October 3, 2007
Dear Provider: The purpose of this letter is to issue a Managed Addiction Treatment Services (MATS) program directive to all Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services’ (OASAS) Certified Chemical Dependency Providers in New York City. Effective immediately, your agency should stop using the MATS informed patient consent for the release of Medicaid data (i.e., Consent No. 1) distributed via Local Services Bulletin No. 2006-01, dated February 10, 2006. Please discard all blank hard copies of this obsolete form, which is attached with a void stamp for ease of recognition. Effective November 1, 2007, your agency should begin using the new MATS informed patient consent (attached) for the release of Medicaid data. By signing this new form, the patient is consenting to: • Disclosure to and between the New York State Department of Health (DOH) and NYS OASAS of his/her entire Medicaid claim data for the purpose of determining MATS eligibility; Upon a positive eligibility determination, disclosure to and between NYS OASAS and the New York City Human Resources Administration (NYC HRA) of his/her entire Medicaid Claim data; and Allowing NYC HRA to contact him/her, in a confidential manner, for the purpose of offering an opportunity to voluntarily participate in MATS.
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There will be a moratorium period from the date you receive this letter until November 1, 2007, during which time your agency should not offer new or active clients any MATS consent forms. Effective November 1, 2007, all patients should be offered the new consent form and have their preference entered into the OASAS Client Data System. You may also offer patients who previously consented to have OASAS determine their eligibility for MATS the opportunity to sign the new form and you should re-enter their preference into the OASAS Client Data System.
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This new consent form will enable both OASAS and NYC HRA to use their resources to ensure that individuals who can most benefit from MATS will be given the opportunity to participate. The success of MATS will require cooperation between providers and case managers who should be treated as an integral part of the treatment team. We appreciate your cooperation in this important program. Please direct questions regarding this letter to Matt Schultz in the Bureau of Health Care Financing and Third Party Reimbursement at (518) 485-2190 or by e-mail at MatthewSchultz@oasas.state.ny.us. Sincerely,
Kenneth Hoffman, Director Bureau of Health Care Financing and Third Party Reimbursement Attachment 1 – Obsolete/Voided Consent Form Attachment 2 – New Consent Form