This bill amends the Code of West Virginia to enhance Medicaid reimbursement rates for certain mental health diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Specifically, it requires that the reimbursement rates for outpatient psychiatry and psychology services provided in licensed behavioral health centers be equivalent to those for Medicare patients. The West Virginia physician/medical practitioner provider Medicaid enhancement board is tasked with examining current reimbursement rates for outpatient psychotherapy, medication management, and interventional services, and must develop a proposal for increasing these rates by July 1, 2025.

Additionally, the bill introduces new provisions that require the board to review and recommend adjustments to the fee schedule on a quarterly basis, ensuring that the reimbursement rates for mental health services are not lower than those established by Medicare Part B fee-for-service providers. The bill also emphasizes the importance of communication between the Medicaid provider community and the single state agency that administers the Medicaid program, while maintaining the agency's discretion in modifying fee schedules as necessary to meet financial requirements.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 9-4B-4