NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES ON BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, MEDICAID COVERAGE & PAYMENT: AUTISM SERVICES IN THE REGULATIONS OF DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

The Department of Health & Social proposes to adopt regulation changes in Title 7 of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with behavioral health services, and Medicaid coverage and payment, to add autism services, including the following:

7 AAC 70, 105, 110, 135, 145, & 160, are proposed to be changed as follows:

• Revise Medicaid coverage and payment rates related to Autism Services including provider requirements and recipient participation.          

You may comment on the proposed regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the proposed changes, by submitting written comments to Rick Calcote at the Division of Behavioral Health, 3601 C Street, Suite 878, Anchorage, AK 99503. Additionally, the Department of Health & Social Services will accept comments by facsimile at (907) 269-3623 and by electronic mail at hss.dbh.publiccomments@alaska.gov . The comments must be received no later than 5 p.m. on October 10, 2017.

Oral or written comments also may be submitted at a hearing to be held on September 22, 2017, at Conference Room 890 & 896, 3601 C St., Anchorage, AK 99503. The hearing will be held from 9am to 1pm and might be extended to accommodate those present before 12:30pm who did not have an opportunity to comment. If you are unable to attend in person, but would like to comment during the oral public hearing, you can call the teleconference number (800) 315-6338 (Toll Free) and use the code 36171#.

You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to Rick Calcote at the Division of Behavioral Health, 3601 C Street Suite 878, Anchorage, AK 99503.The questions must be received at least 10 days before the end of the public comment period. The Department of Health & Social Services will aggregate its response to substantially similar questions and make the questions and response available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System at https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/ and agency website website at http://dhss.alaska.gov/dbh/Pages/default.aspx .

If you are a person with a disability who needs a special accommodation in order to participate in this process, please contact Rick Calcote by e-mail at rick.calcote@alaska.gov or by telephone at (907) 269-3617, not later than September 12, 2017, to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.

A copy of the proposed regulation changes is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System at https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/ and by contacting Rick Calcote by e-mail at rick.calcote@alaska.gov or by telephone at (907) 269-3617.

After the public comment period ends, the Department of Health & Social Services will either adopt the proposed regulation changes or other provisions dealing with the same subject, without further notice, or decide to take no action. The language of the final regulation may be different from that of the proposed regulation. You should comment during the time allowed if your interests could be affected.

Statutory authority: AS 47.05.010; AS 47.07.030; AS 47.07.040; AS 47.30.470; AS 47.30.475; AS 47.30.477; AS 47.30.530; AS 47.30.540; AS 47.30.570; AS 47.37.140.

Statutes being implemented, interpreted, or made specific: AS 47.05.010; AS 47.07.030; AS 47.07.040; AS 47.30.470; AS 47.30.475; AS 47.30.477; AS 47.30.530; AS 47.30.540; AS 47.30.570; AS 47.37.140.

Fiscal information: The proposed regulation changes are not expected to require an increased appropriation.

DATE: August 9, 2017.
/s/Jon Sherwood
Deputy Commissioner
Department of Health & Social Services