NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES ON MEDICAID COVERAGE AND PAYMENT FOR JUSTICE-INVOLVED YOUTH IN THE REGULATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION The Department of Health proposes to change regulations on Medicaid coverage and payment for a justice-involved youth. |
The Department of Health proposes to adopt regulation changes in Title 7 of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with the Medicaid coverage and payment for a justice-involved youth.
The proposed changes are required by federal law, specifically, Section 5121 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023and include the following:***
***Please Note. Details related to Section 5121 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023:
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidance to address the statutory requirements in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (CAA, 2023) (P.L. 117- 328), which was signed into law on December 29, 2022. The guidance related to the statutory requirements may be accessed on the Medicaid.gov website. See Medicaid.gov, CAA 2023 Sections 5121 & 5122 - Juvenile Justice; at https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/benefits/reentry-services-for-incarcerated-individuals/caa-2023-sections-5121-5122-juvenile-justice/index.html . See
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Medicare & Medicaid, State Health Official Letter (RE: RE: Provision of Medicaid and CHIP Services to Incarcerated Youth) at https://www.medicaid.gov/federal-policy-guidance/downloads/sho24004.pdf ; and State Health Official Letter FAQs at https://www.medicaid.gov/federal-policy-guidance/downloads/sho24006.pdf (RE: RE: Provision of Medicaid and CHIP Services to Incarcerated Youth – FAQs).***
- 7 AAC 105. Medicaid Provider and Recipient Participation, is proposed to include the following changes:
- Allow a justice-involved youth to receive Medicaid coverage and payment for specific services.
- 7 AAC 110. Medicaid Coverage; Professional Services, is proposed to include the following changes:
- Allow a justice-involved youth to receive Medicaid coverage and payment for Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) services 30 days before a justice-involved youth is released from incarceration as an inmate of a public institution.
- Add a new section to allow a justice-involved youth to receive targeted case management services.
- Add a new article, titled Article 22. Services for Justice-Involved Youth. This new proposed article includes the following new sections:
- Scope of screening and diagnostic services for a justice-involved youth.
- Screening services for a justice-involved youth.
- Covered diagnostic assessments for a justice-involved youth.
- 7 AAC 145. Medicaid Payment Rates, is proposed to include the following changes:
- Add a new section, titled 7 AAC 145.295. Justice-involved youth targeted case management, to describe the methodology used by the department to calculate the rate for justice-involved youth targeted case management.
- 7 AAC 160. Medicaid Program; General Provisions, is proposed to include the following changes:
- Add a new department document to be adopted by reference, the Chart of Justice-Involved Youth Targeted Case Management Services Rate.
You may comment on the regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the changes, by submitting written comments to Ms. Christal Hays, Department of Health, Office of the Commissioner, 3601 C St, Suite 902, Anchorage, Alaska 99503. Additionally, the Department of Health will accept comments by electronic mail at christal.hays@alaska.gov . The comments must be received not later than 5 p.m. on September 23, 2025.
You may provide oral comments relevant to the proposed action by telephone or online at the hearing to be held on September 5, 2025, as a telephone and internet-accessible Zoom meeting. You may join the Zoom meeting by using the Zoom website link or by calling the Zoom Call-in toll-free telephone number and using the Meeting ID and Passcode, as follows:
- To attend the meeting and provide oral comments by telephone, please use the Zoom Call-in Toll-free Number:
- Zoom Call-in Toll-free Number: 1-833-548-0276 (US Toll-free); Meeting ID: 863 8463 6226; and Passcode: 150701.
- To attend the meeting and provide oral comments by Zoom website link, please use the Meeting Zoom Link:
There will not be in-person attendance provided at the hearing site, so please prepare to share your oral comments by telephone only. The hearing is scheduled from 1:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., and priority will be given to commenters on the line before the beginning of the hearing. The hearing may be extended to accommodate those on the line before 1:15 p.m. who did not have an opportunity to comment. Before the start of the hearing, Department of Health may limit the time allotted for each person providing oral testimony, as reasonably necessary to conclude the hearing in the time provided.
You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to Ms. Christal Hays, by electronic mail at christal.hays@alaska.gov , or to Ms. Christal Hays, Department of Health, Office of the Commissioner, 3601 C St, Suite 902, Anchorage, Alaska 99503. The questions must be received at least 10 days before the end of the public comment period. The Department of Health 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 to participate in this process, please contact Ms. Christal Hays, by electronic mail at christal.hays@alaska.gov , or by telephone at (907) 891-4830 not later than August 29, 2025, to ensure that any necessary accommodation can be provided.
A copy of the proposed regulation changes is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and by contacting Ms. Christal Hays, by electronic mail at christal.hays@alaska.gov, or by telephone at (907) 891-4830.
A copy of material proposed for adoption by reference is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System.
After the public comment period ends, the Department of Health 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.
Statutes being implemented, interpreted, or made specific: AS 47.05.010; AS 47.07.030; AS 47.07.040.
Fiscal information: The proposed regulation changes are not expected to require an increased appropriation.
The Division of Health Care Services/Department of Health (DOH) keeps a list of individuals and organizations interested in its regulations. Those on the list will automatically be sent a copy of all the Division of Health Care Services/DOH notices of proposed regulation changes. To be added to or removed from the list, send a request to the Division of Health Care Services/DOH at susan.dunkin@alaska.gov , giving your name, and either your e-mail address or mailing address, as you prefer for receiving notices.
Individuals can also sign up to receive automated notifications of all State of Alaska notices, including public notice for regulation changes, by subscribing to the Alaska Online Public Notices System at https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Default.aspx.
DATE: August 11, 2025.
/s/Heidi Hedberg
Commissioner,
Department of Health
State of Alaska.