Second Half of Session Begins
The Legislature returned on Tuesday from their Turnaround break. It was a quiet week for committees waiting for the newly passed bills to make their way to opposite chambers and get new committee assignments. The next two weeks will see lots of bill hearings and committee votes before the session winds down toward First Adjournment on April 1.
Senate Budget Committee Approves Full Nursing Home Funding
On Friday morning, the Senate Ways and Means Committee took up the KDADS funding recommendations made by the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Services. Those recommendations included full funding of nursing home Medicaid rates based on cost report years 2019, 2020 and cost estimates for 2021, the total cost of which is $34million SGF. The Committee members voted unanimously in favor of including the funding in the Senate budget bill. The larger Senate budget bill will eventually head to the full Senate for debate and a vote.
House Budget Committee Votes Next Week on Medicaid Funding
Next Wednesday the House Appropriations Committee will be voting on the KDADS funding recommendations made by the House Social Service Budget Committee. Those recommendations included:
- Funding for a full rebase of nursing facilities using cost reports 2019, 2020, and 2021 with an inflation factor through December 31, 2022. The cost of this is $86 million ($34 million from the State General Fund)
- 10% funding increase for HCBS/Frail Elderly Waiver
- Directive to KDADS to grant RN staffing waivers for nursing facilities as allowed under CMS regulation
If you have a Representative that serves on the House Appropriations Committee and have not yet reached out to ask them to support the funding recommendations, please do so as soon as possible.
CNA Training Bill Set for Hearing Next Week
SB 453 allowing LPNs to act as CNA training instructors under the general supervision of an RN passed the Senate last week on a vote of 40-0. The bill has now moved to the House and a hearing has been scheduled in the House Health and Human Services Committee next Tuesday, March 8 at 1:30pm. If you are interested in providing testimony in support of SB 453 let Rachel@leadingagekansas.org know ASAP.
Bill Tracker
- SB 453 CNA training expansion and updates
- Sub for SB 286 formerly known as HB 2652 Extends pandemic flexibilities and liability protection for businesses and health care providers
- HB 2663 Changes 3 year rebasing requirement for nursing homes to a 1 year cost report base model
- S Sub for HB 2279 Allows APRNs to prescribe drugs without a supervising physician and requires them to carry malpractice insurance.
- HB 2004 Allows residents to appeal discharges from assisted living (and other state-licensed settings) and remain in the facility while the appeal is pending
- Sub for HB 2463 Prohibiting changes to the Medicaid program and requiring the extension of the current Medicaid program.
