California improperly reimbursed $23M for opioid treatments, HHS audit finds

An audit from the HHS Office of the Inspector General estimates California improperly claimed at least $23.1 million in Medicaid reimbursement for opioid treatment services.  

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Opioid treatment programs provide medication and counseling services for people diagnosed with an opioid use disorder, according to the report released April 22. The audit examined a random sample of claims made from January 2018 through December 2019. California received $259.8 million in federal reimbursements during that span.  

The audit found that some services did not meet federal and state requirements. Unallowable services included unsupported counseling services, noncompliant take-home medications and excessive frequency of counseling services. 

The Office of the Inspector General recommends California refund the $23.1 million to the federal government and take steps to address the identified deficiencies. 

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