New Mexico鈥檚 Human Services Department says more consumers, not fewer, are receiving services since the last summer of a dozen behavioral health providers accused of fraud. 鈥檚 response is contrary to the results of a progress report by a federal oversight agency.
The federal came to identify any barriers to access after five Arizona firms took over from a dozen New Mexico nonprofits, and in patients served over a 4 month period.
Matt Kennicott, spokesman for HSD, says his department's records contradict what the federal agency found.
鈥淭he data we provided shows about 10,000 people receiving services in May of last year, and the data post-transition in November of last year shows just over 12,000 people receiving services. So, honestly we don鈥檛 know where CMS pulled that 23-percent number from and quite frankly it鈥檚 off,鈥� Kennicott said.
HSD provided its own numbers to the federal government in February, in which it also claimed that behavioral management services provided to in New Mexico have dropped. HSD added that was due to previous over-use of services and successful treatment of clients.
