1) access to medically necessary services, particularly for medicaid recipients with chronic health problems;

(2) to the extent practicable, maintenance of the rural primary care delivery infrastructure;

(3) that the department's approach is consistent with national and state health care reform principles; and

(4) to the maximum extent possible, that medicaid-eligible individuals are not identified as such except as necessary for billing purposes.

C. The department may exclude nursing homes, intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded, medicaid in-home and community-based waiver services and residential and community-based mental health services for children with serious emotional disorders from the provisions of this section.

D. The department shall:

(1) exclude mental and behavioral health services from this section;

(2) provide mental and behavioral health services under a fee-for-service arrangement; and

(3) separate mental and behavioral health services from a managed care arrangement."