Medi-Cal Drug Treatment Program: buprenorphine pilot program.

Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income persons receive health care benefits. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid provisions. Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal Drug Treatment Program (Drug Medi-Cal) , under which each county enters into contracts with the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs for the provision of various drug treatment services to Medi-Cal recipients, or the department directly arranges for the provision of these services if a county elects not to do so. Existing law defines the services reimbursable under this program, and establishes contracting, billing, and reimbursement procedures governing this program. This bill would establish a buprenorphine medication assisted treatment pilot program under Drug Medi-Cal, commencing January 1, 2011, and concluding December 31, 2016, for the purpose of determining the efficacy of buprenorphine in treating opioid addiction. This bill would require all narcotic treatment programs participating in the pilot program to operate in accordance with prescribed requirements. This bill would require that, from January 1, 2011, to June 30, 2013, inclusive, that the reimbursement rate for buprenorphine treatment services be equal to the uniform statewide daily reimbursement rate for methadone. Prior to July 1, 2013, the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs would be required to set the uniform statewide daily reimbursement rate for buprenorphine for the remainder of the pilot program based on specified criteria. Existing law authorizes licensed narcotic treatment programs to use methadone and LAAM for replacement narcotic therapy. This bill would, in addition, authorize the use of buprenorphine and any other federally approved controlled substances used for the purpose of narcotic replacement treatment.