Patients sue Idaho over Medicaid Mental Health Cuts

BOISE (idaho Capital Sun) – Five patients are suing state health officials over a contractorS plans to cut critical Idaho Medicaid services for people wiht severe mental illness.

This is the second lawsuit the state faces attempting to halt Magellan of Idaho’s plans to cut specialized mobile teams. These teams treat patients with severe mental illness who haven’t succeeded in customary settings. The patients filed their lawsuit in federal court on Wednesday, seeking class-action status to protect all Idahoans in the program.

Their arguments mirror claims made by mental health clinics in a state court lawsuit last week. They argue the cuts will effectively end the program, worsening mental health conditions and jeopardizing public safety.

The cuts, the patients contend, “will have cascading negative consequences for plaintiffs and their families, including increasing the severity of mental health symptoms, more frequent and intense mental health crises, and an overall functional decline in their day-to-day lives.” This decline impacts family and social connections, as well as personal safety and public safety.

RELATED | Idaho mental health clinics sue state over Medicaid contractor’s cuts

RELATED | Idaho Medicaid contractor to cut critical services for people with severe mental illness

Magellan’s cuts,announced late last month,result from the state’s attempt to control Medicaid spending. The state awarded Magellan a contract in July to manage behavioral health services for Medicaid recipients.

The lawsuit alleges Magellan is reducing services to meet financial targets. It claims Magellan is improperly limiting access to intensive community psychiatric rehabilitation program (ICPR) services. These services are vital for patients who need notable support to live independently.

Plaintiffs argue magellan isn’t following state and federal laws requiring adequate access to mental health care. They also claim magellan isn’t providing sufficient notice to patients before cutting services. The lawsuit seeks a court order preventing Magellan from implementing the cuts and requiring the company to restore services.

A hearing date hasn’t been set yet. The Idaho Attorney General’s Office, which is defending the state, didn’t respond to a request for comment.