Officials say jail 1115 waiver implementation on track after new medical contract

County officials updated the SRLJC on plans to implement a Medicaid 1115 waiver that would expand health services for people in the county jail.

Eric Green said the county negotiated 1115 waiver components into a new medical-services contract with Medico after the previous provider issued a 180‑day termination notice. That contract was executed Feb. 1, and county staff have completed three implementation milestones, Green said: approval of the implementation plan and receipt of 40 percent of waiver funding, and submission of the readiness assessment as the third milestone.

"We were able to negotiate the 1115 components into that contract," Eric Green said, describing provisions that include case management, medications at release and billing coordinators who will bill managed-care organizations on the county’s behalf. Green said that once the readiness assessment is approved the county expects to receive another 40 percent of the funding.

Green described the program’s timeline and eligibility rules. "There are some timeline requirements associated with this from the state," he said, adding that the county must perform quick screenings: "within 24 hours they have to be assessed for eligibility, within 48 hours they have to have a health assessment screening ... and then within, I believe it's 72 hours they have to have a case manager assigned." He said those case managers will support planning for post‑release services and handoffs.

Staff are advertising to expand medication‑assisted treatment staffing and to hire billing staff; Green said the county expects program staff to be in place by June 1 and hopes to have a dedicated program administrator on board by May 1. He said the county is negotiating billing arrangements with five managed‑care organizations and is aiming for a July 1 go‑live date, but cautioned that timing could slip if approvals or hires are delayed.

The update did not include a formal vote. Next steps described to the SRLJC were completion and approval of the readiness assessment, finishing contract implementation tasks with Medico, and continuing negotiations with managed‑care organizations.