02/25/2009 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

         SB  32-MEDICAID:HOME/COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:04:36 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  DAVIS announced  consideration  of  SB 32  [CS  for SB  32,                                                              
labeled 26-LS0218\C was before the committee].                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  ELLIS, sponsor  of SB  32,  said he  had the  information                                                              
requested by the committee at the last meeting.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:05:06 PM                                                                                                                    
MAX  HENSLEY,   staff  to  Senator   Ellis,  said   the  committee                                                              
requested data  regarding potential  increments in the  Department                                                              
of Health  and Social Services (DHSS)  budget that would  cover an                                                              
immediate increase  in the rates paid to home  and community-based                                                              
providers.  The  original  fiscal   note  for  SB  32  said  those                                                              
increments  would cost  2.8 percent  for fiscal  year 2010,  which                                                              
would be  equivalent to  the home  health agency inflation  factor                                                              
that the  department feels is  the most similar  inflation factor.                                                              
It would cost $3.9 million in the current year's budget.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:07:01 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR DYSON  said he wanted  to hear about the  administration's                                                              
reservations.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR   DAVIS    said   their   concern   was    about   immediate                                                              
implementation and that had been resolved.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:08:29 PM                                                                                                                    
JON  SHERWOOD, Medicaid  Special  Projects,  Department of  Health                                                              
and  Social Services  (DHSS),  said  the department  had  concerns                                                              
with  language around  rate setting,  but  it is  willing to  take                                                              
those up in the  Finance Committee, and he was  satisfied with the                                                              
bill at this point.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:09:52 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR PASKVAN moved  to report CSSB 32(HSS) from  committee with                                                              
individual  recommendations  and  attached fiscal  note(s).  There                                                              
being no objection, the motion carried.