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| SPONSOR: | Heaton | DATE TYPED: | 02/18/99 | HB | 223/aHCPAC | ||
| SHORT TITLE: | Unserved Disabled & Elderly Services | SB | |||||
| ANALYST: | Burris | ||||||
| Recurring
or Non-Rec |
Fund
Affected | ||||
| FY99 | FY2000 | FY99 | FY2000 | ||
| $ 4,400.0 | Recurring | GF | |||
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
| Subsequent
Years Impact |
Recurring
or Non-Rec |
Fund
Affected | ||
| FY99 | FY2000 | |||
| $ 13,200.0 | Recurring | FF | ||
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)
Duplicates SB33 Relates to SB24
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
LFC Files
Developmental Disabilities Planning Council
New Mexico Health Policy Commission
Governor's Committee on Concerns of the Handicapped
Human Services Department
Department of Health
SUMMARY
Synopsis of HCPAC Amendment
The Consumer and Public Affairs Committee amended House Bill 223 to appropriate the general fund to serve persons eligible for the Disabled and Elderly (D&E) program to the Department of Health instead of the Human Services Department. The amendment also strikes language in the bill referring to the appropriation serving approximately 1,000 individuals.
Synopsis of Bill
House Bill 223 appropriates $4.4 million from the general fund to the Human Services Department in fiscal year 2000 to serve 1000 additional persons through the Medicaid D&E Waiver Program.
Significant Issues
The D&E Waiver program allows people to be cared for in home and community based settings rather than in nursing homes, which allows for greater patient input into services provided. Furthermore, the program is more cost effective than nursing homes. The average cost per patient in the D&E Waiver program is $15.0, whereas nursing home costs aver $35.0 per year.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
The federal match rate for the Medicaid D&E Waiver program is roughly three to one. Thus, the appropriation will result in approximately $13.2 million in federal funds.
TECHNICAL ISSUES
Currently, the general fund dollars associated with the D&E Waiver program are appropriated to the Department of Health and administered by the Long Term Care and Restorative Care Division.
The Human Services Department will need to get approval from the Health Care Financing Administration to serve additional eligibles. It is not anticipated there will be any difficulty doing so.
OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES
According to the Developmental Disability Planning Council, there are approximately 4000 people on the waiting list for D&E Waiver services. Thus, House Bill 223 will substantially reduce, if not eliminate, the long-standing waiting list for this program.
POSSIBLE QUESTIONS
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