Both the Senate Ways and Means (SWAM) Human Services subcommittee and the House Social Services Budget committee have made their recommendations on the KDADS and KDHE budgets. See what was included in each below:
| Senate | House |
| Nursing facility full rebase – 22.2M SGF (Accepted Gov’s Recommendation) | Nursing facility full rebase – 22.2M SGF (Accepted Gov’s Recommendation) |
| Nursing facility ½ the MCP – 11.5M SGF | Nursing facility full MCP – 23M SGF |
| PACE Rebase to 90% – 2.4M SGF | PACE Rebase to 90% – 2.4M SGF |
| Staffing Agency Proviso – 25k | Involuntary Discharge Proviso – 75k SGF |
| Interim Committee on HCBS/FE rate/costs | HCBS/FE Personal Care Services – 18.6M SGF Rate Parity to IDD Rates including FE – 10M SGF |
| Hospice 5% haircut only, no proviso – 738K SGF | Hospice 5% haircut and KDHE proviso – 738K SGF |
While the Medicaid Capacity Payments (add-on) in the Senate were cut in half, this is typical and can still get fully funded as we move forward. The next step in the process will be the chairs of these two committees providing the recommendations to the full SWAM and House Appropriations committees and seeing what makes it in and heads to conference committee. House Appropriations plans to hear these recommendations next week on Wednesday.
Since this Friday is turnaround, the House and Senate will both be on their chamber floors all day on Wednesday and Thursday trying to hear and complete final action on as many bills as possible. Any bills not blessed will have to be passed out of each chamber and sent to the other side to continue in the process. Some bills we are tracking that have the potential to come “above the line” this week:
- SB338 – Changing certain reporting requirements of group-funded liability and workers compensation pools.
- SB352 – Enacting the John D. Springer patient’s bill of rights to require hospitals to allow in-person visitation, adopt visitation policies and procedures and create a civil cause of action for violation of such rights.
- SB430 – Comprehensive workers compensation bill.
- HB2548 – Enacting the no patient left alone act to require facilities to allow in-person visitation to certain patients at hospitals, adult care homes, and hospice facilities.
- HB2777 – Prohibiting an employee of the office of the state fire marshal from wearing or operating a body camera during an on-site inspection at a patient care facility.
- HB2784 – Transferring authority for certification of continuing care retirement communities from the Kansas insurance department to the Kansas department for aging and disability services and lowering the nursing facility provider assessment for continuing care retirement communities.
Yesterday, what is commonly referred to as the “flat tax” bill was considered for veto override in the House, however, the body was short the necessary 83 votes to override. It is unclear whether the House and Senate will begin working on new tax relief packages. We hear there is the potential for House Health and Human Services and Senate Public Health and Welfare to hold hearings on Medicaid Expansion after turnaround. We’ll keep you updated on any other relevant hearings as the session continues.
