California prison inmates to get some Medicaid care
The federal government will allow Medicaid dollars to treat some people in prisons, jails or juvenile detention centers for the first time ever
WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government will allow Medicaid dollars to treat some people in prisons, jails or juvenile detention centers for the first time ever, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced Thursday.
CMS will allow California inmates to access limited services, including substance use treatment and mental health diagnoses, 90 days before being released. Since Medicaid was established, federal law has prohibited Medicaid money from being used for people who are in custody, with inmates having access to their health care coverage suspended.
The move will provide more stability for inmates and juvenile detainees as they exit institutions and reenter the outside world, CMS administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure said Thursday.
She said the change will allow the state to “make unprecedented advancements for incarcerated individuals who have long been underserved.”
