Final Health and Mental Health
Budget Outcomes

April 3, 2021

Many thanks to Marcy Savage at Reid, McNally & Savage for working so hard to keep us well informed and ahead of the curve.

With the Final Health/Mental Hygiene Budget Bill in print, below is a more extensive summary of the Health/Mental Hygiene state budget highlights of interest to NYS Council members:

  • Delays implementation of Medicaid Pharmacy Benefit carve out 2 years to 4/1/23
  • Rejects Proposed Changes to Prescriber Prevails
  • Includes “skinny” telehealth language that changes existing public health law provisions around definition of distant site and originating sites.  Adds certified peer recovery advocate services and peer providers credentialed by OASAS and peers certified or credentialed by OMH as telehealth providers.
  • Rejects creation of standards for a new ‘addiction professionals’ title (Note: This was a proposal to create a new title – does not threaten any existing OASAS titles or credentialed staff ) 
  • Includes proposal on Crisis Stabilization Centers
  • Rejects creation of a new Office of Addiction and Mental Health Services
  • Rejects Integrated Licensure proposal
  • Extends Medicaid Global Cap through 2022-23 
  • Rejects prescriber prevails changes (as proposed by Governor)
  • Eliminates Basic Health Program premium for those living at or below 200% of FPL
  • Extends ability for OMH & OPWDD Facility Directors to serve as representative payee for residents through 6/30/24
  • Extends ability for OMH & OPWDD to appoint temporary operators through 3/31/22
  • Extends specialized inpatient psychiatric units demonstration through 3/31/24 and includes a requirement for final reports on demo
  • Continues Community Reinvestment through 3/31/24; Includes language stating that OMH shall not be required to allocate funding for FY 2021-22, expiring 3/31/22.
  • Allows OMH to establish a schedule of fees for process applications for the issuance of operating certificates.
  • Includes language requiring a Medicaid Managed Care VBP regional demonstration program in one of the following regions: Western, Central, Southern Tier or Capital Region.
  • Includes language to provide residential health care for children with medical fragility, as defined in transition to young adults and for young adults.
  • Establishes an insurance program under NYSDOH for subsidization of extended post-partum insurance coverage to eligible individuals through twelve months post-partum.

A reminder that the 1% Human Services COLA and Opioid Settlement Fund (if included in the final budget) would likely be included in Aid to Localities and/or Revenue bills, once released.  The Appropriations bills will also have other funding items of interest once finalized.

We will send further updates as additional budget bills and details become available.