Bill > SB612

This bill modifies the eligibility criteria for Medicaid nursing facility and home and community-based care services by adding "mobility" as a new activity of daily living (ADL). The bill defines mobility as the need for physical assistance in walking or using a wheelchair, expanding the existing list of ADLs that currently includes eating, toileting, transferring, bathing, dressing, and continence. The legislation also changes the process for determining clinical eligibility by requiring the Department of Health and Human Services to obtain a determination of long-term care need from the applicant's primary care physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse. Additionally, the department must now request and give substantial weight to clinical information from other healthcare providers, such as specialty care physicians, case management providers, and therapists. The bill aims to provide a more comprehensive assessment of an individual's care needs by incorporating input from multiple healthcare professionals. From a fiscal perspective, the state anticipates an estimated annual cost of $2.5 million, which would be split equally between federal and general funds, primarily due to the expansion of ADLs to include mobility. The bill will take effect 60 days after its passage.

Health and Social Services

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_Status/billinfo.aspx?id=1406&inflect=2