Revision: May 31, 2024, 2:20 p.m.
HB 1236 - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
05/23/2024 1996s
05/23/2024 2174s
05/23/2024 2079s
2024 SESSION
24-2182
05/02
HOUSE BILL 1236
SPONSORS: Rep. Hunt, Ches. 14
COMMITTEE: Commerce and Consumer Affairs
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill establishes a pilot recruitment and retention program in the department of health and human services and authorizes the department of administrative services to establish certain positions at Hampstead Hospital Residential Treatment Facility for staff currently employed by Wellpath Recovery Solutions, LLC.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
05/23/2024 1996s
05/23/2024 2174s
05/23/2024 2079s 24-2182
05/02
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Department of Health and Human Services; Recruitment and Retention Program; Pilot.
I. The general court finds that the recruitment and retention of employees within the department of health and human services is necessary to maintaining a strong and vital workforce within the array of critical service deliveries within its jurisdiction including those administered through the department’s division for children, youth and families and Hampstead hospital residential treatment facility (HHRTF). The intent of this act is to proactively address vacancy rates, fluctuations experienced in census populations, acuity of care and reliance on contracted staff at the current Sununu youth services center (SYSC) and at the secured treatment facility to replace SYSC and at HHRTF.
II. The department shall establish a pilot recruitment and retention program. The program may include:
(a) Any recruitment or retention incentives received by a department employee pursuant to this paragraph shall not be considered gifts under RSA 15-B.
(b) Any expenditures made for recruitment or retention incentives pursuant to this paragraph shall be considered a matter of legislatively enacted public policy that is designed to benefit certain department employees and the state, and that is confined exclusively to the public employer by statute as provided in RSA 273-A:1, XI, and which shall not be subject to collective bargaining. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to invalidate any portion of a collective bargaining agreement entered into by the state.
III. On or before December 31, 2024, the department shall provide a report on the effectiveness of the pilot established in paragraph II for possible inclusion in the state operating budget for the biennium ending June 30, 2027, to the senate health and human services committee, the house health, human services and elderly affairs committee, the senate and house finance committees, the senate president, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the governor.
2 Department of Administrative Services; Hampstead Hospital Residential Treatment Facility; Establishing Certain Positions.
I. For the biennium ending June 30, 2025, the department of administrative services shall have the authority to establish any temporary or permanent positions necessary for the department of health and human services to hire and retain the staff currently employed by Wellpath Recovery Solutions, LLC to work at Hampstead Hospital Residential Treatment Facility (HHRTF).
II. Notwithstanding any law or rule to the contrary, staff working at HHRTF pursuant to paragraph I shall maintain current pay and vacation, sick, and leave time. State health and dental benefits shall be available upon hire. Accruals for vacation, sick, and leave time shall be determined based on a staff member's length of service at HHRTF, taking into account all years of service, no matter the employer.
3 Repeal. Section 1 of this act, relative to a pilot recruitment and retention program within the department of health and human services, is repealed.
4 Department of Health and Human Services; Income Eligibility for "In and Out Medical Assistance." Amend 2020, 39:1 to read as follows:
39:1 Department of Health and Human Services; Income Eligibility for "In and Out Medical Assistance." The commissioner of the department of health and human services shall amend the income eligibility requirement for "in and out medical assistance" defined in section 625 of the department's medical assistance manual as less than or equal to 133 1/3 percent of the section 1931 income limit or using methodology as described in section 1902(r)(2) of the federal Social Security Act. Subject to approval by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, effective January 1, 2025, the income eligibility limit shall be increased by 3.2 percent. Beginning July 1, 2025, and annually thereafter each July 1, the income eligibility limit shall be adjusted in accordance with the federal Social Security Administration’s annual cost of living adjustment in effect on January 1 of the same respective calendar year.
5 Department of Health and Human Services; Income Eligibility for "In and Out Medical Assistance;” Supplemental Appropriation. The sum of $671,298 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, is hereby appropriated to the department of health and human services for the purposes of implementing section 4 of this act. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated. The department may accept and expend matching federal funds for this purpose without prior approval of the fiscal committee.
I. Section 2 of this act shall take effect July 1, 2024.
II. Sections 3 of this act shall take effect September 15, 2025.
III. Sections 4-5 of this act shall take effect July 1, 2024.
IV. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.
24-2182
Amended 5/31/24
HB 1236- FISCAL NOTE
AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE (AMENDMENTS #2024-1996s, #2024-2174s, and #2024-2089s)
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None
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Estimated State Impact - Increase / (Decrease) | ||||||
| FY 2024 | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | ||
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Revenue Fund(s) | None | |||||
Expenditures | $0 | $860,000 - $910,000 (Sections 1-3); $671,298 (Section 4) | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase | ||
Funding Source(s) | General Fund | |||||
Appropriations | $0 | $671,298 | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | General Fund | |||||
• Does this bill provide sufficient funding to cover estimated expenditures? [X] See Below • Does this bill authorize new positions to implement this bill? [X] Yes | ||||||
METHODOLOGY:
Sections 1-3 of this bill establish a pilot recruitment and retention program in the Department of Health and Human Services. The program is effective upon passage, with a sunset provision of September 15, 2025. Generally, the program will be directed at 24/7 facilities, with the intent to address vacancy rates, fluctuations experienced in census populations, acuity of care, and reliance on contracted staff at the current Sununu youth services center (SYSC), the secured treatment facility to replace SYSC, and the Hampstead hospital residential treatment facility (HHRTF). Although there is no funding provided in the bill, the Department anticipates using funding within the agency’s existing operating budget for the FY24/25 biennium. The Department anticipates the cost in FY25 to be between $860,000 and $910,000, as follows:
• SYSC or replacement facility a range of $500,000 to $550,000
• HHRTF estimated $360,000 for hiring bonus, retention and weekend shift bonuses
The Department anticipates the cost in FY 2026 to be approximately 21 percent of FY 2025 (76 days / 365 days = 21%) expenses, or $180,600 to $191,100.
Section 4 requires the Department of Health and Human Services to increase the income eligibility limit for In and Out Medical Assistance by 3.2 percent effective January 1, 2025. Beginning July 1, 2025 and each year thereafter, the limit shall be adjusted in accordance with the federal Social Security Administration's annual cost of living adjustment. The bill, in section 5, appropriates $671,298 in FY25 for the purposes of this section.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Health and Human Services