Bill > SB186

This bill aims to expand Medicaid access for seniors and individuals needing long-term care by allowing assisted living communities and personal care homes to enroll as Medicaid providers. Currently prohibited from receiving Medicaid funds, these facilities would now be permitted to participate in the Medicaid program, helping Georgians with limited financial resources access home and community-based services. The bill requires the Department of Community Health to develop a model for implementation and submit a Medicaid state plan amendment or waiver to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services by December 31, 2026. The legislative intent is to provide more flexible care options for individuals who need assisted living services but cannot afford them, offering provider choice and enabling people to "age in place" without moving to skilled nursing facilities. The bill specifically removes the existing prohibition on assisted living communities receiving Medicaid funds and creates a new code section that explicitly allows these facilities to enroll as Medicaid providers, pending federal approval.

Health and Social Services

https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70397