Behavioral health funding bill stirring opposition.

A bill designed to increase funding to behavioral health agencies, SB 672, is facing growing opposition from the DHHR and others as it awaits the Governor's signature. The bill, which passed relatively smoothly, places into state law about 29 specific billing codes of the agencies and directs Medicaid to increase the reimbursement of those codes proportionately across the board. The increased funding would come from a new line item in the budget that is expected to be funded at $1.5 million this year. Medicaid is strongly opposing this legislation and lobbying the Governor to veto. This tactic is an unusual one, to put specific billing codes into state law. It has raised concern among other providers that it is bad public policy. The WVSMA is taking a serious look at this issue to determine the need to also weigh in on advising a veto.