The bill appropriates $20,071,556 from the general fund to the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, to provide supplemental payments to Medicaid-funded behavioral health service providers for both adults and children. This funding aims to address the discrepancies between the current reimbursement rates and the benchmark rates identified in the July 22, 2022, "Montana Rate Studies" report. The supplemental payments will be calculated based on the total amount billed by providers and will be distributed in two installments: the first by May 15, 2023, and the second by August 15, 2023. If the allocated funds are insufficient for the second payment, the department will proportionally reduce payments across services.

Additionally, the bill directs DPHHS to collaborate with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to explore the availability of federal Medicaid funds that could match any portion of the supplemental payments. If such federal funds are secured, the general fund appropriation will be reduced accordingly. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon passage and approval.