Bill > H5991

This bill, known as the Personal Choice Self-directed Personal Care Services Act of 2023, merges the Independent Provider Program into the Personal Choice Program to create a single self-directed program for Medicaid Long-term services and supports (LTSS) participants in Rhode Island. The merger aims to streamline the delivery of personal care support services, increase administrative efficiency, and enhance service access by incorporating the collective bargaining rights established in the Independent Provider Program. The bill grants the Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) authority over the terms and conditions of individual providers' employment, including compensation, payment, benefit terms, and provider qualification standards, while preserving the participants' rights to hire, direct, supervise, and terminate their individual providers. The bill also requires the Secretary to maintain a registry of qualified individual providers and sets wage ranges for these providers, which can be subject to collective bargaining. The provisions of the bill will take effect upon the Secretary's certification of the merger's implementation, which must occur no later than 120 days after obtaining any necessary federal approvals.

Budget and Finance

https://status.rilegislature.gov/