HB400 (2009) Detail

Relative to Medicaid reimbursement rates for personal care attendants and personal care services providers and making an appropriation therefor.


2009 SESSION

09-0162

01/09

HOUSE BILL 400-FN-A

AN ACT relative to Medicaid reimbursement rates for personal care attendants and personal care services providers and making an appropriation therefor.

SPONSORS: Rep. Emerton, Hills 7; Rep. Pilliod, Belk 5; Rep. Donovan, Sull 4; Rep. Case, RockĀ 1; Rep. French, Merr 5; Sen. Letourneau, Dist 19

COMMITTEE: Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs

ANALYSIS

This bill increases the reimbursement rate for personal care attendants and personal care services providers and makes an appropriation to the department of health and human services for the purposes of the bill.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

09-0162

01/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nine

AN ACT relative to Medicaid reimbursement rates for personal care attendants and personal care services providers and making an appropriation therefor.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 Statement of Purpose. Personal care attendants and personal care services providers provide care to New Hampshire’s most vulnerable citizens. The low hourly rate of reimbursement for such providers is causing an increasing problem in recruiting and retaining qualified people due to inflation and the increased cost of living. Therefore, it is the intent of this act to address these issues by increasing the hourly rate of reimbursement for such providers.

2 Personal Care Attendants and Personal Care Services Providers; Reimbursement Rate. The department of health and human services shall increase the reimbursement rate for personal care attendants and personal care services providers providing services in accordance with RSA 161-I by $3 per hour.

3 Appropriation. The sum of $1 is hereby appropriated to the department of health and human services for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2010, for the purpose of increasing the hourly reimbursement rate for persons providing personal care services as provided in section 2 of this act. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.

4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.

LBAO

09-0162

12/22/08

HB 400-FN-A - FISCAL NOTE

AN ACT relative to Medicaid reimbursement rates for personal care attendants and personal care services providers and making an appropriation therefore.

FISCAL IMPACT:

    The Department of Health and Human Services states this bill will increase state general fund expenditures by $425,572, increase state restricted expenditures by $1,636,816, and increase county expenditures by $1,211,244 in FY 2010 and each year thereafter. This bill will have no fiscal impact on state, county, and local revenue, or local expenditures.

    This bill appropriates $1 in FY 2010 from the general fund to the Department of Health and Human Services for the purposes of this act.

METHODOLOGY:

    The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) states this bill will increase Medicaid covered personal care attendant services by $3.00 per hour or $0.75 per unit (1 unit = 15 minutes). The Department estimates that in FY 2008 4,364,832 units of personal care services were provided to Medicaid recipients. Of this, 74% of personal care services reimbursed by Medicaid were for individuals served by a personal care waiver (50% Federal, 50% County), and 26% of personal care services reimbursed by Medicaid were under the State Plan (50% Federal, 50% State General Fund). The Department estimates the fiscal impact as follows:

                      Federal State County Total

    Personal Care Rate Increase Funds Funds Funds Funds

    Personal Care Waiver $1,211,244 $0 $1,211,244 $2,422,488

    Non-Waiver $425,572 $425,572 $0 $851,144

    Total $1,636,816 $425,572 $1,211,244 $3,273,632