The State Healthcare Authority is raising Medicaid reimbursement rates to providers who work with patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities to help attract and retain more of those providers.
The new higher reimbursement rates are based on an independent third party review that takes into account pay rates in nearby states and market salary trends. The funding was approved last year by the state legislature.
Director of the Authority’s Developmental Disability Supports Division, Jennifer Rodriguez, said New Mexico goes through the process every two years rather than every five, as the Federal Government suggests, in order to try to retain and attract the best providers
“DDSD very closely monitors this. We are always, always wanting and looking for more providers,” she said. “Because at the end of the day, what that does is provide our constituents with greater access and choice throughout the state to meet their needs.”
She said the funds will go to programs like the Developmental Disabilities Waiver, Mi Via Waiver, and the Medically Fragile Waiver,which allow participants to stay in their communities and homes rather than go into an institution.
“It improves outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities when we can make sure we have quality support staff assisting them to meet their goals, and really helping keep people free from abuse, neglect and exploitation,” she said.
The pay hike has been coming since a 2023 study determined the payout amounts, but Rodriguez says the HCA had to first complete a series of steps. That included getting federal approval, requesting and then receiving funding from the legislature, which required a fiscal impact statement, and many more processes before administering the new payouts.
The good news for providers though is that these will be retroactively applied going all the way back to July 1st last year for the Developmental Disabilities and Medically Fragile Waivers, and October 1st for Mi Via waivers.
Support for this coverage comes from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
