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In Opioid Declaration, Trump Promises to Speed Medicaid Waivers for More Beds

Stateline: In declaring the opioid crisis a public health emergency, President Donald Trump promised a variety of initiatives aimed at making more treatment available to people who are addicted to heroin and prescription pain pills.

Although federal emergency funds have been nearly depleted because of rescue and recovery efforts following this year’s hurricanes, Trump outlined a number of measures that would make it easier for states to get and use federal money to provide more addiction treatment.

One such measure would waive an antiquated Medicaid rule that prevents treatment facilities with more than 16 beds from receiving reimbursements for addiction services. California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York and West Virginia already have received such a waiver. Several other states, including Arizona, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Utah and Virginia, have also asked for a waiver.

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