SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 34

(By Senators Minear, Boley, Rowe, Caldwell, Redd, Helmick, Fanning, Edgell, Kessler, Minard, Anderson, Unger, McCabe, Prezioso, Bowman, Plymale, Snyder, Chafin, Sharpe, Ross, McKenzie, Oliverio, Facemyer, Burnette, Sprouse, Mitchell, Love and Tomblin, Mr. President)



Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance conduct an interim study of the Medicaid Aged and Disabled Waiver Program.

Whereas, The Medicaid Aged and Disabled Waiver Program is a Medicaid-reimbursed, home and community-based services program which functions in our society as an alternative to nursing home care; and
Whereas, Waivers are certain statutory and regulatory requirements waived by the Department of Health and Human Resources to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to reimburse for services that are not part of the state plan for Medicaid services and are provided only to waiver recipients; and
Whereas, Rate changes have been implemented to provide equity in reimbursement for comparable services and to allow providers to increase individual staff salaries in recognition of difficulty in recruiting and retaining qualified staff regarding the Medicaid Aged and Disabled Waiver Program; and
Whereas, Policy changes have also been implemented which allow the plan of care and service supervision to be provided at the level of direct service to the client in the Medicaid Aged and Disabled Waiver Program; and
Whereas, The rate and policy changes that have been implemented should be studied by the Legislature to ensure that the changes are necessary for the Medicaid Aged and Disabled Waiver Program; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Legislature hereby requests the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to conduct an interim study of the Medicaid Aged and Disabled Waiver Program to ensure that rate and policy changes which have been implemented regarding reimbursement of services are necessary; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance report to the Legislature on its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations, no later than the first day of January, 2003; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.