04/03/2023 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 58                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act relating  to  Medicaid eligibility;  expanding                                                                    
     eligibility  for postpartum  mothers; conditioning  the                                                                    
     expansion  of eligibility  on  approval  by the  United                                                                    
     States  Department of  Health and  Human Services;  and                                                                    
     providing for an effective date."                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:27:09 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson shared that the  bill had been heard on March                                                                    
7,  2023. He  announced  that there  was  an updated  fiscal                                                                    
note.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:27:43 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Alper  explained that there  was a new fiscal  note from                                                                    
the Department of Health. He  recalled that the initial cost                                                                    
of the  legislation was  $2.6 million,  which was  still the                                                                    
case, but  the department had acknowledged  that the process                                                                    
to implement  the program would  take one year,  which would                                                                    
push  the expense  to  the  FY25 budget.  He  said that  the                                                                    
program  would  ultimately  cost  $9  million  of  which  70                                                                    
percent would be  federally funded and 30  percent funded by                                                                    
the general fund.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson asked when the  funding for the program would                                                                    
be expected.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Alper assumed  July 1, 2024. He thought  the actual date                                                                    
for funding the program would rely on the federal timeline.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson asked for the  immediate request for the FY24                                                                    
budget.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Alper relayed  that the  department did  not appear  to                                                                    
contemplate any additional expense in FY24.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:29:41 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Bishop  wanted  to   clarify  that  Mr.  Alper  was                                                                    
referencing the new fiscal note with OMB Component 3234.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Alper replied in the affirmative.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:30:23 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
HEATHER  CARPENTER, HEALTH  CARE POLICY  ADVISOR, DEPARTMENT                                                                    
OF HEALTH, testified to the accuracy of the fiscal note.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson asked whether Ms.  Carpenter had any comments                                                                    
on the revised fiscal note.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Carpenter believed  that the program would  go live July                                                                    
1, 2024.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Olson asked  whether  the  governor supported  the                                                                    
bill.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Carpenter replied in the affirmative.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SB  58  was   HEARD  and  HELD  in   committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:31:57 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson discussed the agenda for the following day.