Senate and Assembly One-House Budget Bills
The Senate and the Assembly advanced their One-House Budget bills setting forth their respective negotiating positions pertaining to the FY 2021-22 State Budget. The following is a summary of some of the provisions either included or excluded in each respective One-House Budget proposal affecting skilled nursing and assisted living providers. It is important to note that while the Senate and Assembly both rejected the Governor’s nursing home and adult care reforms, these initiatives are being advanced in legislation outside of the State Budget process by both the Senate and Assembly and could also be included in the final FY 2021-22 State Budget. Senate One-House Budget Proposal- Does not include the Governor’s proposed nursing home and adult care reforms stating that the Senate has already passed a package of nursing home reform legislation;
- Does not include the Governor’s 1 percent Across the Board Medicaid reimbursement cut;
- Does not include the Governor’s extension of the Medicaid Global Cap through FY 2023 and calls on the DOH to seek alternatives that factor in reductions in federal reimbursement rates, adjustments in utilization and enrollment increases;
- Provides $200 million for services and expenses for acute care facilities and nursing homes to increase nurse staffing levels;
- Does not include the Governor’s transfer of $455 million of Medicaid funds to the General Fund;
- Does not include the Governor’s elimination of EQUAL subsidy program;
- Expands the definition of ‘distant site’ to allow telehealth providers to provide services anywhere in the United States;
- Repeals the transition of the Medicaid pharmacy benefit from Medicaid Managed Care; and
- Adds language to require the DOH to reoffer contracts to ensure there are at least two fiscal intermediaries for CDPAP in each county with a population of 200,000 or more.
- Does not include the Governor’s proposal related to nursing homes and adult care facilities;
- Does not include the Governor’s 1 percent Across the Board Medicaid reimbursement cut;
- Transfers $250 million for distressed hospitals and nursing homes to the Medicaid general fund;
- Provides $20 million for workforce recruitment and retention of nursing home CNAs and home care personal aides;
- Does not include the Governor’s proposal to eliminate exemptions for mandatory electronic prescribing requirements;
- Does not include the Governor’s elimination of EQUAL subsidy program;
- Includes a proposal to establish the eligibility of individuals being discharged from a nursing home or adult home to the community for Special Standard for Housing Expenses which exempts an amount of income for the purpose of assisting with housing costs;
- Restores funding for the Adult Home advocacy Program to support legal service providers assisting adult home residents;
- Includes an additional $1 million in funding for the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program;
- Carves out services for Medicaid enrollees with traumatic brain injuries or that qualify for nursing home diversion from Medicaid managed care and into Medicaid FFS;
- Includes a proposal to require the DOH to conduct a study on ambulette Medicaid reimbursement rates;
- Delays the Medicaid pharmacy transition from managed care to FFS for three years; and
- Does not include the Governor’s proposal to eliminate Prescriber Prevails.
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