The state of Illinois is seeing to bend federal Medicaid rules in order to get additional funding for mental health and substance abuse services.

 

Those programs are currently not covered by the Medicaid.

 

Governor Rauner’s office is asking for a five year waiver of the rules as a part of a health and human services transformation.

 

The waiver would allow the state to test new ways of giving services to Medicaid recipients with mental illness and substance abuse problems.

 

It would not increase the amount of federal funding the state receives or expand eligibility.