NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES ON MEDICAID PAYMENT RATES FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES IN THE REGULATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION The Department of Health proposes to change regulations on Medicaid payment rates for behavioral health services. |
Summary of proposed changes: The Department of Health proposes to adopt regulation changes in Title 7 of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with Medicaid payment rates for behavioral health services.
The proposed changes include the following:***
***Please Note. The following information is related to the proposed changes to the Medicaid payment rates for behavioral health services.
- The proposed changes include the adoption of key benchmark Medicaid reimbursement rates for behavioral health services. These proposed changes will align Medicaid reimbursement with the actual cost of care. The benchmark rates were developed by the Department of Health’s Alaska Medicaid Rate Methodology Study for community behavioral health services with stakeholder input that included behavioral health service providers. The findings of that study were published in a report titled Alaska Rate Evaluations: Community Behavioral Health Services.
- Where benchmark rates are above the current published rate, they will remain static and exempt from inflationary adjustments through June 30, 2027, when legislatively appropriated bridge funding ends.
- Medicaid State Plan substance use disorder (SUD) residential service codes on the Chart of Community Behavioral Health and Mental Health Physician Clinic Covered Services Rates are scheduled for sunset.
- Proposed amendments do not include implementation of other recommendations from the report related to crisis services, geographic rate adjustments, and rate methodology. The department anticipates multiple regulations projects to achieve rate methodology goals.
- Proposed amendments do not include rate adjustments for case management, intensive case management, SUD care coordination, and assertive community treatment. The report recommended the department examine units of measure for these services and rates are not established at this time.***
- 7 AAC 160.900. Medicaid Program; General Provisions. Requirements adopted by reference, is proposed to be changed as follows:
- Amend each of the following department documents adopted by reference to include a benchmark rate:
- (1) Chart of Community Behavioral Health and Mental Health Physician Clinic Medicaid Covered Services Rates;
- (2) Chart of Behavioral Health Reform 1115 Medicaid Services Rates; and
- (3) Medicaid Procedure Codes and Rates - Autism Services.
Written comments: You may comment on the regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the changes, by submitting written comments to State of Alaska, Department of Health, Division of Behavioral Health, 3601 C Street, Suite 934, Anchorage, Alaska 99503. Additionally, the Department of Health will accept comments by electronic mail at doh.dbh.public.comments@alaska.gov.
Written comment deadline: The written comments must be received not later than 5:00 p.m., on March 27, 2026.
Oral hearing: You may provide oral comments relevant to the proposed action by telephone or online at the hearing to be held on March 23, 2026, 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: 1-888-877-0099 (US Toll-free); Meeting ID: 891 5329 8147; and Passcode: 438721.
- 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 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 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 12:30 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.
Questions: You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to Mr. William Hurr, by electronic mail at doh.dbh.public.comments@alaska.gov, or at the State of Alaska, Department of Health, Division of Behavioral Health, 3601 C Street, Suite 934, Anchorage, Alaska 99503. The questions must be received at least 10 days before the end of the public comment period. The Department of Health may aggregate its responses to substantially similar questions and will make the questions and responses available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System.
Public nature of comments and questions: Public comments and questions, once submitted, are public records and subject to disclosure under the Alaska Public Records Act. See AS 40.25.100 - 40.25.295. Do NOT include in your comments or questions any information that you do not want made public.
Accommodations: If you are a person with a disability who needs a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this process, please contact Mr. William Hurr, by electronic mail at doh.dbh.public.comments@alaska.gov, or by telephone at (907) 269-6549 not later than March 17, 2026, to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.
Obtaining copies of proposed regulations: A copy of the proposed regulation changes is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and by contacting Mr. William Hurr, by electronic mail at doh.dbh.public.comments@alaska.gov, or by telephone at (907) 269-6549.
A copy of material proposed for adoption by reference is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and may be viewed at the agency’s office at State of Alaska, Department of Health, Division of Behavioral Health, 3601 C Street, Suite 934, Anchorage, Alaska 99503.
Final version of regulations: 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.
How to receive further notices: The Department of Health, Division of Behavioral Health, keeps a list of individuals and organizations interested in its regulations. Those on the list will automatically be sent a copy of all the Department of Health, Division of Behavioral Health, notices of proposed regulation changes. To be added to or removed from the list, send a request to the Department of Health, Division of Behavioral Health to doh.dbh.puliblic.comments@alaska.gov, giving your name, and either your e-mail address or mailing address, as you prefer for receiving notices.
Individuals can also signup 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: https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Default.aspx.
DATE: February 12, 2026.
/s/Heidi Hedberg
Commissioner,
Department of Health,
State of Alaska.