2017 Colorado Revised Statutes
Title 25.5 - Health Care Policy and Financing
Colorado Medical Assistance Act
Article 4 - Colorado Medical Assistance Act - General Medical Assistance
Part 2 - Administration
§ 25.5-4-214. Feasibility study - residential and inpatient substance use disorder treatment - report - repeal

(1) On or before November 1, 2017, the state department shall prepare a written report with assistance from the department of human services' office of behavioral health concerning the feasibility of providing residential and inpatient substance use disorder treatment as part of the medicaid program. In addition, the report must also include an analysis of providing residential and inpatient substance use disorder treatment as a state-funded benefit rather than through the medicaid program. The state department shall submit the report to the joint budget committee, the public health care and human services committee of the house of representatives, the health and human services committee of the senate, or any successor committees, and to any legislative study committee addressing substance use disorder treatment that meets during the 2017 legislative interim. The state department shall prepare a comprehensive report, including within the report information provided by the department of human services, as well as any other sources of information as determined by the state department.

(2) The state department shall consider and report on the following:

(a) The prevalence of opioid addiction and other substance use disorders in Colorado, including demographic and geographic information;

(b) Evidence-based best practices for the treatment of substance use disorders;

(c) A description of residential and inpatient substance use disorder treatment and a comparison of the treatment costs and administrative costs of providing the service utilizing medicaid dollars or with state funding;

(d) The eligibility criteria for publicly funded residential and inpatient substance use disorder treatment;

(e) Residential and inpatient substance use disorder treatment that is not currently included in Colorado's state medicaid plan but that may be provided by the state as an optional benefit or through a federal waiver;

(f) Any federal authorization necessary to include residential and inpatient substance use disorder treatment as a benefit under the medicaid program or waiver of federal rules that would allow for expansion of residential and inpatient treatment;

(g) An estimate of the number of medicaid clients who may be eligible for the benefit if the benefit were included as part of the medicaid program;

(h) Whether facilities currently providing residential and inpatient substance use disorder treatment in Colorado would be able to provide those services under the medicaid program;

(i) An estimate of state costs associated with providing residential and inpatient substance use disorder treatment as part of the medicaid program;

(j) Published research relating to other state costs incurred for the medicaid program and other public assistance program expenses that may be avoided if residential and inpatient substance use disorder treatment is included as part of the medicaid program;

(k) If known, other states providing residential and inpatient substance use disorder treatment as part of the medicaid program and the experiences of those states relating to implementation, cost, savings, and efficacy of residential and inpatient treatment;

(l) If known, the number and cost of emergency room visits or hospital stays by medicaid clients in Colorado relating to substance use disorders;

(m) If known, the number of county law enforcement contacts related to persons using drugs or alcohol and the percentage of persons entering county jails who have substance use disorders; and

(n) If known, state and national research on how access to residential and inpatient substance use disorder treatment impacts recidivism and law enforcement resources.

(3) As part of the report, the state department and the department of human services shall include recommendations to the general assembly concerning:

(a) The time frame for implementation of residential and inpatient substance use disorder treatment as a benefit under the medicaid program, as well as any other benefit planning or implementation considerations;

(b) Effective use of state and federal funding and the improvement of coordination among state agencies in administering all substance use disorder programs and treatment options in Colorado;

(c) Changes to state law necessary to implement the residential and inpatient substance use disorder treatment benefit as part of the medicaid program; and

(d) Changes, if any, to training requirements for certified addiction counselors necessary to implement effective substance use disorder treatment and to meet federal requirements for medicaid providers.

(4) In preparing the report, the state department and the department of human services may use national data from recognized sources if state-level data is unavailable and may solicit information and research from state agencies and other organizations regarding the social and financial impacts of substance use disorders in Colorado and effective options for treatment.

(5) This section is repealed, effective July 1, 2019.