Committee hears bill to restore Medicaid coverage for vagus‑nerve stimulation device repair and replacement

Assembly Bill 284 would add vagus‑nerve stimulation device implantation and battery replacement back to Nevada’s Medicaid state plan for treatment of medication‑resistant epilepsy, Assemblywoman Tracy Brown‑May told the Senate Finance Committee.

Brown‑May said the service was covered under Medicaid previously but was removed during budget reductions following the recession. She told senators that Medicaid clients who medically need the device sometimes had to seek help through casework, and that the Division of Medicaid proposed an amendment with a reimbursement rate structure to address the fiscal impact.

Ann Jensen of the Division of Medicaid participated in drafting an amendment and the sponsor presented updated fiscal numbers for the state share: the division’s analysis showed an estimated $54,728 in new general‑fund costs for FY 2026 and $240,000 for FY 2027; federal Title XIX funds would cover a larger share (the division estimated $888,000 in title‑19 funds over the biennium). Brown‑May said the state share is smaller relative to the federal portion.

No callers testified for or against the bill during the committee’s hearing, and no committee vote was taken at the hearing.