Agency Action: Amendments to the Title XIX Medicaid State Plan and the Alternative Benefit Plan

Agency Action: Amendments to the Title XIX Medicaid State Plan and the Alternative Benefit PlanPursuant to 42 CFR §§ 440.386 and 447.205, notice is hereby given that the Department of Health (the department) intends to seek approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for amendments to the Alternative Benefit Plan (ABP) authorized under § 1937 of the Social Security Act for individuals 19 to 64 years of age who are eligible pursuant to § 1902(a) (10)(A)((i)(VIII) of the Social Security Act – the expansion population – and the Title XIX Medicaid State Plan (the state plan).Subject of Amendment(s):The department intends to submit a SPA to comply with federal provisions for Medicaid eligible Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), outlined in Section 505 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 355) and Section 351 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262). This update to the Medicaid State Plan will: Remove the previously cited end date from template pages. This update will ensure MAT services receive coverage past September 30, 2025, Update language to ensure the section pages aligns with state regulation and other plan pages, and Remove the end date of the MAT in the Alternative Benefit Plan to ensure coverage past September 30, 2025. Financial impact:There is no anticipated increased financial impact for this SPA. EPSDT and ARRA/Tribal Consultation:The proposed amendments will not affect how Alaska Medicaid provides or reimburses EPSDT services. The department followed the tribal consultation process established under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 and set forth in its approved state plan.Public Comments:The department is holding a public comment period relative to these amendments until 5 PM on November 19, 2025. Individuals may submit written comments via email to christal.hays@alaska.gov. Please submit electronic comments as an attached word document or text within the email body with the phrase “Medication Assisted Treatment” in the subject line. All submissions must include the sender’s full name and email address.If you are a person with a disability who requires a special accommodation to participate in this process, please contact Christal Hays at christal.hays@alaska.gov or (907) 891-4830 not later than November 4, 2025, to ensure the provision of any necessary accommodations.Individuals unable to submit comments by email should submit written comments by the close of the comment period to:DOH Commissioner’s Officec/o Christal Hays3601 C Street, Suite 902Anchorage, AK 99503