As of January 1, 2020, Medicare Part B covers a new Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) benefit. This means Medicare beneficiaries now have access to methadone for medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in an out-patient setting, along with counseling and other opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment services delivered by a certified OTP provider.
For individuals dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, this new coverage means that Medicare is now the primary payer for these OUD treatment services. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued guidance to OTP providers, MA plans and to states to help ensure that dually eligible individuals who are currently receiving these OUD treatment services do not experience interruptions in care.
Justice in Aging’s new fact sheet describes the new OTP benefit and how it affects dually eligible individuals access to treatment for OUD. Advocates working with dually eligible individuals or other Medicare beneficiaries receiving or in need of OUD treatment services should become familiar with these changes to help clients navigate and identify any issues.
For example:
- OTP providers and MA plans are prohibited from billing Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries (QMBs) for Medicare cost-sharing for OTP services. In addition, all people enrolled in Original Medicare should not pay any cost-sharing for OTP services once they have met their Part B deductible.
- States, MA plans, and providers should be following guidance to ensure continuity of care for dually eligible beneficiaries who are currently receiving OTP services.
- State Medicaid programs cannot exclude or deny coverage of transportation (NEMT) for dually eligible individuals to Medicare-covered benefits, including OTP services.
Please let us know if you observe any issues with these changes in Medicare coverage of OUD treatment services. Your feedback helps us identify systemic issues and work with CMS to resolve them.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
