Evaluation of Michigan’s 1115 Behavioral Health Waiver Demonstration Project

Dates: 2019-2026

Background:
In 2018, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved Michigan’s 1115 Behavioral Health Demonstration Waiver. This demonstration seeks to improve health outcomes and sustained recovery for Medicaid beneficiaries with substance use disorder (SUD), including opioid use disorder (OUD). Strategies include enhancing provider competency related to patient assessment and treatment, expanding the SUD treatment continuum, expanding the use of recovery coach-delivered support services, and enhancing health information technology systems to improve coordination of care between primary care and behavioral health/SUD providers.

Objectives:
The objective of the evaluation are to assess the impact of the demonstration project on the use of evidence-based standards to support SUD/OUD assessment and placement for care; availability of and access to critical levels of SUD/OUD care; coordination of care across settings; overall impact on beneficiary health and health services utilization; and cost..

Research Topics and Methods:
Data for the evaluation will be drawn from the following sources:

• Analysis of utilization data for Medicaid beneficiaries with SUD
• Key informant interviews with state and regional SUD administrators
• Interviews with providers of SUD services to Medicaid beneficiaries
• Phone interviews with Medicaid beneficiaries with SUD

Analytic methods will examine changes in outcome before and after implementation of demonstration project strategies.

Collaborators:
Anne Fernandez, Psychiatry

Funder:
The project is funded by the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services.