Bill > SR4

This Resolution formally requests the Department of Human Services (DHS) to investigate the practicality of raising the payment rates that Medicaid provides to certain care providers. Specifically, the DHS is asked to examine increasing reimbursement for Community Care Foster Family Homes (CCFFH), Expanded Adult Residential Care Homes (E-ARCH), and other providers offering Home and Community Based Services (HCBS). These types of care are presented as vital alternatives to more expensive nursing home placements, offering essential services to individuals who need nursing home-level care but can be supported in a home-like setting, thereby benefiting patients, families, and the healthcare system by potentially reducing hospital stays and overall costs. The resolution highlights that current reimbursement rates for CCFFHs and E-ARCHs have not kept pace with their value and are significantly lower than nursing home rates, leading to challenges in provider recruitment and retention, and potentially limiting access for Medicaid patients. The DHS is required to report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature by a specific date.