What is going on at the Michigan health department about designing four pilot programs to test a controversial plan to combine physical and behavioral Medicaid services among mental health agencies, providers and HMOs?
So far, nothing, at least on the selection and design of the pilots. That was the official word from Matt Lori, senior deputy director for policy planning and legislature services with the state Department of Health and Human Services. Lori is a former state representative who was on the House community health appropriations committee from 2009 to 2014.
More on the design of the pilots later.
But Phil Kurdunowicz, policy analyst with MDHHS, said staff is making good progress in selecting a project facilitator and a project evaluator — two key requirements set by the Legislature in June when they approved the so-called Section 298 that Gov. Rick Snyder last month signed into law with the state's 2018 fiscal budget that begins Sept. 1.
MDHHS has $2.8 million the first year as a supplemental to the fiscal 2017 budget to plan the pilots, and $3.1 million for fiscal 2018 starting Oct. 1 to fund the pilots themselves. The $5.9 million total includes $2 million in general state tax funds.