GenIC #64 (Revision): Federal Meta-Analysis Support: Section 1115 Substance Use Disorder Demonstrations

Attachment 3.a. MCO and Behavioral Health Provider Stakeholder Interview
Introductory Email from CMS to State Medicaid Director
To:

State Medicaid Director

CC:

CMCS Project Officer, RTI SUD Team Lead

Subject:

RTI International Evaluation of Section 1115 Substance Use Disorder
Demonstrations

Dear [STATE MEDICAID DIRECTOR],
Your state received approval from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to
implement a section 1115 substance use disorder (SUD) demonstration. States with section 1115
SUD demonstrations are required to conduct independent evaluations of their demonstrations
and report monitoring data regularly. To complement individual state evaluations and
monitoring, the CMS has contracted with RTI International to conduct a meta-evaluation of SUD
demonstrations. This evaluation will look across states with SUD demonstrations
to understand the demonstrations’ effectiveness and how the context in which demonstrations are
implemented lead to differences in effectiveness.
As part of the evaluation, RTI is conducting telephone interviews with managed care
organizations (MCOs) and behavioral health provider leadership in states implementing SUD
demonstrations to understand the impacts of demonstrations on MCOs, providers, and Medicaid
beneficiaries. CMS is asking that you help identify relevant MCOs and behavioral health
providers and provide a warm hand-off to the MCO and behavioral health provider leadership
via email introduction.
Interviews will cover implementation of patient placement criteria, Medicaid billing and
reimbursement, care coordination, transitions in care, care integration, recovery support services,
and residential MAT.
RTI will follow up with you via email and can provide you with an email template for contacting
MCO and behavioral health provider leadership. We appreciate your help facilitating this
important evaluation. Please contact me at [INSERT CMS PHONE NUMBER] if you have
questions.
Thank you,
INSERT