This bill requires States to pay eligible organizations for "patient navigator" services for people who qualify for Medicaid. It adds a new definition of eligible entities, patient navigators, and patient navigator services to the Social Security Act. Eligible entities are those that meet certain requirements already used for grants under section 340A of the Public Health Service Act. A patient navigator must work for a health care or community-based organization and provide individualized education and referrals to help people get health and psychosocial care. The bill lists required education, licensure, or training for navigators (examples include a bachelor’s degree in nursing, a master’s in social work, relevant licensure, completion of competency-based navigation training, or a Secretary-approved training program). The Secretary-approved training option is allowed only for a transitional 3-year period after the new rules begin. The bill also says patient navigator services include referrals and activities that link people to medical, social, logistical, financial, or other services, services listed in section 340A(b)(1)-(6), and other services the Secretary specifies. The bill treats these services as medical assistance for purposes of the federal matching payment (FMAP). It takes effect for services provided after the first day of the first calendar year after the bill is enacted, with a limited extra time for States that need to pass state laws to comply.
No publicly available information on cost estimates or budget numbers is included in the bill text. The bill does specify that patient navigator services are to be treated as medical assistance under section 1905(a), which makes those services eligible for the Medicaid federal matching payment (FMAP).
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.