HB 1716 – Expands Medicaid mental health coverage

HB 1716 mandates taxpayer-funded Medicaid reimbursement for services provided by associate-level mental health professionals who are not yet fully licensed. This bill effectively lowers the professional threshold for reimbursable care and increases costs without meaningful safeguards. It obligates the state to pay for care from trainees at rates that could add up significantly across thousands of service hours. Medicaid is already a ballooning budget item, and this bill invites further expansion. The bill also opens the door for liberal interpretations of eligibility and scope, creating potential for further budget creep. With a looming cap of 3,000 reimbursable hours per provider, the long-term fiscal burden could become substantial. Instead of subsidizing more government-dependent healthcare, lawmakers should focus on reforming Medicaid to reduce dependency and encourage market-driven solutions.