The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved an amendment to the “Maryland HealthChoice” section 1115 demonstration.  Approval of this amendment provides the state authority to establish a reentry demonstration initiative.  Under this initiative, the state will provide limited pre-release demonstration coverage to certain incarcerated individuals under Medicaid who have also been assessed and determined to have substance use disorder (SUD), are diagnosed with serious mental illness (SMI), or both, based on specific criteria, for up to 90 days prior to release from state managed prisons and jails.  In addition, this approval allows the state to expand the existing Assistance in Community Integration Services (ACIS) pilot program by increasing the number of participant spaces within the program.

This demonstration is effective through December 31, 2026. Today’s amendment and other administrative documents can be found on the Medicaid.gov demonstration page.