Rhode Island Audit Finds Issues in Every Medicaid Claim Reviewed for Opioid Treatment Providers

Providence New Bedford, RI, October 15, 2026 —

A state audit in Rhode Island found at least one compliance issue in every Medicaid claim reviewed for opioid treatment providers during a two-year period. The Office of the Auditor General said the state’s Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH) had not sufficiently overseen the providers to ensure they followed regulations for medication-assisted treatment.

The audit identified requirements involving patient assessments, counseling and medical exams. The summary of the findings does not specify what issues appeared in individual claims or how many claims were reviewed. It also does not provide the dates covered by the two-year period.

The finding that every reviewed claim had at least one issue describes the claims examined in the audit; the available information does not state that every claim submitted by every provider had a problem. The summary also does not identify the providers or say whether the issues resulted in payments being withheld, repayment demands, penalties or other action.

The audit’s account centers on BHDDH’s oversight, saying the department had not done enough to ensure providers complied with the applicable treatment regulations. The information provided does not detail the department’s specific oversight practices or explain why they were insufficient.

No response from BHDDH or the providers, corrective steps, audit release date or financial impact was included in the summary. Those details were not provided, leaving the scope of the issues and any subsequent actions unclear.

Story summarized from the original created by Alexander Castro on rhodeislandcurrent.com, see more information here.

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