Virginia Medicaid programs poised to receive more funding under budget deal

Greater funding and changes to several of Virginia’s Medicaid programs may be on their way after the General Assembly adopted long-delayed amendments to the state’s two-year budget last Wednesday.

The changes range from an increase in disability waiver slots and higher reimbursement rates for health care and disability service providers to modifying an emergency room use policy and requiring prior authorization for certain diabetic and weight loss drugs.

While lawmakers last week devoted little discussion to the new Medicaid provisions, the top House budget negotiator, Del. Barry Knight, R-Virginia Beach, told the House the spending plan will “help our most vulnerable citizens.”

Those provisions include nearly $16.5 million in funding to add 500 more developmental disability waiver slots effective Jan. 1 of next year. These Medicaid waivers fund services — such as home care attendants, workplace assistance and nursing support — for people with long-term care needs, such as those with developmental disabilities. However, there are a limited number of them because of a shortage of workers who can actually provide the services.

Combined with 600 slots added this July, the new funding will achieve Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s goal of raising Virginia’s total slots to 1,100 as part of his “Right Help, Right Now” plan to improve the state’s behavioral health system. The administration has noted that increasing the number of disability waivers available will help address the approximately 3,000 Virginians on the “priority 1″ waitlist, a classification meaning they need services in a year or less.