NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES ON MEDICAID BEHAVIORAL HEALTH MARITAL & FAMILY THERAPY SERVICES IN THE REGULATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES.

The Department of Health & Social Services proposes to adopt regulation changes in Title 7 of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with Medicaid behavioral health service and billing criteria for marital and family therapy services, including the following:

• 7 AAC 70, 105, 110, & 135, are proposed to be changed as follows:
• Exclude a marital and family therapist from requirements under 7 AAC 70.
• Add marital and family therapist to list of eligible providers under 7 AAC 105.
• Add requirements for marital and family therapy services under 7 AAC 110.
• Add marital and family therapist as eligible provider of behavioral health clinic services under 7 AAC 135.

• PLEASE NOTE: The public review draft for this proposed regulation has lettering, numbering, and content that is based on a related regulation. The related regulation is being reviewed and finalized by the Department of Law, and will amend the existing regulations.

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 Mr. Rick Calcote, at 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 not later than 5 p.m. on December 26, 2019.

Oral or written comments also may be submitted at a hearing to be held on December 12, 2019, at Conference Room 890, 3601 C Street, Anchorage, AK 99503. The hearing will be held from 1 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and might be extended to accommodate those present before 2:30 p.m. 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 1-(800) 315-6338 (Toll Free) and use the code 48041#.

You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to Mr. Rick Calcote, by e-mail at rick.calcote@alaska.gov, or by mail at the Department of Health & Social Services, Division of Behavioral Health, Attention: Rick Calcote, 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 responses available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System.

If you are a person with a disability who needs a special accommodation in order to participate in this process, please contact Mr. Rick Calcote at rick.calcote@alaska.gov or at (907) 269-3617 later than December 3, 2019, 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 and by contacting Mr. Rick Calcote at rick.calcote@alaska.gov , or 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. Written comments received are public records and are subject to public inspection.

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: It is estimated that the proposed regulation changes will require increased appropriations (in thousands of dollars) as follows: FY2020, $56.9.

The Division of Behavioral Health/Department of Health & Social Services keeps a list of individuals and organizations interested in its regulations. Those on the list will automatically be sent a copy of all of the Division of Behavioral Health/Department of Health & Social Services notices of proposed regulation changes. To be added to or removed from the list, send a request to the Division of Behavioral Health/Department of Health & Social Services at 3601 C Street, Suite 878, Anchorage, AK 99503, giving your name, and either your e-mail address or mailing address, as you prefer for receiving notices.