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Nevada Eases Mental Health Rules for Medicaid

State Medicaid officials said Tuesday they will ease restrictions on payments for mental health services in the face of widespread concerns about how a new rule would affect some vulnerable Nevada residents.

By Jessie Bekker

State Medicaid officials said Tuesday they will ease restrictions on payments for mental health services in the face of widespread concerns about how a new rule would affect some vulnerable Nevada residents.

But critics of the “very restrictive” new policy aimed at curbing Medicaid fraud say it still could delay or deny care to low-income Nevadans in their time of greatest need.

Fee-for-service Medicaid providers, who serve about 162,500 Nevadans on Medicaid, will now have five pre-approved sessions with a client — instead of the three previously proposed — before being required to submit a prior authorization form, Medicaid administrator Marta Jensen said at a public meeting.

The new rule, which was to have taken effect Wednesday, has been delayed until Oct. 1, she said.

Psychologist Adrianna Wechsler Zimring, past president of the Nevada Psychological Association, thanked the state for working with providers on the changes.

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