Carson City, NV January 30, 2025
People leaving jails and other correctional settings are one step closer to getting Medicaid in the Silver State with the goal of offering consistent health care after release and reducing the chance that they will end up back in correctional settings. The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced this month (January 13) that Nevada Medicaid is among 12 states awarded planning grants to address barriers to providing Medicaid in correctional settings. The $5 million award to Nevada Medicaid is the highest level of funding offered. It will be used to implement a standardized Electronic Health Records system to track patient records and bill Medicaid.
“These funds aim to improve access to care by helping local jails and prisons better meet the needs of people before they are released,” Nevada Medicaid Administrator Stacie Weeks said. "This will bring in revenue to our correctional facilities to help serve some of our most vulnerable and at-risk populations.”
The program will help people in correctional settings who are eligible for Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program. Since Medicaid billing and services will start before release and continue after release, patients will have more consistent health care which will help them more successfully transition back to the community and therefore will be less likely to end up back in the justice system.
Implementing a standardized Electronic Health Records system requires a high level of oversight and coordination while upholding patient privacy and confidentiality. The grant funding allows Nevada Medicaid staff to execute contracts and work with stakeholders to design the implementation of an Electronic Health Records system to serve incarcerated youth and adults. This is part of a recent federal requirement to provide health care and targeted case management services to individuals prior to release to the community. For more information, see this October 31 press release.
This effort will support multiple Nevada Medicaid initiatives, including Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation by providing reimbursable mental health services to incarcerated youth and School Health Services by advancing efforts to implement state-managed Electronic Health Record and Medicaid billing vendor contracts in schools.
For more information regarding the Justice Involved Reentry Program, visit the Justice-Involved Reentry Program web page.
Nevada Medicaid is free and low-cost health insurance for low-income workers and families, children, seniors, people with disabilities, and people who lost their jobs or are too sick to work. We offer financial protection from bankruptcy when unexpected illness strikes. We make health care possible in urban and rural areas. Apply for Medicaid or call 1-800-992-0900.