HB 659

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to Medicaid telebehavioral health
3	services; amending s. 409.906, F.S.; directing the
4	Agency for Health Care Administration to implement
5	additional optional Medicaid mental health services;
6	providing requirements for delivery of telebehavioral
7	health services; defining the term "telebehavioral
8	health services"; providing an effective date.
9
10	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
11
12	Section 1.  Paragraph (c) is added to subsection (8) of
13	section 409.906, Florida Statutes, to read:
14	409.906  Optional Medicaid services.-Subject to specific
15	appropriations, the agency may make payments for services which
16	are optional to the state under Title XIX of the Social Security
17	Act and are furnished by Medicaid providers to recipients who
18	are determined to be eligible on the dates on which the services
19	were provided. Any optional service that is provided shall be
20	provided only when medically necessary and in accordance with
21	state and federal law. Optional services rendered by providers
22	in mobile units to Medicaid recipients may be restricted or
23	prohibited by the agency. Nothing in this section shall be
24	construed to prevent or limit the agency from adjusting fees,
25	reimbursement rates, lengths of stay, number of visits, or
26	number of services, or making any other adjustments necessary to
27	comply with the availability of moneys and any limitations or
28	directions provided for in the General Appropriations Act or
29	chapter 216. If necessary to safeguard the state's systems of
30	providing services to elderly and disabled persons and subject
31	to the notice and review provisions of s. 216.177, the Governor
32	may direct the Agency for Health Care Administration to amend
33	the Medicaid state plan to delete the optional Medicaid service
34	known as "Intermediate Care Facilities for the Developmentally
35	Disabled." Optional services may include:
36	(8)  COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.-
37	(c)  The agency is directed to implement telebehavioral
38	health services by licensed mental health practitioners as
39	authorized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for
40	all community behavioral health care services except for those
41	services that require physical contact, such as physical
42	examinations. Telebehavioral health care services may be
43	delivered only by a person who is licensed under chapter 491 and
44	who provides the telebehavioral health services from a location
45	within the state. The agency shall also seek authorization from
46	the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to permit the
47	delivery of telebehavioral health services by any person
48	currently authorized to deliver such care. As used in this
49	paragraph, the term "telebehavioral health services" means the
50	use of electronic information and telecommunications
51	technologies to provide behavioral health services.
52	Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.