The Department of Health Care Finance has decided not to submit the State Plan Amendment for Medicaid reimbursement of home visiting programs as required in Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau’s Home Visiting Reimbursement Act of 2023, which was funded in the FY25 budget after significant work from her office and the Health Committee.
The Home Visiting Reimbursement Act would require D.C.’s Medicaid insurance program to cover home visitation services such as postpartum care for new mothers, nutrition education, alcohol and substance abuse screening and other services that are proven to be effective at reducing health disparities.
At least 20 states’ Medicaid plans include home visitation coverage. Research shows supporting new mothers and mothers of young children has short- and long-term impacts that help families provide a nurturing and healthy environment for their kids. DHCF’s own prehearing responses catalog the success of Nurse Family Partnership, one of the home visiting programs here in the District.
It is exasperating and irresponsible that DHCF has made this decision despite the passage of the law, dedicated funding, and a history of Council-directed changes to the state plan amendment. Councilmember Nadeau questioned DHCF Director Wayne Turnage at a recent Health Committee performance oversight hearing to better understand the intention behind that decision, and how we can move to a place where the change, passed in law, becomes practice.
