The General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 5370, introduced in the February Session of 2024, is an act concerning the provision of medical assistance for room and board costs associated with substance abuse treatment in a residential setting. The bill mandates that the Commissioner of Social Services, within the constraints of available appropriations, shall extend state-funded medical assistance coverage to include room and board expenses for Medicaid enrollees who are undergoing residential substance use disorder treatment.

The bill also stipulates that this coverage should align with federal Medicaid program laws. To achieve this, the Commissioner may either amend an existing Medicaid waiver under Section 1115 of the Social Security Act specifically for substance use disorder treatment or modify the Medicaid state plan to incorporate coverage for room and board costs. The bill includes an insertion indicating that it will take effect immediately upon passage and that Section 1 is a new section to be added to the law.