SB 999

Home health services

Under current law, the Department of Health Services establishes certain

limits on the reimbursement of home health services or products under the Medical

Assistance program, including that home health products or services must be

provided in the patient's home to be reimbursable. This bill eliminates the

requirement that home health services and products be provided in the patient's

home to be reimbursable. The Medical Assistance program is a joint state and

federal program that provides health services to individuals with limited financial

resources.

Institution for mental diseases

The bill corrects the cross-reference to the federal definition of “institution for

mental diseases” for the purposes of the Medical Assistance program. “Institution

for mental diseases” is defined under federal law to mean “a hospital, nursing facility,

or other institution of more than 16 beds that is primarily engaged in providing

diagnosis, treatment or care of persons with mental diseases, including medical

attention, nursing care and related services. Whether an institution is an institution

for mental diseases is determined by its overall character as that of a facility

established and maintained primarily for the care and treatment of individuals with

mental diseases, whether or not it is licensed as such. An institution for Individuals

with Intellectual Disabilities is not an institution for mental diseases.”

Independent living centers

Currently, DHS is required to award grants to independent living centers to

provide nonresidential services to individuals who have severe disabilities. Among

those services that the centers provide are known as independent living core

services. Current law defines “independent living core services” as information and

referral services, independent living skills training, peer counseling, and individual

and systems advocacy. The bill changes the definition of “independent living core

services” to align with the federal law definition by adding the following to the list

of services under current law: services that facilitate the transition of individuals

with significant disabilities from institutions to home and community-based

residences with supports and services, services that provide assistance to

individuals with significant disabilities who are at risk of entering institutions, and

services that facilitate the transition to postsecondary life of youth who have

significant disabilities, who were eligible for certain individualized education

programs, and who have completed their secondary education.

For further information, see the

Notes

provided by the Law Revision

Committee of the Joint Legislative Council.