Bill > SB173

This bill establishes an annual legislative review process for Kentucky's Medicaid and Kentucky Children's Health Insurance Program (KCHIP) state plans, which are legally binding contracts with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) outlining how these programs are administered. The Department for Medicaid Services must submit current state plans and summaries of any changes, known as State Plan Amendments (SPAs), that have been approved, denied, or are pending with CMS to the Legislative Research Commission by July 1st each year. These documents will then be reviewed by the Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board by August 31st and the Interim Joint Committee on Health Services by October 31st, with department representatives required to provide testimony and answer questions. The bill also specifies the detailed information that must accompany each SPA submission, including a summary of changes, their intended benefits, necessity, fiscal impact, and whether they required specific authorization. The Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board can recommend changes, and the Interim Joint Committee on Health Services can find state plans deficient if they conflict with state or federal law, exceed authority, impose unreasonable burdens, or fail to follow proper procedures or board recommendations, with such findings being transmitted to the Governor for a decision on whether to amend the plan. The bill also mandates that the department publish current state plans and submitted SPAs on its website and includes provisions for an initial comprehensive review in 2026, declaring an emergency to allow the act to take effect immediately upon passage due to recent federal changes and budget increases in the Medicaid program.

Health and Social Services

https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26RS/sb173.html