Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (720)
Request Title
Replace lost Medicare incentive payments with general fund support
Biennium
2014-2016
Budget Round
Amended Bill
Category
Mandates
Region
None
Description
Replaces lost Medicare incentive payments associated with implementation of Electronic Health Records (EHR) at state facilities with general fund dollars. Chapter 2 included $2.9 million in FY 2015 and $0.8 million in FY 2015 in Medicare incentive payments for the development of the EHR system at state-operated mental health and intellectual disability facilities. After questioning and review with the federal Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, the decision was made to decertify medical surgical units within these facilities. Southwest Virginia Mental Health Institute’s unit was decertified on July 1, 2014, and the units at Eastern State Hospital and Western State Hospital were decertified on September 30, 2014. The decertification of those units will result in a reduced incentive payment.